Senior Research Program Lead

Join the Office of Research as the Senior Research Program Lead, where you will lead complex research programs, sponsored projects, and strategic initiatives that advance the University's research mission. You will provide leadership in project and portfolio management, staff supervision, fiscal oversight, compliance, and strategic program development while partnering with researchers, sponsors, and university stakeholders to achieve successful outcomes. If you are an experienced leader with expertise in research administration, sponsored programs, project management, and team development, we encourage you to apply and help drive research excellence and innovation across Alaska and beyond.

As the Senior Research Program Lead, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for a portfolio of complex research programs, sponsored projects, and institutional initiatives that support the Office of Research's mission and priorities. You will establish project governance structures, work plans, milestones, reporting frameworks, and performance measures; oversee project execution across multiple concurrent initiatives; monitor risks and resource allocation; and coordinate with Principal Investigators, research teams, university offices, and external partners to ensure projects are implemented efficiently, compliantly, and in alignment with sponsor and institutional requirements.

You will supervise and mentor research administration and project management staff, providing guidance on workload management, performance expectations, professional development, and complex project matters. You will oversee fiscal and compliance activities across assigned portfolios, including budget development, forecasting, expenditure monitoring, labor planning, subawards, procurement, reporting, and closeout activities. You will review complex financial information, identify risks and corrective actions, ensure adherence to sponsor terms and university policies, and provide leadership with operational, financial, and staffing analyses that support effective decision-making and long‑term program sustainability.

You will advance strategic research initiatives, funding opportunities, and institutional partnerships by supporting proposal development, award implementation, and the coordination of complex multi‑unit and multi‑institutional projects. You will prepare executive‑level reports, presentations, briefings, and recommendations for senior leadership; represent the Office of Research in meetings with sponsors, stakeholders, and research partners; facilitate cross‑functional collaboration; manage sensitive communications; and serve as a senior operational resource for complex project and program matters that impact the University's research enterprise.

To thrive in this role, the candidate should bring extensive experience in research administration, sponsored project management, and the oversight of complex externally funded programs within a highly regulated environment. Success requires advanced knowledge of federal, state, university, and sponsor requirements; strong fiscal and operational management skills; and the ability to oversee compliance, budgeting, risk mitigation, resource allocation, and program performance across a diverse research portfolio.

The ideal candidate is a strategic and analytical leader who can interpret complex regulations and sponsor requirements, develop effective administrative processes, make sound recommendations, and drive continuous improvement in research operations.

A successful candidate will also demonstrate exceptional leadership, communication, and relationship‑building skills, with experience supervising professional staff, managing high‑value multi‑stakeholder…