Assistant Vice Chancellor, Research Business Operations

Employment Type: Permanent Staff (EHRA NF)

Vacancy ID: NF0010182

Salary Range: Dependent on Qualifications

Position Summary/Description:

UNC’s Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research ( OVCR ) supports a research enterprise approximately $1.6 billion in total research activity. The Assistant Vice Chancellor, Research Business Operations ( AVC - RBO ) provides senior leadership for the financial and operational infrastructure that supports this enterprise, including Research Finance and Business Operations, Research Human Resources, the Office of Research Information Systems, and Research Space Planning. The position reports to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Research Operations, Protections, and Security, with dotted line to the Vice Chancellor for Research, and works closely with OVCR senior leaders, and University partners to align business operations with institutional research priorities.

The AVC - RBO develops and maintains the multi-year financial forecast for the research enterprise, including projected sponsored funding growth, indirect cost recovery, workforce and space needs, and capital investment requirements. The role provides leadership for F&A strategy, rate development and negotiation, resource-allocation modeling, data analytics, and business intelligence, and builds the financial and resource cases supporting major research investments. The position also partners with OVCR’s revenue-generating units and affiliated centers and institutes to provide financial modeling and sustainability analysis supporting research growth.

The AVC - RBO has line authority over Research Finance and Business Operations, Research Human Resources, the Office of Research Information Systems, and Research Space Planning, including supervision and development of the leaders responsible for those functions. Day-to-day transactional and operational responsibilities remain with the respective functional leaders; the AVC - RBO establishes strategic direction, priorities, performance expectations, and the financial and operational framework within which those functions operate.

Education and Experience:

Experience with indirect cost recovery (F&A) rate development and negotiation, higher education or federal research finance, and enterprise resource planning systems is strongly preferred. Experience in a major research university, academic health system, or similarly complex research environment is preferred. Experience representing an institution in federal or multi-institutional policy settings is desirable. An advanced degree in business, finance, public administration, or a related field, or an equivalent professional certification (e.g., CPA , MBA ), is preferred.

Essential Skills:

The successful candidate will be a person of high personal integrity, exhibit a strong commitment to service, and demonstrate a broad understanding of the role of research at a modern university. The successful candidate will have eight or more years of progressively responsible experience in financial management, business operations, or related functions within a large, complex organization, including significant leadership responsibility for multi-year financial planning, budgeting, resource modeling, or comparable enterprise-level business functions. The successful candidate will have strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving abilities; excellent written and oral communication skills; demonstrated ability to present financial models and resource cases to senior leadership; and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of stakeholders. Significant experience with budget development and management, project management, team leadership, data analytics, and business intelligence is also required.

AA/EEO Statement:

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.