Assistant Director/Director, Sponsored Contracts

UTHealth Houston•Houston, TX

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

UTHealth Houston is seeking an experienced research administration leader to serve as Assistant Director or Director of Sponsored Contracts, with title commensurate with experience. The role oversees and mentors the Sponsored Contracts team, serves as an Authorized Institutional Official and University signature authority, and ensures timely negotiation and execution of research agreements in compliance with applicable regulations and institutional policies. The position independently reviews, drafts, redlines, and negotiates a broad range of simple to complex research agreements, and advises on contractual terms involving intellectual property, data and materials ownership, publication rights, and regulatory requirements. It partners with faculty investigators, research leaders, collaborators, and funding agencies to support the University's research mission while protecting its interests. The role develops staff expertise, training programs, operational processes, customer service, and team performance measures. It analyzes workloads and guides resource allocation and performance improvement; tracks changes in government and funding-agency requirements; and supports implementation and communication of related policies and procedures. It also represents the University through professional organizations and conferences, mentors research administrators, assists with internal controls, and manages departmental human resources activities. This is a hybrid position requiring at least one day per week on campus, with additional in-office presence as needed. Employees must permanently reside and work in Texas. The position is security-sensitive.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree required.
At least six years of directly related experience, including three years in a role with supervisory and progressive responsibilities.
Strong knowledge of research contracting, intellectual property, data rights, and sponsored research administration.
Experience supporting faculty investigators and research leadership.
Demonstrated ability to mentor, train, and develop research administration professionals.
Ability to negotiate and administer complex research agreements and address related regulatory, institutional, and policy requirements.
Ability to work and permanently reside in the State of Texas.
Ability to meet the security-sensitive position requirements described in the posting.

Nice To Haves

Doctoral degree in a scientific discipline preferred; the minimum-education section also identifies a doctorate in Life Sciences or a legal field as preferred.
At least six years of experience negotiating and administering research contracts, preferably within an academic or medical research environment.
Experience in an academic health center, health sciences university, medical school, research-intensive university, academic medical center, or other biomedical research organization.
Experience with NIH-funded research and federal sponsor requirements.
Experience partnering directly with faculty investigators and scientific leaders to understand research objectives and translate them into contractual solutions.

Responsibilities

Build relationships with research faculty and staff; provide clear guidance and resolve complex contracting terms, collaborations, and issues.
Interpret and communicate changes in policies and procedures affecting contracts and awards, ensuring compliance with government, university, and granting-agency requirements.
Independently review, draft, redline, and negotiate research agreements, including collaboration agreements, sponsored research agreements, investigator-initiated clinical trial agreements, subawards, material transfer agreements, data use agreements, fee-for-service agreements, and non-standard agreements.
Protect the University's interests, assets, and faculty, including with respect to intellectual property, data and materials ownership, and compliance requirements.
Serve as University signature authority and oversee negotiation and execution of contracts on behalf of the University.
Act as a liaison among principal investigators, the University, collaborators, and funding agencies to address and resolve complex contracting relationships.
Develop and report team metrics and key performance indicators; analyze workload trends, identify process improvements, and advise leadership on resource allocation and performance optimization.
Create and conduct training programs, webinars, and presentations for schools, departments, research faculty, and staff; lead curriculum development and updates for assigned units in the Annual SPA internship program.
Monitor changing federal, state, and funding-agency policies affecting contracts and assist the Director with implementing and communicating resulting policy and procedure changes.
Represent the University through professional organizations, conference presentations, mentoring junior research administrators, and participation in programs and committees.
Lead or assist Directors with designing, executing, and assessing internal controls that support effective operations, asset safeguarding, reliable financial information, and compliance.
Manage departmental human resources activities, including recruiting, selection, hiring, termination, training, professional development, mentoring, counseling, performance evaluations, and salary planning.
Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

100% paid medical premiums for full-time employees.
Generous time off, including holidays, a preventative leave day, vacation, and sick time, totaling around 37–38 days per year.
Increasing vacation accrual with length of service.
Longevity pay through monthly payments after two years of service.
Retirement/pension plan.
Free financial and legal counseling.
Free mental health counseling services.
Gym membership discounts and access to wellness programs.
Employee discounts, including entertainment, car rentals, and cell phones.
Resources for child and elder care.