Assistant Director of Executive Affairs

Howard University•London, ON

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Talent Acquisition department hires qualified candidates to fill positions which contribute to the overall strategic success of Howard University. Hiring staff “for fit” makes significant contributions to Howard University’s overall mission. At Howard University, we prioritize well-being and professional growth. The Assistant Director (A/D) for Executive Affairs for Research serves as a strategic advisor and institutional performance lead for the Office of Research. The role is responsible for enterprise-level analysis, strategic planning, cross-functional governance and responsiveness, enabling executive leadership to make informed decisions that advance the Office of Research. The A/D of Executive Affairs operates at the enterprise and institutional level, focuses on strategy, performance, governance, organizational effectiveness, exercises independent judgement in diagnosing issues, evaluates trade-offs, recommends solutions, acts as a connector between strategy and execution, directly impacts responsiveness and supports issue escalation resolution, ensuring that the leadership priorities translate into measurable outcomes across the Office of Research.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education, training, and relevant professional experience of at least seven (7) years or more.
A minimum of two (2) years experience in a progressively responsible administrative or executive support role, preferable in higher education or a complex organizational environment with demonstrated experience supporting senior mangers.
Basic knowledge of grants management and business operations, organization analysis, and institutional strategy.
Executive-level analytical writing, briefing, and verbal communication.
Basic performance measurement and dashboard development.
Cross-functional facilitation and process improvement.
Political and organizational acuity in complex environments.

Responsibilities

Lead enterprise-level, strategic, and predictive analysis of the institutional research portfolio, funding trends, capacity constraints, and performance indicators.
Authors and synthesizes strategic content and recommendations from executive-level briefs, dashboards, and decision-support materials to provide actionable insight.
Evaluate internal and external research trends and benchmark institutional positioning.
Facilitates cross-unit decision-making of complex, problems involving research administration, academic leadership, and external partners.
Lead issue triage and escalation analysis, recommending resolution pathways to senior leadership and stakeholders.
Clarify ownership, decision rights, and accountability across organizational boundaries to stakeholders.
Lead enterprise-level process assessments related to research administration and grants management.
Identify root causes of systemic inefficiencies and propose structural or procedural reforms.
Support pilot initiatives and change management efforts tied to improved institutional performance.
Lead and maintain the Office of Research strategic plan and associated performance framework.
Translate executive priorities into measurable objectives, milestones, and accountability structures.
Monitor progress against strategic goals and identify risks requiring executive attention.
Own the strategic oversight and performance evaluation of executive initiatives by assessing alignment, risk, and impact.
Provides status analysis and executive recommendations.
Ensure initiatives remain aligned with institutional priorities and capacity realities.
Perform other duties as assigned by the Vice President of Research and Chief Research Officer (VPR/CRO).