Director, Undergraduate Research & Creative Activity (JMU Only)

James Madison University•Harrisonburg, VA

About The Position

The Director of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity provides leadership for university-wide programs that expand student participation in undergraduate research and creative activity. The role oversees strategic initiatives including undergraduate research funding programs, student travel awards, research training, communications and storytelling, assessment, First-Year Research Experiences (FYRE), and institutional reporting. The Director will establish and develop JMU’s university-wide infrastructure for undergraduate research and creative activity, translating institutional recommendations into a phased, evidence-based implementation plan. This includes collecting and analyzing institutional metrics, developing annual reporting processes, and promoting undergraduate research internally and externally. The Director works collaboratively with colleges, departments, faculty mentors, institutional research partners, and external stakeholders to advance undergraduate research as a distinctive component of the student experience. This position is a full-time, exempt administrative and professional non-teaching faculty role. It is restricted to current JMU employees. The role manages program budgets and expenditures, supervises graduate and undergraduate student employees, coordinates advisory board activities, and maintains policies, procedures, and operational systems. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a criminal background check.

Requirements

Master’s degree.
Experience managing academic research, experiential learning, scholarship, fellowship, or student success programs.
Experience with program assessment, evaluation, or data-informed decision-making.
Experience managing budgets and projects.
Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across organizational units.
Experience establishing or significantly expanding a program, office, center, or cross-unit initiative.
Experience leading strategic planning or organizational implementation.
Experience facilitating shared governance or advisory structures.
Demonstrated understanding of faculty-mentored research or creative inquiry across multiple disciplines.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Demonstrated success in funding research with or research experiences for undergraduate students.

Nice To Haves

Terminal degree (PhD, EdD, MFA, or equivalent).
Experience working with undergraduate research programs.
Experience supervising student employees or graduate assistants.
Experience with grants, external funding, or fundraising.
Experience using Microsoft 365, SharePoint, dashboards, or similar systems for program management and reporting.
Experience producing institutional reports or assessment documents.

Responsibilities

Conduct and maintain an institution-wide inventory of undergraduate research and creative activity programs, opportunities, resources, and participation.
Lead development of a university-wide strategic and implementation plan for undergraduate research and creative activity.
Convene and support an Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Advisory Board representing JMU colleges and key institutional partners.
Facilitate adoption and consistent application of a university definition of undergraduate research and creative activity.
Establish common metrics, annual data collection processes, and institutional reporting practices with appropriate university partners.
Assess barriers to student participation and faculty mentorship and recommend priorities for strengthening access, capacity, and visibility.
Develop a phased resource, staffing, partnership, and sustainability plan with input from partners, including Academic Affairs.
Produce a prioritized multiyear implementation roadmap with measurable outcomes and decision points.
Provide strategic leadership for centrally coordinated university-wide undergraduate research programs and services.
Coordinate centrally administered programs connecting faculty mentors and student researchers, including FYRE, travel awards, summer research opportunities, and related initiatives.
Collaborate with academic units while preserving faculty and departmental responsibility for individual and programmatic research experiences.
Coordinate program assessment and continuous improvement and develop strategies to expand undergraduate participation.
Ensure access to undergraduate research opportunities and serve as a primary point of contact for inquiries about them.
Provide consultation to faculty, staff, and students; coordinate mentor development opportunities; and support accessible pathways into undergraduate research.
Lead development of institutional undergraduate research metrics and coordinate annual data collection across divisions, colleges, and units.
Supervise production of annual university-wide undergraduate research reports.
Work closely with PAIR, CARS, and other institutional partners; develop data definitions, reporting expectations, and validation processes in consultation with academic units and partners.
Supervise graduate and undergraduate student employees supporting assessment activities.
Lead implementation of university-wide undergraduate research communications and storytelling strategies.
Coordinate annual reports, student research showcases, and visibility campaigns in collaboration with University Communications, Admissions, and Advancement.
Oversee student storytellers and communications interns.
Develop relationships with campus and external partners; explore philanthropic and corporate support opportunities; and assist with grant development and partnership cultivation.
Coordinate efforts supporting sustainable funding models for undergraduate research.
Manage operating budgets and program expenditures, coordinate advisory board activities, and maintain policies, procedures, and operational systems.