Research Project Manager

University of South Florida•Tampa, FL

About The Position

This position typically reports to the research assistant director, associate director, or director within the department. While the Project Manager may or may not be the direct supervisor of the staff assigned to a project, he or she is responsible for the effective management and direction of those staff when their time is allocated to a project under the Project Manager's supervision. This position may review grants/contracts or related scope of work documents for the research project and prepare project lists/plans for the implementation of the project. This position is primarily responsible for the planning, organizing, and managing of resources to bring about the successful completion of specific project goals and objectives. Typically, this position must adhere to definite timelines, reporting requirements (of the project) and meet deadlines for specific deliverables. This position acts as a principal project consultant to other agencies or subcontractors and writes reports to funding agencies. The position works with funding agencies and service providers to design the research, define project scope, and disseminate results. Work at this level meets the FLSA criteria for a professional exemption since the primary duties are work that requires advanced knowledge which is predominantly intellectual in character and requires the consistent exercise of discretion and judgment. Research Project Managers typically oversee temporary staff, Administrative Staff, or Research Support Specialists. They differ from the non-exempt staff by interpreting project documents in order to develop project procedures, oversee and update management on the status of project resources, establish quality control standards, composing and directing project related policies and operations, and acting as primary/lead liaison with regulatory agencies and project stakeholders. Work is distinguished from a Clinical Research Administrator through its primary focus on resource management while defining project related policies, development of project related operational standards, ensuring adherence to timelines, and responsibility for overall project deliverables.

Requirements

This position requires a Bachelor's degree in a field directly related to the program responsibilities and two years of professional experience; or Master's degree in an area of specialization appropriate for the program.
Degree Equivalency Clause: Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree.
Senate Bill 1310- The Florida Senate (https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2023/1310) is conditional upon meeting all employment eligibility requirements in the U.S.
SB 1310: Substitution of Work Experience for Postsecondary Education Requirements
A public employer may include a postsecondary degree as a baseline requirement only as an alternative to the number of years of direct experience required, not to exceed:
(a) Two years of direct experience for an associate degree;
(b) Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree;
(c) Six years of direct experience for a master’s degree;
(d) Seven years of direct experience for a professional degree; or
(e) Nine years of direct experience for a doctoral degree
Related work experience may not substitute for any required licensure, certification, or registration required for the position of employment as established by the public employer and indicated in the advertised description of the position of employment.
Minimum Qualifications that require a high school diploma are exempt from SB 1310.

Responsibilities

Reviews grant/contract and develops project plan which defines resources, timelines, stakeholders, and deliverables.
Develop the project schedule and plan to ensure timely completion of the project.
Obtain management and client agreement with the project plan and timeline, and advise of any obstacles or resource needs that may affect completion of the project as planned.
Assemble the project team, identify competencies, and assign resources to project tasks appropriate to each individual's knowledge, skill, and abilities.
Defines and disseminates methods for communication of project status.
Communicate project goals, monitor project progress, and adjust resources as necessary to keep the project on track.
Apply project management tools and tracking systems to manage all aspects of project progress.
Utilize project resources and serve as an individual contributor to develop operational policies, resource documents, and training documents- including the documentation of best standards and practices.
Utilize project resources and serve as an individual contributor to analyze client needs, determine and evaluate potential solutions, develop project specifications and requirements, and define operations/tools/trainings to meet the requirements.
Utilize project resources and serve as an individual contributor to design integrated solutions which may include tools, trainings, reports, as well as requirements for project queries, applications, databases, data capture forms, online web pages, and related systems.
Utilize project resources and serve as an individual contributor to structure, implement, and maintain defined operational standards.
Establish policies, standards and procedures to ensure useful and readily accessible project status