Senior Project Manager, Research Administration Systems

University of Chicago•Hyde Park, IL

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

Reporting to the Director, eRA and Analytics, this position will lead the assessment and modernization of the University’s AURA research suite, the University’s branded implementation of the Huron Research Suite. The Senior Project Manager will join a dynamic Research Administration Systems team that supports and manages University-wide research related systems and reporting. In addition to other related projects, this role will drive a comprehensive fit-gap analysis to evaluate the transition from our current on-premises environment to Huron’s SaaS platform (v12), followed by the phased upgrade of all research administration modules across the University and ultimate support and growth of such modules. The Senior Project Manager will serve as the primary liaison between the University and Huron, collaborate directly with colleagues in Information Services, champion system optimization across central and departmental offices, and ensure that the University derives maximum value from its Huron subscription by taking advantage of new features. This is a high-impact, cross-functional role requiring deep knowledge of research administration business and systems, strong project management discipline, and the ability to build consensus across diverse stakeholder groups. This role leads diverse IT projects typically involving multiple groups in the IT Function. Uses deep knowledge of IT processes, leadership skills, and breadth of experience to manage budgets, resources, and schedules. Coordinates work of IT staff and resolves complex issues to ensure project goals and requirements are met.

Requirements

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.
Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification - Project Management Institute

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree strongly preferred.
Prior experience in sponsored research administration or research compliance within a higher education or academic medical center environment.
Demonstrated experience leading enterprise system upgrades or SaaS migrations, ideally involving the Huron Research Suite or similar research administration platforms, such as Cayuse, InfoEd, Kuali.
Conducting fit-gap analyses and translating business requirements into system configuration decisions.
Managing vendor relationships for enterprise software contracts.
PMP certification or equivalent project management credential.
Deep familiarity with the Huron Research Suite (AURA) or comparable research administration systems, including all research types, Grants, Agreements, COI, IRB, IBC, and ECC.
Strong understanding of research administration workflows, compliance requirements, and sponsored project lifecycle management.
Proficiency in requirements gathering, business process mapping, gap analysis, and solution design.
Understanding of developing and executing test scripts and managing UAT cycles.
Familiarity with University of Chicago systems such as Oracle Cloud and Workday is a plus.
Familiarity with University of Chicago reporting systems such as Business Objects or Orbit is a plus.
Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Project or equivalent PM tooling.
Proficiency leveraging AI-driven tools for process automation, data analysis, or workflow optimization within research administration systems is highly desirable.
Familiarity with data management, data visualization, and business intelligence concepts and platforms, such as Power BI, Tableau, or similar, is a plus.
Awareness of responsible and ethical AI principles, including data privacy and equity.
Independence - work independently with a high degree of initiative, curiosity and minimal supervision.
Learn new skills, take on new challenges, and effectively interact and collaborate with all levels of University administrators and faculty members.
Stakeholder Management - proven ability to build and maintain productive relationships across diverse groups, including IT, research offices, faculty, and external vendors.
Adept at managing competing priorities and navigating organizational complexity.
Communication Skills - excellent oral and written communication skills to interact effectively with a diverse range of stakeholders and translate complex technical concepts for non-technical audiences and present effectively to senior leadership.
Service Orientation - positive, service-oriented attitude with a courteous demeanor, maintaining professionalism in all interactions.
Develop and manage interpersonal relationships.
Discretion and Confidentiality - handle sensitive and confidential situations with absolute discretion and maintain confidentiality.
Attention to Detail and Accuracy - exceptional attention to detail and thoroughness in completing tasks accurately.
Work on multiple projects simultaneously, set priorities, and meet deadlines.
Organizational Agility - strong organizational and multitasking skills to manage multiple concurrent workstreams, prioritize effectively, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Judgment and Project Management - sound judgment to prioritize and anticipate potential issues and address them proactively.
Adaptability and Feedback Reception - stay current with technology and digital tools.
Maintain composure under pressure, work flexible hours as needed, and respond constructively to feedback.

Responsibilities

Leads a structured fit-gap analysis of the current AURA on-premises environment against Huron’s delivered SaaS platform functionality.
Engages directly with Huron to evaluate compatibility of existing smart-forms, workflows, and business logic with the new SaaS platform.
Partners with system and office functional leads to inventory existing customizations and reconcile them against out-of-the-box SaaS settings that preserve the University’s upgrade path.
Develops detailed migration recommendations, including disposition of current customizations, retain, retire, or replace with native functionality.
Documents all findings and presents phased transition plans to senior leadership.
Leads and coordinates the end-to-end upgrade of all AURA modules, including Grants, Agreements, COI, IRB, IBC, ECC, Prime stores, and related integrations with Workday, Oracle and the Business Objects and Orbit reporting tools.
Develops and maintains a comprehensive project plan, including timelines, milestones, resource allocation, and dependencies across modules.
Oversees all phases of each module upgrade, requirements gathering, configuration, testing, training, go-live, and post-implementation support.
Ensures quarterly SaaS upgrades proceed seamlessly following migration, with minimal disruption to research operations.
Identifies and mitigates risks and develop contingency plans to maintain project momentum.
Serves as a primary point of contact with Huron, managing the ongoing vendor relationship and escalating issues as appropriate.
Monitors and reports on Huron deliverables, SLAs, and product roadmap commitments.
Troubleshoots system issues in coordination with Huron support, ensuring timely resolution.
Continuously evaluates the University’s Huron subscription to ensure maximum return on investment, identifying underutilized features or modules.
Collaborates with Procurement on contract management and vendor performance reviews.
Fosters strong partnerships with key stakeholders, including URA, Office of Research, IT, and departmental research administrators.
Develops and executes a change management strategy to ensure smooth adoption of upgraded systems across central and departmental offices.
Facilitates training sessions, workshops, and documentation to ensure all users, central and departmental, are fully proficient in AURA functionality.
Produces executive-level communications, dashboards, and steering committee materials tailored to senior leadership.
Addresses stakeholder concerns, manages expectations, and communicates progress proactively throughout the project lifecycle.
Implements and monitors quality assurance processes throughout all upgrade phases, including test script development and execution.
Conducts post-implementation reviews to capture lessons learned and identifies opportunities for ongoing system improvement.
Analyzes existing business processes and recommends enhancements aligned with industry best practices and Huron platform capabilities.
Maintains clear, up-to-date documentation of system configurations, workflows, and training materials.
Drives process improvement within all research administration systems.
Evaluates and implements best practices, new technologies, and methodologies.
Leads URA AI Working Group, promoting AI adoption across research administration systems and workflows.
Identifies and champions AI opportunities for automating routine tasks, improving data quality, and optimizing workflow efficiency.
Fosters a culture of innovation by piloting, evaluating, and scaling AI-powered tools and practices within research administration.
Partners with cross-functional teams to ensure responsible and ethical AI adoption, paying close attention to data privacy, compliance, and equity.
Serves as project lead to coordinate complex information technology changes and ensures the success of enterprise-level application rollouts.
Works with University units and the client community to develop detailed business requirements.
Leads team to develop and ensure quality control of the project methodology and contributes to the further enhancement and application of the methodology.
Performs other related work as needed.