Vice Provost for Research/Chief Research Officer

ETSU•Johnson City, TN

About The Position

East Tennessee State University (ETSU) seeks a Vice Provost for Research and Chief Research Officer (VPR/CRO) to lead research, scholarship, creative activity, sponsored programs, and innovation across academic disciplines. Reporting directly to the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, the VPR/CRO serves on the President’s Cabinet, the Provost’s Leadership Team, and University Council, with visibility into institutional decision-making. The VPR/CRO will lead implementation and assessment of ETSU’s FY2027–FY2031 Research Strategic Plan. In collaboration with campus leaders, faculty, staff, and external partners, the role advances external funding, research competitiveness, interdisciplinary collaboration, and scholarly impact. The position oversees research administration and related integrity, compliance, security, and support operations, and serves as the authorized institutional official for sponsored programs. The VPR/CRO manages office and reporting-unit budgets, guides internal research investments, oversees reporting centers and institutes, strengthens research infrastructure and administrative capacity, expands undergraduate and graduate research engagement, and develops high-performing research administration and compliance teams. The role also strengthens clinical and translational research, clinical trials where appropriate, partnerships, technology transfer, and innovation with regional and national impact. The successful candidate will lead accessibly, collaboratively, and decisively; communicate effectively as a university spokesperson; demonstrate financial acumen and ethical judgment; and balance research ambitions with institutional resources. The position supports the full breadth of research, scholarship, and creative activity and connects research priorities with ETSU’s public mission.

Requirements

Earned terminal degree or equivalent combination of advanced education and substantial relevant professional experience appropriate for senior research leadership.
Significant, progressively responsible leadership experience in research, sponsored programs, research administration, academic research leadership, or a closely related area.
First-hand experience competing for external funding and a record of success in securing sponsored support.
Demonstrated knowledge of faculty and staff research needs, including experience supporting faculty research productivity and competitiveness.
Knowledge of university research regulatory, compliance, integrity, security, and administrative responsibilities, including familiarity with intellectual property and technology transfer.
Demonstrated experience building productive relationships across organizational and disciplinary boundaries, with exceptional interpersonal, communication, and collaborative leadership skills.
Evidence of effective leadership of people, programs, budgets, and organizational change, demonstrated through team development, responsible resource management, and improvements to research programs, services, or administrative processes.
Financial acumen and ethical judgment, and the ability to make strategic choices balancing research ambitions with institutional resources.

Nice To Haves

Experience leading research in a comprehensive public, regional public, R2, R1, academic health, governmental, or similarly complex environment.
Experience implementing research strategy with measurable results, strengthening faculty funding competitiveness, and developing interdisciplinary initiatives and external partnerships.
Experience or strengths in health-related research and health-system partnerships.
Experience or strengths in innovation, commercialization, and university-industry collaboration.
Experience or strengths in high-performing research administration.
Experience or strengths supporting student research, scholarship, and creative activity across disciplines.

Responsibilities

Lead implementation and assessment of ETSU’s FY2027–FY2031 Research Strategic Plan.
Advance research, scholarship, creative activity, sponsored programs, and innovation across academic disciplines.
Increase external funding, faculty research competitiveness, interdisciplinary collaboration, and scholarly impact.
Oversee pre-award and post-award research administration, research integrity, compliance, security, and support operations.
Serve as the authorized institutional official for sponsored programs.
Manage office and reporting-unit budgets and guide internal research investments.
Oversee reporting centers and institutes, and strengthen research infrastructure and administrative capacity.
Expand undergraduate and graduate research engagement.
Develop high-performing research administration and compliance teams.
Strengthen clinical and translational research, clinical trials where appropriate, external partnerships, technology transfer, and innovation with regional and national impact.
Build trust through accessible, collaborative, and decisive leadership; communicate effectively as a university spokesperson; and balance research ambitions with institutional resources.