VP VRI Research Administration

Vitalant•San Francisco, CA

2d•$208,270 - $260,000•Onsite

About The Position

At Vitalant Research Institute (VRI), our mission is to advance scientific discovery and innovation that improve transfusion medicine, blood health, and patient outcomes worldwide. As Vice President, Research Administration, you will play a critical leadership role in enabling that mission by providing strategic direction and operational excellence across the administrative, financial, and research support functions that empower our scientists and investigators to make life-changing discoveries. This executive leadership position oversees the business, administrative, financial, operational, and sponsored research infrastructure that supports VRI’s growing research portfolio. The Vice President is accountable for financial management, grants and contracts administration, human resources partnership, employee safety, information technology, facilities, purchasing, public relations and communications, audit readiness, and regulatory compliance for sponsored research activities. Working closely with VRI and Vitalant leadership, the Vice President ensures the administrative foundation necessary for scientific excellence, investigator success, and sustainable research growth. This role leads efforts to strengthen research partnerships, support investigator recruitment and retention, expand extramural funding, protect intellectual property, and foster collaborations with academic institutions, industry partners, government agencies, and other research organizations. Through strategic leadership and operational stewardship, the Vice President helps advance VRI’s vision of transforming research into meaningful health innovations that save and improve lives.

Requirements

Master’s degree in research administration, business administration, healthcare administration, public administration, finance, scientific discipline, or related field required.
Advanced knowledge of sponsored research administration, including proposal development, grant and contract administration, award management, post-award administration, research finance, and investigator support required.
Advanced knowledge of federal, state, sponsor, and institutional requirements governing sponsored research required, including NIH and other federal agency requirements, Uniform Guidance, research integrity, conflict of interest, human and animal subjects protections, audit readiness, and applicable compliance obligations.
Demonstrated knowledge of financial management, budgeting, forecasting, internal controls, administrative operations, human resources partnership, information technology, facilities, and business systems in complex research, healthcare, academic, nonprofit, or scientific environment required.
Minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in research administration, sponsored programs, administrative operations, finance, or related research infrastructure functions required.
Minimum of 7 years of senior leadership experience managing teams, leaders, or complex administrative functions required.
Experience leading research administration in healthcare, biomedical research, academic, nonprofit, blood services, biotechnology, or similar scientific environment required.
Demonstrated experience overseeing sponsored research administration, including grant and contract administration, pre-award and post-award processes, research finance, compliance, audit readiness, and investigator support required.
Experience developing and implementing policies, procedures, controls, governance structures, and process improvements across complex administrative or research operations required.
Experience partnering with executive leadership, investigators, corporate shared services, external sponsors, academic institutions, industry partners, and government agencies required.
Executive leadership skills with the ability to set strategic direction, establish priorities, align resources, and drive results across complex research administration functions.
Strong business, financial, and operational acumen, including the ability to evaluate budgets, forecasts, risks, controls, resource needs, and organizational performance.
Demonstrated ability to lead through subordinate leaders, develop high-performing teams, build leadership capability, and foster accountability, engagement, and collaboration.
Strong knowledge-based judgment and decision-making skills, with the ability to assess complex research administration, compliance, financial, contractual, and operational matters.
Excellent executive communication, presentation, negotiation, and relationship-management skills, including the ability to influence senior leaders, investigators, sponsors, partners, and cross-functional stakeholders.
Demonstrated ability to design, implement, and improve policies, procedures, governance structures, controls, and administrative processes.
Strong change leadership and organizational development skills, with the ability to lead teams and stakeholders through growth, integration, process improvement, and operational transformation.
Ability to balance strategic priorities with operational execution, service orientation, compliance requirements, financial stewardship, and risk management.
High level of integrity, discretion, and professionalism in handling confidential, sensitive, financial, personnel, contractual, and research-related information.
Advanced proficiency with business, financial, reporting, research administration, and productivity systems sufficient to oversee data-informed decision making and administrative operations.

Nice To Haves

Doctoral degree or other advanced professional degree in a relevant discipline preferred.
Knowledge of intellectual property, technology transfer, research affiliations, industry collaborations, and extramural funding strategies preferred.
Knowledge of blood banking, transfusion medicine, biomedical research, or related healthcare research environment preferred.
Certified Research Administrator (CRA), Certified Pre-Award Research Administrator (CPRA), Certified Financial Research Administrator (CFRA), or comparable research administration certification preferred.
Experience supporting research growth strategies, investigator recruitment, strategic affiliations, external collaborations, technology transfer, intellectual property processes, or extramural funding initiatives preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide executive leadership for research administration, ensuring operational, financial, compliance, and sponsored research activities support VRI’s scientific mission and strategic objectives.
Oversee the administrative infrastructure supporting VRI laboratories, research facilities, space planning, shared resources, and program growth.
Lead all aspects of sponsored research administration, including proposal development, award management, contract administration, compliance, and investigator support.
Direct financial planning and stewardship for VRI, including budgeting, forecasting, resource allocation, financial reporting, and capital investments.
Establish and maintain policies, procedures, controls, and performance standards that promote operational excellence, compliance, and audit readiness.
Ensure compliance with federal regulations, sponsor requirements, research ethics standards, and policies governing human and animal research, scientific integrity, and conflict of interest.
Lead, develop, and mentor administrative teams through workforce planning, talent development, succession planning, and organizational change initiatives.
Oversee intellectual property management, technology transfer activities, scientific communications, and promotion of VRI research achievements.
Drive strategic and business planning efforts that align research operations with organizational goals, scientific priorities, and future growth opportunities.
Cultivate and strengthen partnerships with academic institutions, industry organizations, government agencies, sponsors, donors, and research collaborators.
Partner with senior leadership to support investigator recruitment, program expansion, fundraising efforts, and the long-term sustainability of VRI research programs.
Serve as the senior administrative authority for designated financial, contractual, and research administration approvals.