Director, Research Planning & Development Cancer Neuroscience

The primary purpose of the Director position is to provide strategic, creative long term and daily scientific and operational leadership for the Cancer Neuroscience Program. The Director oversees all aspects of research, financial, and programmatic administration. The Director, under the direction of the Cancer Neuroscience Program Co-Directors, is accountable and responsible for all aspects of research operations, finance, human resources, and quality management.

KEY FUNCTIONS

* With Cancer Neuroscience Program leadership, responsible for the development and implementation of a broad range of cancer neuroscience-related research programs for a major, comprehensive research initiative.

* Develops strategies for goal setting, prioritization, and communication

* Administers research programs, including soliciting proposals, refining specific deliverables, forecasting expenses, fostering collaborations, and generating reports

* Responsible for the administrative oversight of the budget, forecasting, and financial systems. This includes planning, tracking, analysis, reconciliation, and reporting.

* Manges strategic partnerships, alliances, and collaborations.

* Coordinates the development of philanthropic materials in collaboration with the MD Anderson Development office

* Creates an environment for exceptional professional research activity and serves as a role model by fostering peer relationships and participating in coaching and mentoring.

* Manages administrative staff effectively

* Assemble reports regarding the progress of thematic initiatives, including written reports and PowerPoint presentations.

* In collaboration with legal, facilitate contractual service agreements and material transfer agreements with external collaborators.

JOB SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES

Know your business

* Independently proposes innovative solutions to organizational, managerial, and scientific problems and contributes to project goals.

* Integrates a wide variety of data to identify opportunities and solutions.

* Works closely with research teams at MD Anderson to identify opportunities leading to the discovery of cancer neuroscience research topics.

* Demonstrates familiarity with a broad range of research e.g. human genetics, molecular biology and biophysics, molecular and cellular neuroscience, imaging, drug discovery, and clinical research.

* Understands financial reporting and stewardship in a research environment.

* Builds relationships with key stakeholders across functional groups; knows how decisions get made and communicated

* Creates written research proposals and reviews research proposals for scientific rigor.

* Technical/Functional Expertise: Demonstrates technical proficiency in program management software and tools (Excel, PPT, etc); possesses up-to-date knowledge in the profession; provides technical expertise to others.

* Applies basic technical/functional knowledge to complete work. Meets essential position requirements.

Know your business of your department/Institute

* Adapts to new technologies and finds solutions to related program studies.

* Is highly collaborative, team-oriented, but also capable of working independently.

* Maintains high ethical standards and transparency.

* Employs honest, direct, productive communication skills.

* Maintains records.

Self-Adaptability: Works in situations involving uncertainty, shifting priorities, and rapid change; deals constructively with mistakes and setbacks; demonstrates flexibility.

Change Agent

* Has the ability to understand and communicate scientific strategy at committee, departmental, institutional, and international meetings.

* Can align stakeholders when there is disagreement.

* Interacts closely with other research staff across cross-functional groups.

Analytical Thinking: Gathers relevant information systematically; break down problems into simple components; make sound decisions.

COMPETENCIES

* Analytical Thinking - Gathers relevant information systematically; breaks down problems into simple components; makes sound decisions.

* Develops Oneself - Pursues learning and self-development; actively seeks feedback; transfers learning into next steps; sets high standards of performance; drives for results and achievement.

* Self-Adaptability - Works in situations involving uncertainty, shifting priorities, and rapid change; deals constructively with mistakes and setbacks; demonstrates flexibility.

* Team with Others - Initiates, develops, and manages relationships and networks; encourages collaboration and input from all team members; values the contributions of all team members; balances individual and team goals.

* Technical/Functional Expertise - Demonstrates technical proficiency required to do the job; possesses up-to-date knowledge in the profession; provides technical expertise to others.

Service Orientation

Provides service to our stakeholders, including patients, caregivers, colleagues and each other, in a safe, courteous, accountable, efficient and innovative manner to include:

Promoting inclusiveness and collegiality that demonstrates respect and professionalism to our stakeholders at all times

Modeling safe, ethical behavior that mitigates risk to the institution through sound business practices, and adherence to MD Anderson's Standards of Conduct, institutional policies and procedures

Responding to requests in a timely manner while proactively communicating expectations for procedures, service arrival, or project deliverables to stakeholders

Using the steps to HEAL (Hear, Empathize, Address and Learn) the relationship when service recovery is needed

People Leadership

Provides development opportunities and ongoing feedback to employees to include timely completion of administrative staff and classified employees each evaluation period.

Provides clear direction and communication to employees within unit.

Demonstrates cultural competence that creates an inclusive environment for the diversity represented within unit's staff.

Has the personal qualities, skill set, and desire to train others and potentially manage administrative staff

EDUCATION

Required:Bachelor's degree in science or medically related field, business or healthcare administration.

Preferred: Ph.D. Level Degree

EXPERIENCE

Required: Eight years experience in an academic research setting facilitating research program development and management of research resources to include two years of supervisory/management experience. With preferred degree, five years of required experience to include two years of supervisory/management experience. May substitute required degree with additional years of experience in research administration management at MDACC on a one to one basis. Successful completion of the LEADing Self Accelerate program may substitute for one year of required supervisory or management experience.

Preferred: Experience in neuroscience, immunology, and cell biology are a plus, industry experience is a plus but not required

OTHER: Required: Must pass pre-employment skills test as required and administered by Human Resources.

It is the policy of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to provide equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other basis protected by institutional policy or by federal, state or local laws unless such distinction is required by law. http://www.mdanderson.org/about-us/legal-and-policy/legal-statements/eeo-affirmative-action.html