Director, Center for Research Excellence 997977

Xavier University is seeking an inaugural director for its new Center for Research Excellence (CRE). Animated by a mission to promote the growth and success of research scholarly and creative activities across all colleges at Xavier the CRE will provide a centralized office responsive to the needs of the campus community. Goals of the CRE include:

• Strengthen scholarly activity by building collaborative networks internally and with external partners
• Identify and expand external grant funding supporting scholarship and programmatic activities
• Encourage the participation of undergraduate and graduate students in research scholarly and creative activity
• Support professional development related to research and scholarly activities including by providing training consultation and mentorship
• Foster a university culture that recognizes scholarly and creative activity
• Contribute to creating and sustaining a culture of ethics and robust policies supporting research integrity

The Director provides leadership to the CRE promoting a shared vision for research excellence that reflects Xaviers Jesuit mission and is responsive to the needs and aspirations of faculty staff and students across this role the Director fosters a thriving research environment by coordinating support structures advocating for resources and promoting ethical and responsible research practices. The Director builds capacity and expertise in research through mentorship training and collaboration; supports student engagement in research and creative work; and leads efforts to enhance the visibility and impact of Xaviers scholarly contributions. A key priority for this role is fostering collaboration among Xaviers academic programs and external partners to advance multidisciplinary research including related to interprofessional education (IPE).

RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Provide strategic leadership and vision for research and scholarship

• Articulate and promote a cohesive vision for research and creative activity at Xavier that aligns with the Universitys Jesuit mission academic priorities and commitment to interprofessional and interdisciplinary learning.
• Engage regularly with faculty staff and students to assess research needs and identify institutional priorities
• Advise institutional leadership contributing to strategic and academic planning
• Enhance the visibility and impact of research at Xavier including developing strategies to raise the Universitys research profile regionally and nationally
• Advocate for resources internal and external to strengthen the infrastructure supporting scholarly activity
• Oversee and coordinate collection and communication of data on research activity including for the annual NCES HERD survey

2. Build capacity and promote collaboration in research and scholarly activity

• Develop and coordinate professional development programs workshops and mentorship opportunities
• Oversee programs that provide internal funding and resources to support faculty research
• Facilitate cross-disciplinary collaboration among faculty through research interest groups writing communities networking tools etc.
• Catalyze new research and IPE-focused initiatives by convening groups and facilitating planning around strategic priorities or opportunities
• Guide faculty teams through the proposal development processes
• Partner with the Office of Grant Services to strengthen faculty success in securing external funding including both small and large-scale multidisciplinary projects community-engaged projects and research around interprofessional education and practices.

3. Promote and support student research scholarship and creative activity

• Provide direction to the Director of Undergraduate Research
• Track the participation of students in research scholarly and creative activity
• Promote research as means to recruit and retain talented diverse students
• Coordinate training and resources to foster student research skills including ethical and responsible research practices
• In collaboration with others showcase and celebrate student research and creative activity

4. Foster and sustain a culture of ethics and research integrity

• Lead efforts to ensure that Xaviers research practices reflect the highest standards of ethics integrity and regulatory compliance.
• Develop and implement policies consistent with federal and state regulations and emerging best practices in responsible research conduct
• Monitor regulatory developments that impact funding compliance or research practices
• Effectively communicate relevant internal policies and federal and state guidelines and regulations including by providing or coordinating training

5. Provide leadership to offices and areas supporting research including Grant Services IRB and Undergraduate Research and coordination with additional campus partners including the Center for Teaching Excellence University Library and Development Office

This is a 12-month on-campus position. Typical work hours are in-person M-F 8:30 am 5:00 pm with occasional need for earlier or later hours. Hybrid scheduling may be available during the summer.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Masters degree
• Experience in higher education
• Success as a PI or leader of an independent research program
• Experience mentoring faculty and/or students particularly related to scholarly activity
• A solid understanding of sponsored research and competitiveness strategies particularly in the context of a predominantly undergraduate institution
• Firm knowledge of grant writing best practices
• Strong ability to communicate effectively and work with members of the academic and research community
• Experience with meeting deadlines prioritizing responsibilities attending to details taking initiative and working independently and with a team to carry out challenging assignments
• Experience providing project management support in a team context or successfully managing complex projects

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Doctoral degree
• Experience designing and delivering training particularly on topics related to research project development and grant-seeking
• Demonstrated success in shepherding interdisciplinary strategic initiatives for external funding
• Experience collaborating with community industry or foundation partners
• Experience managing a center including staff and a budget

To ensure consideration interested candidates should submit a resume cover letter and the names addresses and telephone numbers of three professional references on Xavier Universitys website.

Review of applications will start on November 4 2025. Applications will be accepted until the position closes at the Universitys discretion.

BENEFITS:

Xavier University offers a wide array of complementary and affordable benefit options to meet the financial educational health and wellness needs of you and your family. Eligibility varies by position and employment class.

• Comprehensive insurance plans including medical dental vision and prescription coverage.
• Tax advantaged accounts including health savings account flexible spending accounts and dependent care account.
• Financial security via life and long-term disability insurance accident and illness insurance and retirement savings plans.
• Generous paid time off work options including vacation sick leave and holidays.
• Tuition remission for employees and their eligible dependents.