Department: MED-NU-CATS Institute Salary/Grade: EXS/8
Job Summary:
The Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Sciences (NUCATS) Institute is part of the Feinberg School of Medicine. NUCATS’ mission is to accelerate innovative and inclusive clinical research discoveries to improve human health for all, and for all communities. Our dynamic team is composed of faculty and staff colleagues with expertise in a wide variety of domains, including: clinical research infrastructure (e.g., regulatory, budget/finance), bioinformatics & data science, biostatistics, community-engaged research, education & career development, team science, etc.
This position – Program Administrator Sr– is part of the NUCATS Institute’s Center for Education & Career Development. This position will interact with students, faculty, and NUCATS staff members. Strong interpersonal communication skills along with strong writing and organization skills are necessary to being successful in this position.
The Program Administrator Sr, oversees research staff development programs including but not limited to Clinical Research Workforce Excellence (CReWE), Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC) Basic Training, and administration of the Enhancing Quality in the Translational Research Workforce (EQuaTR) Conference. Provides direction and leadership to ensure effective, compliant, & efficient daily management of all operational, financial, & business functions of the program/project.
The program/project is summarized below. (Definitions: Program: plan or system of taking action toward a goal. Project: planned actions with specified beginning & end.)
Clinical Research Workforce Excellence (CReWE): monthly series for clinical research staff that promotes professional development and enables the Northwestern community to carry out compliant research practices. CReWE covers a variety of topics, including Good Clinical Practice, emerging trends in clinical research, regulatory compliance and subject recruitment.
Clinical Research Coordinator Basic Training: Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC) Basic Training: 5-session, scheduled online training program for coordinators that provides practical information to get them "up and running" in the clinic, with many tools and templates to assist with study implementation. The training covers a variety of topics, including informed consent, regulatory, procedures, documents, binders, study initiation and close-out visits, drug compliance/storage/documentation, IRB submissions and HIPAA, adverse events, and FDA audits and monitoring.
Enhancing Quality in the Translational Research Workforce Conference (EQuaTR): offers the opportunity for clinical research staff to learn from leaders in the field, gaining practical knowledge on current trends and issues in clinical research. The conference is open to professionals in clinical and translational research including clinical research coordinators, research nurses, monitors, project and site managers, investigators, regulatory staff, research assistants and allied health professionals.
The NUCATS Institute is committed to maintaining a culture that values and prioritizes professional growth and work-life balance and to sustaining a diverse, inclusive, and welcoming environment for all team members.
Specific Responsibilities:
Administration
Directs and leads development of program/project strategic plan.
Oversees & ensures that day-to-day operations are appropriately managed, efficient and effective.
Operationalizes goals & objectives; ensures that resources are created or obtained.
Oversees data analysis & recommends & implements changes & improvement to better ensure attainment of mission.
Manages logistics requirements, including facilities, venue, scheduling, technology, instruction, catering, etc.
Oversees documentation of agreements between NU and partner institutions, ensuring that agreements are complete and reviewed by all necessary NU officials.
Participates in developing IT strategy to meet the mission & needs of program/project.
Ensures necessary hardware, software & network infrastructure technology services are appropriated from central or internal IT.
Budgets & Financial
Ensures that the program/project meets associated revenue & expense goals.
Develops and implements ideas for improving business processes, and increasing program/project revenues and margins.
Plans & manages complex budget(s) which fund strategic mission including financial sustainability & enhancement models.
Plans & implements annual budget process.
Oversees all daily, monthly & annual financial activities including transactions, analysis, & reporting.
Approves funds reallocation within budget as necessary & appropriate.
Communication, Outreach & Recruitment
Builds and maintains collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders to increase program profile, reputation, visibility and support.
Creates plan to drive awareness of program/project in appropriate markets.
Partners with academia and organizations to continue to innovate & enhance program/project.
Actively obtains market intelligence by monitoring program/project peers/competitors and sharing information with appropriate groups.
Builds relationships with appropriate communities & organizations that will result in program/project enhancement.
Oversees marketing of new and current programs/projects.
Evaluation
Oversees development & implementation of evaluation processes, quantitative & qualitative measurements that ensure that program/project benchmarks are successfully attained and communicated in a timely and efficient manner.
Manages evaluation processes; recommends & implements changes for enhancement; monitors effectiveness through follow-up evaluation studies.
Assesses programming and recommends changes that will innovate and invigorate program including cutting edge developments in the field and changes to better meet external partners' needs in order to achieve goals.
Oversees creation of events designed to implement program/project objectives.
Collaborates with internal/external partners to ensure that events are implemented and meet or exceed planned goals.
Faculty Support
Oversees recruitment of faculty
Provides strategic recommendation for management of faculty appointments, credentialing & exit (retirement & termination) processes.
Reviews policies, recommends changes, implements new & ensures consistent interpretation.
Oversees all aspects of faculty administrative tasks (colloquium, seminar, travel, faculty COI survey, annual report, etc.) ensuring optimal faculty support.
Grants & Contracts
Consults with & advises Principle Investigators (PI) in identifying & defining problems that can be resolved with scientific research that will help guide study design and methods to accomplish the scientific goals of the program/project.
Prepares results & co-authors scientific papers for presentation & publication & disseminates information via seminars, lectures, etc.
Creates data for use in grant submission.
Develops new proposals for research including obtaining financial support.
Writes technical reports detailing procedures, outcomes, and observations.
Human Resources
Determines & implements organizational structures to align with strategic mission.
Manages implementation of human resource programs, policies, procedures & talent management lifecycle & related mentoring & training.
Oversees recruitment & selection process; Performance Excellence plan for each employee; & merit increase process.
Interprets HR policy to maximize effectiveness of HR administration to meet strategic plan objectives.
Program Development
Determines goals, objectives, outcome measurements and metrics, financial feasibility, marketing strategies and collaboration opportunities with other internal and external organizations.
Oversees the ongoing development and refinement of the program's/project's current and future curriculum and course offerings in consultation with subject matter experts.
Recruits, hires, and directs instructors/faculty.
Provides leadership for planning, scheduling, delivering and maintaining program(s)/project(s) to sustain quality instruction in all educational activity.
Directs actions to consistently high quality standards across all partner programs, including admissions, teaching, grading, service levels, and facilities.
Regulatory Compliance
Oversees development & implementation of processes & procedures for all safety, security & compliance programs.
Ensures compliance with all applicable federal, state, local & NU laws, regulations, policies & procedures.
Oversees creation &/or implementation of associated training.
Strategic Planning
Develops and implements a comprehensive, visionary program/project strategy designed to continually grow and improve programs and build internal/external engagement.
Provides guidance and support to staff in the creation of program/project components.<
Northwestern University is a major private research university with 12 academic divisions located on three campuses in Evanston, Chicago, and Education City in Doha, Qatar. We have approximately 2,500 full-time faculty members, 17,000 graduate and undergraduate students, and over 5,700 full and part-time staff. Northwestern University combines innovative teaching and pioneering research in a highly collaborative environment. It provides students and faculty exceptional opportunities for intellectual, personal and professional growth.