Director of Research Planning & Development / Translational Molecular Pathology

The Director, Research Planning & Development in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine will provide strategic leadership, oversee research administration, and support program development for a broad portfolio of research initiatives. The Director, Research Planning & Development will serve as a key resource for faculty, staff, sponsors, and institutional stakeholders, ensuring the successful planning, execution, and growth of research programs.

The Director, Research Planning & Development will lead research administration operations, grants management activities, and personnel development while aligning departmental priorities with UT MD Anderson's mission.

The ideal candidate will have a PhD in Science, Oncology Research, or a related field and extensive experience in grant writing, funded grant submissions, and full-lifecycle grant management

. Experience leading research administration teams, supervising staff, supporting complex research programs, working in fast-paced academic environments, collaborating with senior leadership, and serving as a subject matter expert for grant processing is highly desirable.

Why Us?

This role offers the opportunity to lead high-impact research initiatives that directly support UT MD Anderson's mission to eliminate cancer through outstanding research, education, prevention, and patient care. The position offers exposure to large-scale scientific collaborations, strategic institutional initiatives, and complex grant-funded programs, along with opportunities for professional growth, leadership development, and meaningful contributions to translational cancer research.

• Employer-paid medical coverage starting day one for employees working 30+ hours/week, plus optional group dental, vision, life, AD&D, and disability insurance.
• Accruals for PTO and Extended Illness Bank, plus paid holidays, wellness, childcare, and other leave options.
• Tuition Assistance Program after six months of service and access to extensive wellness, fitness, and employee resource groups.
• Defined-benefit pension through the Teachers Retirement System, voluntary retirement plans, and employer-paid life and reduced salary protection programs.

Responsibilities

• Strategic & Operational Leadership
• Identify new funding mechanisms to promote clinical, translational, and basic science faculty
• Collaborate on short- and long-range strategic goals, objectives, policies, and operating procedures for research programs.
• Prioritize projects based on funding availability, urgency, and institutional objectives.
• Lead expansion of technical capabilities, services, and development of new research programs.
• Monitor and evaluate program effectiveness and implement improvements when needed.
• Reassign projects with professionalism, competence, and discretion.
• Maximize existing research administrative resources and develop service enhancement strategies.
• Serve as departmental, divisional, and institutional liaison for research planning initiatives.
• Identify laboratory research support needs and improve workflows and documentation resources.
• Ensure compliance with institutional policies, rules, and regulations.
• Report progress and outcomes of research activities and initiatives.
• Research Administration & Program Oversight
• Serve as the primary administrative resource for divisional faculty involved in clinical, translational, and basic research.
• Coordinate preparation and submission of research proposals, reports, and sponsor updates.
• Direct grants and contracts administration teams supporting funded research programs.
• Serve as liaison among departmental, divisional, institutional, and external stakeholders.
• Direct tracking, reporting, and evaluation of research activities and outcomes.
• Monitor funding streams and ensure budget adherence, financial integrity, and regulatory compliance.
• Serve as a subject matter expert and primary point of contact for research administration matters.
• Direct research compliance activities involving protocols, MTAs, CDAs, and research contracts.
• Communicate federal policy changes and institutional initiatives to faculty and staff.
• Conduct critical reviews of funding applications, progress reports, and related research communications.
• Pre-Award & Post-Award Grant Management
• Provide oversight of budgeting activities for industry-sponsored trials, NCI studies, investigator-initiated studies, laboratory studies, clinical trials, and chart review protocols.
• Analyze translational trial activation processes and identify budget-related barriers to activation.
• Develop and implement funding strategies supporting clinical and translational research.
• Ensure compliance with institutional, sponsor, federal, and regulatory requirements for sponsored projects.
• Monitor research budgets and accounts to verify accuracy and optimize resource utilization.
• Design and implement administrative standards and operating procedures.
• Develop timelines that support timely activation of research programs.
• Oversee financial and administrative activities associated with translational studies funded by industry, foundations, state agencies, and federal agencies.
• Serve as liaison between investigators, sponsors, and institutional officials.
• Lead annual reporting activities for large-scale grant-funded programs.
• Research Planning & Program Development
• Provide administrative leadership for development and evaluation of large programmatic grants and initiatives.
• Participate in strategic planning committees supporting research growth and development.
• Advise faculty on long-term planning for research initiatives, funding opportunities, and program feasibility.
• Identify opportunities for new collaborative research initiatives within and outside UT MD Anderson.
• Connect faculty and programs with divisional, institutional, and external resources to expand programmatic activities.
• Personnel Management
• Establish productivity and performance standards for program staff.
• Optimize utilization of personnel resources across research administration functions.
• Provide ongoing coaching, mentoring, and performance feedback.
• Implement disciplinary actions in accordance with institutional guidelines when necessary.
• Ensure compliance with mandatory training, in-service requirements, accreditation standards, and federal and state regulations.
• Direct and support a team of approximately 7-8 direct reports.
• EDUCATION
• Required: Bachelor's Degree Science or medically related field, business or healthcare administration.
• Preferred: Master's Degree Science or medically related field, business or healthcare administration.
• Preferred: PhD in Science, Oncology research or related
• WORK EXPERIENCE
• Required: 8 years Experience in an academic research setting facilitating research program development and management of research resources to include two years of supervisory/management experience. or
• Required: 5 years Required experience to include two years of supervisory/management experience, with Master's degree.
• Preferred: Extensive experience with grant writing and submission of funded grants, extensive experience managing the grant process from beginning to end, experience working in a fast-paced environment and able to meet deadlines, experience serving as a departmental resource for grant processing, experience working effectively with all levels of leadership
• May substitute required education 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 and/or LEADing Self Discover programs may substitute for one year of required supervisory or management experience. Completion of both programs can be substituted for a maximum of two years of supervisory or management experience.
• OTHER REQUIREMENTS: Must pass pre-employment skills test as required and administered by Human Resources.
• The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center offers excellent