Sr. Program Manager, Research Strategy

Overview Under the general direction of the Executive Vice Chancellor for Research and Chief Research Officer (EVCR/CRO), the Senior Program Manager of Research Strategy provides high-level program management, operational, analytical, and communications support to the EVCR/CRO and the Office of UMass Chan Research. The position is responsible for coordinating and advancing initiatives that support the strategic priorities of UMass Chan Research and the broader research enterprise. Working closely with the EVCR/CRO and Research leadership, the Senior Program Manager translates established priorities into actionable plans, coordinates activities across multiple research and administrative units, monitors progress toward key objectives and facilitates effective communication and follow-through on critical initiatives. The position serves as a key liaison among research leadership, faculty, department administrators, and institutional partners to ensure alignment, coordination, and timely execution of research-related priorities and projects. The Senior Program Manager also serves as a primary communications and content resource for UMass Chan Research, leading the development, coordination, and maintenance of research-related communications and digital content. In collaboration with institutional partners responsible for communications, web content, and digital platforms, the position helps promote awareness of research initiatives, programs, accomplishments, and priorities across the UMass Chan research enterprise. The position manages complex, sensitive, and time-sensitive matters requiring sound judgment, discretion, exceptional organizational skills, and the ability to effectively manage multiple priorities in a complex academic environment. The incumbent is expected to operate with considerable independence while ensuring alignment with the direction and priorities established by the EVCR/CRO. Responsibilities Responsibilities Executive and Organizational Support Serves as a senior operational partner to the EVCR/CRO in organizing, coordinating, and advancing priorities across UMass Chan Research and the broader research enterprise. Translates institutional research priorities and objectives into coordinated initiatives, work plans, timelines, deliverables, and follow-up activities. Coordinates preparation for meetings, leadership discussions, institutional activities, and engagements involving the EVCR/CRO, including agendas, briefing materials, presentations, reports, and talking points. Gathers, analyzes, and synthesizes information from research and administrative units to support planning, decision-making, and issue resolution. Serves as a central point of coordination for issues, requests, and initiatives directed to the EVCR/CRO, ensuring appropriate routing, tracking, and follow-through. Maintains awareness of major research priorities, commitments, and deadlines to support timely execution and completion of key initiatives. Translate complex challenges into clear workstreams, analytical approaches, decision points, and actionable plans. Assemble and coordinate across multiple research and administrative units, finance, legal, clinical, operations, data, and technology functions to advance shared research priorities. Establish project governance, roles, timelines, milestones, and accountability to support successful execution of complex initiatives. Prepare and present executive-level briefings, analyses, Program and Portfolio Management Coordinates complex, cross-functional projects and initiatives involving research departments, programs, centers, administrative units, and institutional partners. Develops and maintains project plans, timelines, milestones, action items, status reports, and other project management tools to support successful implementation. Tracks deliverables, dependencies, risks, and outcomes, identifying challenges and recommending solutions to facilitate progress. Leads day-to-day coordination of strategic and operational initiatives involving multiple institutional stakeholders. Oversees special projects and organizational initiatives assigned by the EVCR/CRO. Supports operational improvement efforts through benchmarking, environmental scanning, process evaluation, and implementation of recommended actions. Research Leadership and Enterprise Coordination Facilitates communication and collaboration among leaders across the research enterprise, including research administration, grants and contracts, clinical and translational research programs, research infrastructure, computing and informatics and core facilities as well as BRIDGE, and other research innovation functions. Serves as a liaison among the EVCR/CRO, department chairs, program directors, faculty, research administrators, institutional leadership, and external stakeholders. Coordinates leadership meetings, including development of agendas, supporting materials, documentation of decisions, and follow-up on action items and commitments. Promotes alignment and information sharing across research units to support institutional priorities and enterprise-wide initiatives. Utilizes knowledge of research operations and organizational structure to facilitate cross-functional problem solving and issue resolution. Analysis and Decision Support Conducts research, analysis, benchmarking, and information-gathering activities to support Research priorities and operational initiatives. Compiles and synthesizes information related to research funding, faculty needs, infrastructure, programs, and organizational performance. Develops executive summaries, reports, presentations, recommendations, and decision-support materials for the EVCR/CRO and research leadership. Identifies trends, risks, opportunities, and emerging issues affecting research operations and institutional priorities. Communications, Content Strategy, and Stakeholder Eng