Job description

Van Andel Institute (VAI) is seeking an Academic Administration and Faculty Affairs Administrator. Working within the Office of the Chief Scientific Officer, this individual will work closely with department staff, and research and operations leadership to administer a range of faculty programs and reporting functions.

VAI is a world leader in cancer epigenetics and Parkinson’s disease research. We orchestrate cutting-edge clinical trials to improve human health by collaborating with academia, industry and philanthropy. Our Institute is home to nearly 500 scientists, education and support staff who work on-site within laboratories and in collaborative partnerships that span the globe.

As the Academic Administration and Faculty Affairs Administrator, you will support the multi-faceted functions of the Chief of Staff’s team, one of two departments within the Office of the Chief Scientific Officer. You will provide a high level of support to facilitate faculty-facing processes and programs and high-level reporting functions by establishing objectives, determining priorities, soliciting the cooperation of others, monitoring progress and meeting deadlines.

You must have the ability to think strategically, see the “big picture,” recognize the impact of decisions on the Institute, be able to keep information strictly confidential, exemplify our culture of collaboration, be meticulously organized and a strong planner.

Some of the high-level responsibilities you can expect to fulfill would include:

• Faculty Recruitment – Manage recruitment process, including committees, interview process and onboarding activities across all departments. Collaborate with other departments on offer and hiring process and faculty orientation.
• Faculty Programs – Administer centralized faculty programs (e.g., bridge and other funding programs), grant reviews, and limited submission reviews. Manage department intranet site for faculty and research programs focusing on providing resources to the target audiences at the Institute.
• Policies – Maintain current knowledge of Institute policies and procedures and support policy update efforts.
• Special Projects – Assist with special projects as assigned by leadership, including working with other VAI staff to benchmark administration policies and procedures.
• Faculty Annual Reviews – Coordinate the annual faculty reviews process in coordination with department chairs and Human Resources.
• External Scientific Advisory Board (ESAB) – Manage budget and coordination of the VAI faculty promotion and retention review process. Manage all aspects of the annual ESAB meeting.
• Faculty Mentoring – Manage/keep track of early career faculty mentoring programs and mentoring committees.
• Board Reporting – Develop reports and slide decks for presentations by the Chief Scientific Officer.
• External Reports and Data Analysis – Work with other departments on data analysis and presentation. Develop reports for various external audiences in support of the Chief of Staff and Chief Scientific Officer.
• Writing – Compose and prepare confidential correspondence and reports pertaining to faculty reviews and reporting. Ensure inquires, action items, commitments and/or confidential communications are handled in a timely and effective manner. Ensure close attention to detail to maintain accuracy.
• Communication – Communicate with Chief Scientific Officer, department chairs, senior VAI executives, faculty and ESAB members. Build rapport with and maintain effective working relationships with stakeholders. You must demonstrate effective diplomacy, credibility, trust and support.

You should possess the following skills, characteristics and traits:

• Bachelor’s degree in a discipline that requires persuasive writing, strong reading comprehension, and analytic thinking or equivalent combination of education and work experience.
• Minimum of three (3) years of experience in an academic or non-profit research environment strongly preferred.
• Experience in faculty review and meeting coordination a plus.
• Excellent attention to detail: You are able to provide excellent work on many tasks and track multiple activities with limited errors.
• Excellent customer service: This role will assist and enable the department to deliver excellent support for our faculty and laboratories.
• People person: The Office of the Chief Scientific Officer supports all areas of the Institute’s research enterprise. Superior communication skills, customer service and a positive attitude are paramount.
• Self-starter: Self-motivation and excitement for the Institute’s mission is important in this fast-paced but rewarding position.
• Great communicator: Excellent written and oral skills are key in keeping things moving in forward through all daily interactions with customers and vendors.

Why choose the Van Andel Institute?

Van Andel Institute (VAI) is a hub for ideas and advancements fueled by a community of nearly 500 scientists, educators, and support staff, each one of us deeply connected to the work we do and driven by an urgent desire to make a difference.
We understand that attracting the highest caliber of talent means offering an exciting job, a competitive salary and high-quality benefits that meet one’s personal needs. Our target salary range for this position is $65,000–$75,000. VAI’s benefits are designed to allow you peace of mind for your wellbeing and support our diverse and changing lives outside of work.
VAI also operates under a flexible/hybrid work model, offering as much flexibility as possible to support individual workstyles and provide stability, social cohesion, identity, and belonging. We believe by providing this flexibility, our employees will continue to innovate and connect to the work we do and ensure we are driven by an urgent desire to make a difference.
The Institute is located in fun, dynamic, , and family-friendly Grand Rapids, Mich. Located on the banks of the Grand River, Grand Rapids offers all the big-city excitement you'd expect from a million-resident metropolis, featuring hundreds of restaurants and nightspots, theaters, museums, sports, and concerts. The safe and clean downtown is surrounded by an eclectic mix of walkable neighborhoods.
With a medical and life sciences industry boom, strong entrepreneurial activity, dedication to green building and living, and innovative employers, Grand Rapids' diverse economy continues to grow, offering exceptional career opportunities, green building and living, and innovative employers.

Does this sound like you? Apply now!

If you would like to join this community of bright minds who share a relentless curiosity and a deep commitment to making the world a better place, submit a cover letter and résumé as a single, combined PDF file by visiting here!
If you have questions about the application process or working at VAI you are welcome to email Eric Miller, Director of Talent and Employee Engagement at eric.miller@vai.org.

At Van Andel Institute, the health and safety of our people is our number one priority. As a condition of employment at Van Andel Institute, all employees are required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19. “Full vaccination” is defined as two weeks after both doses of a two-dose vaccine or two weeks since a single-dose vaccine has been administered.

VAI is committed to achieving excellence through increasing diversity. We actively encourage applications from women, persons of color, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups.

Van Andel Institute is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) Employer.

As Van Andel Institute is a drug and alcohol-free employer, all prospective new employees undergo a urinalysis/drug test as part of our pre-employment process. This is a seven-panel drug screen and it includes testing for Marijuana, Cocaine, Amphetamines, Opiates, PCP, Barbiturates, and Benzodiazepines.

Required Skills

Required Experience

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $65,000.00 - $75,000.00 per year

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