Research Programs Officer, Cancer Center (Full-Time)

This position manages, plans and organizes research programs and grants for the director of the cancer center, including all aspects of the Convergent Science Virtual Cancer Center (CSVCC) program. The CSVCC is funded by the Department of Defense (DOD) and is a convergent approach to cancer research that combines advances from diverse scientific disciplines to improve outcomes for patients. The program provides personalized mentorship, support, and funding to 15 early-career scientists (Scholars) studying cancer. The CSVCC Scholars are from diverse research and clinical background and institutions across the U.S. The CSVCC is co-led by the University of Arizona Cancer Center and the University of Southern California (USC) Michelson Center Convergent Science Institute in Cancer (CSI-Cancer).

This position is responsible for managing the daily operations of the CSVCC program, including budget oversight, processing reimbursements, scheduling meetings, preparing agendas, and coordinating training sessions and workshops. The role supports program planning and evaluation by developing surveys, collecting feedback, monitoring Scholars' progress, maintaining training records, and compiling outcomes from CSVCC activities. It also involves tracking stakeholder interactions to facilitate effective communication. The position works in close collaboration with CSVCC leadership and the USC Michelson Center CSI-Cancer program manager to align, coordinate, and enhance CSVCC activities and events. This position will also support general grant proposals, coordination and routing with sponsored projects, regulatory reporting and the director's supporting documents and data agreements.

Program operations and administration:

• Manages the full scope of the CSVCC program's operations, overseeing project activities from planning through completion, coordinating annual workshops and training initiatives, and ensuring clear, consistent communication across all key stakeholders to maintain alignment and achieve program objectives.
• Assess communication and training needs and works with cross-functional teams across multiple departments to develop communication and training materials.
• Determines and organizes resources to meet program objectives.
• Interfaces with internal and external key stakeholders including other departments, leaders across the organization, representatives from external agencies/organizations to provide guidance, resolve issues, and/or implement processes and/or solutions.
• Maintains the list of available training opportunities in communication and project management platforms, as well as prepares an annual schedule of training activities and events.
• Works collaboratively with input from the Special Advisor on Military Health, the Career Guide from the Scholar's employing institution, and the Scholar to provide leadership, on-boarding and/or mentorship to each Scholar, beginning with the completion of the intake with each Scholar and the development of the initial Scholar Adaptive Catalysis of ConvErgent Research Training (ACERT) Impact Map (AIM).
• Provides support to the CSVCC leaders in preparing the initial Scholars' AIMs and their annual refinement, coordinates annual evaluation of Scholars' progress and review of the AIMs, maintains Scholars' training and evaluation records including attendance at workshops and networking events, compiles list of outcomes and products that result from the Scholars' participation in CSVCC activities such as joint publications, joint grant proposals, funding received, new collaborations initiated, patents, commercialization, honors and awards, promotions or leadership appointments, and other relevant data including those recorded in the Transdisciplinary Research on Energetics and Cancer (TREC) surveys to generate metrics, trends, and accomplishment reports to guide the decision-making of the CSVCC leaders.
• Monitors and tracks the interactions between Scholars and other participants of the CSVCC, as well as facilities communication within the CSVCC.
• Manages the Director's Award Pilot for Expanded Research (DAPER) program, processing all subaward documentation, overseeing all program activities, managing invoices and payouts to ensure accurate and timely financial administration and preparing progress reports.
• Maintains data system integrity and ensures quality assurance measures are followed based on departmental standard operating procedures. Provides adhoc reporting to support recommendations observed through trend analysis for future planning and enhancements.

Program development, refinement, and expansion:

• Develops surveys to gather general feedback from all CSVCC participants annually, surveys to obtain evaluation of the annual workshops, and surveys to evaluate each ACERT Horizons virtual training session. Customizes surveys such as the TREC Baseline Evaluation Survey and TREC Follow-up Researcher Survey to evaluate the performance of the CSVCC.
• Identifies growth opportunities and further efficiencies that impact the program success and aids in development of strategic plans to achieve objectives. Interfaces with internal/external stakeholders to further develop program growth, community outreach activities, as well as relationship building and maintenance.
• Evaluates requests for program exceptions or changes, and determines response, escalating as necessary. Notifies stakeholders of any changes to the program.

Grant and Research Support:

• Provides support for grant proposals, including submission through university research administration and other relevant online portals such as eRA Commons.
• Tracks routing status of proposals and communicates with Sponsored Projects for required document and approvals.
• Maintains the director's NIH biosketch utilizing SciENcv.
• Maintains the director's Other Support documents in support of research efforts.
• Coordinate with UACC leadership as needed to gather data for grant proposals and reporting.

Budget management:

• In conjunction with leadership, responsible for planning, monitoring, and managing program fiscal budgets and financials, and resolves or escalates issues. Evaluates feasibility, forecasting financial impact and providing recommendations or making decisions to support the success of the program.
• Manages the budget for CSVCC, invites speakers, coordinates travel arrangements, and processes reimbursements and honorariums. Manages budget by working with the leadership team to develop and administer the operating budget. Responsible for review and approval of expenditures, including supplies, subawards, service agreements, check and travel requests, and purchase orders.
• Researches and analyzes data for evaluating performance of program or program operations, including quality assurance and trends. Makes recommendations to leadership and/or implements program changes based on findings. Provides data and/or summary findings to program participants, stakeholders, leadership and/or cross-functional teams.

Governance:

• Monitors research programs to ensure appropriate governance and program compliance with local, state and federal laws; accreditation, professional and regulatory agency standards and licensure requirements. Maintains staff and program compliance with organizational policies and procedures.

This job posting reflects the general nature and level of work expected of the selected candidate(s). It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The institution reserves the right to amend or update this description as organizational priorities and institutional needs evolve.

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent advanced learning attained through professional level experience required.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience, or equivalent combination of education and work experience.