Director of Research Operations

Houston, TX, United States

At Houston Methodist, the Director, Research Operations position is responsible for all aspects of research operations including but not limited to research finance and revenue cycle administration, pre and post award grant administration, clinical research budgeting and billing compliance operations, and oversight of laboratory operations and compliance. This position is responsible for overseeing the reporting of monthly and annual research group financials, including operations to department leadership and executive administration.

The Director position responsibilities include overseeing the activities of the department staff, ensuring quality, productivity, functional excellence and efficiency to accomplish strategic and operational objectives. In addition, this position is accountable for employee engagement, adequate staffing levels, budget development and compliance, staffing decisions such as hiring and terminating employment, coaching and counseling employees on work related performance, and developing and implementing policies and procedures to ensure a safe and effective work environment. This position also ensures training, monitoring and operations initiatives are implemented which secure compliance with ethical and legal business practices and accreditation/regulatory/government regulations.

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Directs, develops and implements strategic and operational/high level projects and processes either through independent/highly autonomous work or through the facilitation of work teams to enable the effective and efficient completion of objectives.

Oversees management of and ensures development for staff to meet overall objectives in terms of quality, service and cost effectiveness. Provides timely guidance and feedback to help others strengthen specific knowledge/skill areas needed to accomplish a task or solve a problem. Directs management responsibilities of selection, scheduling, supervision, retention, and evaluation of employees.

Meets or exceeds threshold goal for department turnover and/or system metrics on employee engagement indicators.

Provides leadership and communication to maintain a competent and engaged employee group by conducting regular department meetings to review policies and procedures and operational matters, rounding on all employees, completing performance appraisals, conducting new hire feedback sessions, coaching/corrective counseling, and providing recognition/commendations to achieve desired outcomes.

Identifies opportunities and takes action to build strategic relationships between one's area and other areas, teams, departments, and units to achieve business goals. Drives the promotion of teamwork within and between departments; participates and/or leads and facilitates department process improvements as needed.

Ensures employees are highly engaged and motivated as reflected in EOS scores.

Provides mentoring and coaching to operations managers and administrative staff.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Oversees department operations, designated projects, schedules and activities as needed to ensure that goals or objectives are accomplished within the prescribed time frame. Sets priorities and functional standards, giving direction to staff as necessary to ensure the best possible delivery of service and high customer/patient satisfaction.

Drives department service standards and activities to impact department and/or system score for patient/customer-based satisfaction, through role modeling and fostering accountability. Serves and actively participates on various entity committees as a voice for the department.

Ensures the highest quality customer service to research faculty.

Ensures the Research Affinity Group financial and operational model is periodically reevaluated and updated for maximum operational efficiency.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Ensures a safe and effective working environment; monitors and/or revises the department safety plan and/or any specific accreditation/regulatory required safety guidelines. Responsible for staff maintenance of credentials and competencies, per accrediting/ licensing agency and/or department guidelines as applicable.

Employs a proactive approach in the optimization of safe outcomes and information systems by monitoring and improving the department workflow and enhancing operations, using peer-to-peer accountability and identifying solutions via collaboration. Implements process improvements utilizing tools such as lean principles. Role models situational awareness, using teachable moments to improve safety.

Ensures employee compliance to policies and procedures and performs associated actions upon non-compliance (i.e., licensure/certification compliance, focal point review requirements, disaster plan, in-services, influenza immunization, wage and hour, standard hours, timely termination submission, timely timecard approval, etc.).

Optimizes process for clinical research study start up efficiencies.

Conducts periodic evaluations and updates to clinical research revenue cycle processes as needed, in order to ensure compliance with clinical research billing regulations.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Develops and manages department operational and capital budgets, approvals, and ongoing maintenance of the department(s), ensuring operation in a cost-effective manner. Proactively identifies and plans for capital needs related to current equipment and future department projects. Ensures staffing plans and schedules meet department needs that reflect understanding of the importance of cost-effectiveness.

Creates department strategies to achieve financial target and staffing needs, through optimizing productivity, supply/resource efficiency, minimizing incidental overtime and overtime percentage, and other areas according to department specifications.

Creates department strategies to effectively manage faculty portfolios of funds while working within the project and granting agency guidelines.

Ensures research affinity group financial model is up to date and relevant to the groups' mission. Provides periodic reviews and education at research leadership meetings to ensure adherence to the model.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS Identifies and implements innovative solutions for practice or workflow changes to improve department, entity or system operations by leading unit projects and/or other department/ system-directed activities. Proactively leads task forces and committees. May represent HM at assigned community or professional organization meetings.

Drives change initiatives, maintaining effectiveness when experiencing major changes in work responsibilities or environment; adjusts effectively to work within new work structures, processes, requirements or cultures. Partners effectively with stakeholders as appropriate.

Ensures own career discussions occur with appropriate management. Completes and updates My Development Plan (MDP) on an on-going basis. Conducts conversations with staff on their development and MDP.

Employs a proactive approach to help ensure meaningful growth in research program by collaborating with faculty leadership. Serves as a liaison with industry partners to promote a healthy relationship and ongoing business collaborations.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree preferred

WORK EXPERIENCE

Seven years of people management experience; for internal employees, six years of experience in relevant field with HM performance that demonstrates leadership responsibility. Seven years of research administration experience, preferably in academic setting.

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