Center Administrator- Petrucelli Lab

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The University of Miami/UHealth Office of the Dean has an exciting opportunity for a Center Administrator to work at the UHealth campus in Miami, Fl.

CORE JOB SUMMARY
The Center Administrator oversees the management and administrative support functions.  The incumbent on this role works with leadership to meet the needs and ensure that the organizational structure is operational. Moreover, this employee develops short and long-term plans for financial forecasting, budgeting and management, human resources, facilities, and research and grant funding. Additionally, the incumbent assumes responsibility for developing and expanding programs for scientific research, preventive medicine, medical and vocational rehabilitation, and community health and welfare.

CORE JOB FUNCTIONS
1. Provides leadership with the identification of obstacles that impede the center’s progress and develops administrative vehicles to overcome these obstacles.
2. Assists in developing substantive changes in institutional policy and procedure and familiarizes faculty, staff, and constituents with these.
3. Directs the communications, media relations, and public information programs designed to further the mission of the Center.
4. Coordinates medical communications to maintain accuracy and consistency.
5. Works with the Center’s faculty and staff to identify key issues and strategies and incorporates these in an effective and consistent public relationship program.
6. Meets the center’s faculty and staff on a routine basis to keep abreast of research, treatment, and academic activities.
7. Develops and maintains media contacts and scientific media in local, regional, national, and international markets.
8. Assists in generating evaluative data on special and target programs and develops administrative solutions to ensure their seamless operation.
9. Establishes and continuously assesses the effectiveness of the internal controls within the unit and compliance with University policies and procedures. Ensures employees are trained on controls within the function and on University policy and procedures.

This list of duties and responsibilities is not intended to be all-inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties or responsibilities as necessary.

CORE QUALIFICATIONS
Education:
Bachelor’s degree in relevant field required

Experience:
Minimum 5 years of relevant experience required

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strategic Alignment: Skilled in aligning departmental goals with enterprise-wide strategy and develops comprehensive strategic plans.
• Financial Management: Ensures fiscal responsibility, and optimization of financial performance.
• Resource Management: Ability to allocate resources and drive innovation and growth.
• Adaptability: Proven ability to adjust to changes and leads/inspires transformational change.
• Team Leadership: Ability to build and lead high-performing teams, manage complex projects, and ensure successful project delivery.
• Technology & Analytics: Understanding of technology, data analytics, and performance measurement to drive strategic decisions and identify opportunities.
• Communication: Ability to influence others, articulate strategic vision, and ensure clear and persuasive communication.

Department Specific Functions

The Center Administrator serves as the chief administrative leader for the University of Miami Neuroscience Institute, partnering directly with the Institute Director, to operationalize the Institute’s strategic vision. In this capacity, the administrator provides comprehensive oversight of institute‑wide administrative, financial, facilities, research, and operational functions spanning basic, translational, and disease‑focused neuroscience programs.

Key responsibilities include:

Strategic & Administrative Leadership

• Serves as the senior administrative partner to Institute Director, contributing to long‑range strategic planning, scientific program growth, and organizational design for a large, multidisciplinary neuroscience enterprise.
• Manages the development, implementation, and assessment of operational policies, administrative workflows, and institute‑wide support structures that ensure seamless execution across all divisions, labs, and programmatic units.
• Leads administrative integration efforts across basic science departments, clinical entities, shared cores, and external partners to support highly collaborative research.

Financial & Research Operations Management

• Oversees multimillion‑dollar operating budgets, financial forecasting, cost allocation models, recharge/cost‑center activities, and institute‑wide resource distribution to support scientific priorities.
• Supports the expansion of research programs by coordinating grant‑related planning, staffing, compliance, and post‑award functions in collaboration with central Sponsored Programs and Research Administration offices.
• Develops financial models and business plans to support major investments, philanthropic initiatives, faculty recruitment packages, and capital requests.
• Monitors portfolio performance, identifies funding risks, and implements financial controls for large‑scale neuroscience research operations.

Facilities, Space, and Capital Planning

• Directs facilities planning and operations for institute‑assigned locations, including wet labs, shared core facilities, computational spaces, translational research units, and administrative offices.
• Coordinates buildouts, renovations, capital projects, and space optimization strategies aligned with the scientific needs of rapidly evolving neuroscience programs.
• Ensures compliance with environmental health & safety, biosafety, laboratory operations standards, and facilities regulatory requirements across all institute spaces.

HR, Talent, & Workforce Management

• Oversees organizational design, talent strategy, staffing plans, and workforce development initiatives across all administrative and research support functions within the Institute.
• Partners in faculty recruitment processes—including high‑level scientific recruitments, lab start‑ups, and onboarding—to ensure operational readiness and long‑term support structures.
• Advises leadership on performance management, culture-building, and staff engagement strategies to sustain a high‑performing scientific enterprise.

Research Program Support & Institutional Coordination

• Manages the administrative coordination of large programmatic grants, multi‑PI projects, training grants, and interdisciplinary initiatives.
• Serves as the primary liaison with MSOM leadership, central administrative offices, external partners, and federal agencies related to neuroscience operations and compliance matters.
• Leads project management for scientific initiatives, donor-engaged projects, external collaborations, and institute‑wide events.

Department Specific Qualifications                                                                               

Education:

Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree in Business Administration, Public Health, Science Administration, or related field strongly preferred.

Certification and Licensing:

Not Applicable

Experience:

• Minimum 7–10 years of progressively responsible administrative leadership in an academic medical center, research institute, or large scientific organization.
• Demonstrated experience supporting complex research operations, including grant administration, financial management, and laboratory/facilities oversight.
• Experience supporting senior scientific leadership and overseeing administrative teams in a matrixed research environment.

Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes:

• Deep understanding of research administration, academic operations, and scientific program development.
• Ability to manage large budgets, develop financial strategies, and oversee complex operational infrastructures.
• Strong analytical, strategic planning, and project management skills with the ability to anticipate institute needs.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively with faculty, researchers, staff, donors, collaborators, and executive leadership.
• Demonstrated commitment to fostering a collaborative, high‑performance culture supporting scientific excellence.

The University of Miami offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, tuition remission and more.

UHealth-University of Miami Health System, South Florida's only university-based health system, provides leading-edge patient care powered by the ground breaking research and medical education at the Miller School of Medicine. As an academic medical center, we are proud to serve South Florida, Latin America and the Caribbean. Our physicians represent more than 100 specialties and sub-specialties, and have more than one million patient encounters each year. Our tradition of excellence has earned worldwide recognition for outstanding teaching, research and patient care. We're the challenge you've been looking for.

The University of Miami is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants and employees are protected from discrimination based on certain categories protected by Federal law.

Job Status:

Full time

Employee Type:

Staff