Job Details
Business Title: Manager, Conflict of Interest and Conflict of Commitment
Work Schedule: Hybrid work arrangement with at least 2 days per week on-site; position is eligible for consideration as 100% remote based on operational needs and management approval.
Budgeted Salary: $145,095 - $189,251
For candidates based outside a designated Stanford work location, compensation will be evaluated in relation to the approved work location and corresponding geographic pay zone, consistent with applicable University policies and legal requirements.
School/Unit Description
The Research Policy and Integrity (RPI) office, within the Office of the Vice Provost and Dean of Research, develops and oversees the implementation of university research policies in collaboration with research administration offices, faculty leadership, school deans, and campus stakeholders. The office ensures that new and revised policies are clearly communicated and consistently applied across Stanford’s research enterprise. In addition to supporting the development and stewardship of the Stanford Research Policy Handbook (the university’s central resource for research-related policies), RPI provides policy and regulatory support in the following major areas: Conflict of Commitment and Conflict of Interest; Research Security, Export Controls, and Global Engagement Review; and Research Integrity.
Position Summary
The Manager, Conflict of Interest and Conflict of Commitment directs the day-to-day operations of specific functions, areas of oversight, and an assigned portfolio related to Stanford's Conflict of Interest and Conflict of Commitment (COI/COC) program. The Manager independently reviews and resolves disclosures, serves as an escalation point for complex and sensitive matters, and partners with faculty, research administrators, and central offices so that outside activities and financial interests are disclosed, assessed, and managed in compliance with applicable federal regulations and university policy. In addition to compliance, the Manager is accountable for operational efficiency and effective service delivery within that scope, translating regulatory requirements and institutional standards into workable processes for faculty, staff, trainees, and research administrators across units, schools, and the broader university community.
The Manager is a first point of contact for covered investigators seeking assistance in performing disclosures or COI-related policy guidance, and distributes reminders, instructions, and other materials in preparation for annual disclosure cycles. The Manager assesses outside activity and financial interest disclosures, including complex scenarios involving Stanford intellectual property, resources, staff, students, ideas, or research data, and relationships with external entity boards of directors, scientific advisory boards, and consulting engagements, and determines whether a matter can be resolved administratively or requires review by the Central Conflict of Interest Committee. For matters resolved administratively, the Manager prepares administrative actions as directed by university policies and procedures and ensures timely review of research-related activities and relationships. For matters that go to committee, the Manager prepares agendas, materials, and minutes; drafts determination memoranda and management plans as recommended or delegated; communicates outcomes of review to key stakeholders; and monitors those plans through re-certification and close-out. The Manager also prepares reports for federal sponsors, oversight bodies, and institutional leadership.
Beyond individual casework, the Manager analyzes regulatory and policy developments affecting conflict of interest and conflict of commitment and recommends and drafts corresponding updates to university policy and program procedure; develops and delivers education and outreach for faculty, staff, and trainees; partners with University IT on improvements to the online disclosure system; and represents the program at the university level and to external stakeholders and peer institutions. Because the program supports research of all types across the university, the Manager maintains working knowledge of intersecting compliance and administrative areas and recognizes when a disclosure implicates requirements beyond COI/COC.
Conflict of interest disclosure and review is mandated by both federal regulation and university policy, and covers annual as well as transactional disclosures. Over 4,000 disclosures are reviewed each year, many of them complex and of significant school- and university-wide impact. Success in this role directly supports Stanford's ability to pursue an ambitious research mission and promote discovery and innovation while remaining in compliance and in alignment with institutional policies and applicable regulations.
Preferred/Desired Qualifications
- Advanced degree (JD, MS, MPH, or PhD) and/or professional certification in research compliance or research administration; CRA preferred but not required.
- Demonstrated experience administering a conflict of interest and conflict of commitment program at a research university or academic medical center, with strong subject matter expertise in research administration in higher education.
- Working knowledge of PHS/NIH financial conflict of interest regulations and of NSF and other sponsor conflict of interest and disclosure requirements.
- Experience with university conflict of commitment policy and with faculty outside-activity and consulting approval processes.
- Experience with institutional conflicts of interest as distinct from individual conflicts of interest, including the review structures research universities use to identify and manage them.
- Familiarity with organizational conflict of interest requirements.
- Experience assessing complex faculty outside activities, including equity holdings, start-up formation, board and scientific advisory board service, consulting agreements, and the use of university intellectual property, resources, students, or research data.
- Experience reviewing external consulting agreements and advising on terms and conditions for alignment with institutional and sponsor requirements.
- Experience drafting determination memoranda, management plans, and institutional policy or procedure, and monitoring management plans through re-certification and close-out.
- Working knowledge of the university functions and compliance areas that intersect conflict of interest and conflict of commitment, including sponsored research administration, technology licensing, human subjects research and animal welfare, research security and export controls, and faculty affairs, sufficient to identify compliance intersections, provide analysis, and coordinate across offices.
- Experience administering or improving an electronic disclosure system, including partnering with IT on requirements, testing, and release management; knowledge of the software development cycle strongly preferred.
- Excellent planning and organizational skills, with demonstrated ability to manage competing deadlines through high-volume annual disclosure cycles.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with sound judgment and discretion in handling confidential and sensitive matters.
- Excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills, including the ability to explain complex regulatory requirements to faculty and senior leadership.
- Ability to accomplish goals working through formal and informal channels, with diplomacy and tactfulness.
- Demonstrated experience working independently and as part of a team.
- Demonstrated experience in service design and/or instructional design, and in developing and delivering training.
Responsibilities
Core Duties:
- Direct day-to-day operations of assigned research policy, security, and integrity programs, functions, or areas of oversight; ensure operational efficiency, compliance with regulatory requirements and institutional standards, and effective service delivery across units, schools, and the university community.
- Lead strategic planning and operations for complex programs with significant challenges affecting the institution at unit, school, and university levels; manage cross-cutting initiatives spanning units, schools, and central offices, including change management, risk management, and continuous improvement.
- Independently plan and conduct assessments, investigations, and mitigation activities applying specialized knowledge of applicable regulations and institutional policy; serve as escalation point and central resource for complex cases, regulatory inquiries, and stakeholder questions from faculty, staff, and trainees.
- Direct, manage, and advise on quality matters (quality control, quality assurance, quality improvement) within assigned scope; coordinate audits, reviews, disclosures, and assurance activities including ongoing compliance monitoring, periodic compliance audits, and case-level disclosures; track program metrics and prepare reports for sponsors, oversight bodies, and institutional leadership.
- Analyze regulatory requirements and recommend operational policies, procedures, and approaches; develop and refine program workflows, procedures, and documentation; monitor regulatory developments and recommend program updates to senior leadership.
- Recommend solutions to complex issues crossing organizational boundaries, including matters implicating multiple units, schools, or central functions; represent the program at the university level and to external stakeholders.
- Oversee or supervise staff and project teams, or direct the work of other employees; may include recommending hiring, training, and performance-related decisions.
Minimum Education and Experience Required
Bachelor’s degree and eight years of relevant professional experience in research compliance, regulatory affairs, or a related field, including experience managing or directing compliance, regulatory, or policy programs or functions, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required
- Applied expertise in regulatory requirements applicable to assigned research policy, security, and integrity programs, functions, or areas of oversight; sound judgment in interpreting and applying regulatory requirements.
- Ability to independently manage program operations, conduct assessments and investigations, and develop operational policies and procedures.
- Ability to recognize when matters implicate regulatory requirements or program areas beyond the primary assigned scope and coordinate effectively with colleagues across related research policy, security, and integrity programs and intersecting university functions, compliance, and administrative areas.
- Ability to collaborate with schools, departments, and central offices and serve as an escalation point for complex cases.
- Program and project management skills applicable to program implementation and continuous improvement.
Certificates and Licenses Required
Relevant professional certifications in compliance, research administration, or domain-specific areas are encouraged.
Organization
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