HIV Cure Center Director of Operations

HIV Cure Center Director of Operations

Position Summary
The UNC HIV Cure Center aims to discover, develop, and implement new treatments leading to the cure of HIV infection. The Cure Center is a partnership between the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and ViiV Healthcare and are co-founders of a jointly owned company, Qura Therapeutics, housed at UNC-CH. This unique public-private partnership is redefining traditional research norms and is creating a new model to seek breakthroughs for this extraordinarily challenging global health issue. In addition to the ViiV Healthcare collaboration, the Cure Center also collaborates across the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as well as with researchers at national and international academic institutions. 

The HIV Cure Center and Qura Therapeutics seeks a Director of Operations (DOO). The Director of Operations operates as the chief operating officer for both the Cure Center and for Qura Therapeutics, in partnership with the Director of the HIV Cure Center, Dr David Margolis, and the Qura Board of Directors. This is a unique opportunity for an individual with entrepreneurial and operational expertise to join a successful and dynamic company and advance a lead molecule asset into human clinical trials. 

The DOO is responsible for facilitating the achievement of key milestones, developing and managing key internal and external strategic partnerships, NIH funding streams, as well as stakeholder, vendor and collaborator relationships. The DOO will assist the Director in setting goals and achieving objectives, ensuring that the team is appropriately resourced and moving forward effectively. 

The Director of Operations manages a broad portfolio of administrative, human resources, and financial activities for both the Cure Center and Qura including the overall budgets, planning and reporting on financial issues, ensuring compliance with relevant policies, management of vendor/collaborator agreements and audits. This position will also be responsible for grant-making and fundraising applications from public and private entities. The DOO works with grants administrative personnel at both UNC and the granting agency to facilitate the pre- and post-award processes, administration of the grants management system, and reporting to ensure appropriate stewardship of awarded funds. The DOO works with human resources personnel at UNC to manage position posting and applicant review, on- and off-boarding of research and administrative staff, and management of the performance review process and oversight of departmental administrative staff and services. The Director of Operations will oversee day-to-day coordination and management of the Cure Center’s and Qura’s research and clinical portfolio and research collaborations, including communication with collaborators, meeting organization and logistics, management of the IP portfolio, and management of agreements.

Educational Requirements
Master’s Degree or comparable graduate degree in related field or discipline.

Qualifications and Experience
The successful Director of Operations (DOO) will be an experienced, creative, and dynamic leader with superior interpersonal and problem-solving skills. The DOO will have well-developed attributes of professionalism, leadership, communication (verbal and written), presentation abilities, and superior organizational and time management skills. And must also have the demonstrated ability to work both independently with little supervision as well as collaboratively in this very dynamic research environment.
The preferred candidate for the DOO position must have at least 3 years’ postgraduate experience, including at least a year experience working in academic or biotechnology/pharmaceutical industry as a project lead. Must have demonstrated experience in the acquisition and management of funding from a variety of sources, which may include both private and federal. Must have the proven ability to analyze and integrate information from diverse disciplines, as well as a demonstrated ability to master new concepts.
Scientific productivity and experience with multi-investigator collaborations is desirable. Previous experience managing an advanced HIV therapeutics research program and/or therapeutic development of clinical assets is preferred. Knowledge and experience with NIH grants and the UNC system regulations also preferred. 

Please apply online at https://unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/200338

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or status as a protected veteran.