Manager-Applied Research Quality Assurance

Key Responsibilities
1) Applied Research Quality Management System (QMS) and Stage-Gates

• Design, implement, and maintain an applied research Quality Management System aligned to HCT’s applied research context.
• Define lifecycle stage-gates (pre-award, award acceptance, kick-off, execution reviews, reporting, close-out), including minimum quality criteria for each gate.
• Establish standard operating procedures (SOPs), checklists, and quality standards for project artifacts (plans, risk registers, progress updates, deliverables acceptance, close-out packs).

2) Project Delivery Assurance (PMO Functions Embedded into QA)

• Function as the day-to-day delivery assurance lead across the applied research portfolio, ensuring consistent project planning and controls.
• Coach PIs and project teams on work breakdown structures, schedules, milestones, KPIs, risk registers, change control, and reporting discipline.
• Facilitate kick-offs, periodic project reviews, stage-gate panels, and close-out quality reviews, escalating delivery risks early.

3) Research Operations Quality (Pre-Award and Post-Award Service Quality)

• Standardize and improve pre-award support quality: proposal completeness checks, budget accuracy validation support, sponsor requirement interpretation support in partnership with operations and compliance.
• Standardize and improve post-award service quality: grant set-up readiness, milestone tracking consistency, reporting quality, and close-out completeness, ensuring smooth execution for faculty.

4) Digital Quality and Data Integrity in RMS and Project Tooling

• Define and enforce data quality standards for core applied research records (projects, milestones, deliverables, evidence attachments, reporting fields).
• Partner with RMS owners and administrators to implement workflow controls that support quality stage-gates, required artifacts, and portfolio reporting.
• Maintain a practical template and toolset library (project templates, dashboards, trackers, risk logs), ensuring consistent usage across campuses.

5) KPI Frameworks, Dashboards, and Portfolio Performance Reporting

• Own applied research delivery and quality KPIs (on-time milestones, deliverable acceptance rates, reporting punctuality, rework rates, cycle times, service SLAs, portfolio health).
• Produce portfolio dashboards and consolidated leadership reporting, including sponsor-ready progress summaries when required.
• Provide structured insights that support institutional reporting, accreditation narratives, and decision-making for resourcing and prioritization.

6) Continuous Improvement, Training, and Capability Building

• Run continuous improvement cycles (lessons learned, root-cause analysis of delays and rework, template updates, process refinements).
• Develop and deliver short trainings and onboarding for faculty, staff, and student teams on applied research delivery standards and tools.
• Build a quality culture that increases predictability, reduces avoidable rework, and improves faculty experience with research support services.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Education:

o Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Science, Business, Quality Management, Project Management, or related field.
o A master’s degree in a relevant discipline is preferred.

• Certifications:

o Quality: ISO 9001 (or equivalent) lead implementer/auditor, Lean Six Sigma (Green Belt or higher), or equivalent quality credential.
o Project delivery: PMP, PRINCE2, IPMA, Agile/Scrum (beneficial).

• Other Requirements:

o Fluency in English, strong digital skills, comfortable operating across multiple campuses and stakeholder groups.

Experience & Skills

• Relevant Experience:

o 6+ years in a combination of quality assurance, PMO/project delivery, research operations, or regulated service environments, preferably in higher education, R&D, engineering services, or innovation programs.

• Core Skills:

o Quality system design and operationalization
(stage-gates, SOPs, templates, evidence standards)
o Project governance, planning, and controls
(schedule, scope, cost, risk, reporting)
o Process engineering and service improvement across workflows
o KPI design, dashboarding, and performance storytelling for leadership
o Stakeholder management with faculty, sponsors, and enabling functions
o Strong tool fluency
(Excel, Power BI, project tools, RMS-type systems)