Senior Director, Science Strategy and Administration

Primary Work Address: 4000 Jones Bridge Road, Chevy Chase, MD, 20815

Current HHMI Employees, click here to apply via your Workday account.

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) advances the discovery and sharing of scientific knowledge to benefit us all. As a biomedical research organization and philanthropy, HHMI supports a vibrant community of academic researchers, educators, students, and administrative professionals. Together, we’re unlocking the fundamentals of biology and building an open, inclusive future for science.

HHMI’s Headquarters is located on a beautiful 40-acre campus in the greater Washington DC metro area that is home to over 300 employees with strong cross-departmental collaboration between biomedical, legal, human resources, communications, information technology, investments, science education, and more.

The HHMI Science Department supports and augments the groundbreaking research conducted in HHMI labs across the nation, and you can be sure that your contributions while working here are making a difference.

Summary: 

The Senior Director, Science Strategy and Administration, is a strategic advisor and operational partner to the Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer (VP/CSO). This position is responsible for translating vision into action, managing the implementation of key departmental priorities, and ensuring strong internal coordination and communication across the Science Department. The position will work collaboratively with other Senior Directors and other team members in the HHMI Science Department and serve as a key liaison across HHMI departments. This individual will help reduce the administrative burden on the VP/CSO by coordinating departmental efforts, identifying and resolving bottlenecks, facilitating decision-making by the VP/CSO, and supporting appropriate coordination with other departments and leaders at HHMI.  The role requires exceptional organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills, along with the ability to navigate complex internal and external relationships with sound judgment and discretion.  

 

This role reports to the Vice President & Chief Scientific Officer and will report to HHMI Headquarters in Chevy Chase, MD, three days a week in person and work two days remotely. The person in this role will need to be flexible to come onsite for four to five days when needed.   

 

This position will remain open until Tuesday, July 15, at 5:00 PM ET, after which applications will no longer be accepted. 

 

What we provide: 

• The opportunity to use your organizational expertise and broaden impact across the scientific landscape through this uniquely positioned role . 

• The chance to work with and support outstanding scientists at all career stages at HHMI.  

• Opportunities to use and develop your talents toward the critical work of advancing inclusion while being an integral member of a dedicated team . 

• A generous salary and competitive package that includes up to $10,000 in educational reimbursement each year and a significant budget for professional development.  

 

What you’ll do: 

• Support the VP/CSO in setting and executing departmental strategy, tracking progress on major initiatives, and managing cross-functional priorities.  

• Serve as facilitator for information flowing to and from the VP/CSO.  Collect, analyze and synthesize information to support decision-making by the VP/CSO and department leadership.  

• Work with other members of the Science Department to identify what issues require escalation to the VP/CSO and what can be resolved by others.  

• In collaboration with the Executive Assistant, oversee or contribute to the planning and follow-up of key leadership meetings,