Vice President - Research Operations

Who are we?

IOG, is a technology company focused on blockchain research and development. We are renowned for our scientific approach to blockchain development, emphasizing peer-reviewed research and formal methods to ensure security, scalability, and  sustainability. 

Our projects include the Cardano blockchain, as well as other products in the areas of decentralized finance (DeFi), governance, and identity management, aiming to advance the capabilities and adoption of blockchain and Web3 technology globally.

What the role involves:

The Vice President of Research Operations provides strategic and operational leadership across the organization’s global research ecosystem. This role oversees multiple research functions -including partnerships, grants, compliance, and strategic research initiatives - ensuring alignment with enterprise-wide objectives and innovation priorities.

Operating as part of the executive leadership team and serving on the IOG Operating Council, the VP defines and drives the organization’s research operations strategy, ensuring that all programs are efficiently executed, ethically governed, and effectively funded. This leader is both a strategic builder and an operator, defaulting to collaboration and actively reducing organizational silos. This includes developing a sustainable research funding framework, fostering high-value academic and industry partnerships, and optimizing operational processes that enable world-class scientific outcomes.

Success in this role is reflected through enhanced research impact, optimized resource utilization, and a cohesive, high-performing research culture that supports innovation and thought leadership across the enterprise.

Strategic Leadership

• Define and lead the overall research operations strategy, ensuring alignment with enterprise vision and long-term innovation goals.
• Drive operational excellence across all research programs, fostering efficiency, scalability, and impact.
• Develop multi-year strategic plans for research funding, partnership growth, and resource allocation.
• Collaborate with C-level executives to shape cross-departmental initiatives that connect research outputs to business and technology strategy, with a focus on integrating research roadmaps and requirements into the Product/software development planning cycles

Research Partnership & Grant Strategy

• Oversee a global portfolio of research partnerships with universities, government agencies, industry consortia, and innovation bodies.
• Lead enterprise-wide grant management and funding acquisition, ensuring diversification of research revenue streams.
• Establish governance frameworks to ensure compliance with grant and funding regulations, ethical standards, and data security.
• Represent the organization in global research networks, advisory boards, and strategic consortiums to advance influence and visibility.

Operational Excellence & Governance

• Build and optimize processes for proposal development, project delivery, monitoring, and reporting across research teams.
• Oversee budgets for research programs and operational functions, ensuring efficient allocation of financial and human capital.
• Define and monitor metrics for research impact, outcomes, and ROI to guide strategic decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Actively reduce operational inefficiencies and modernize research delivery through the strategic adoption of AI, data analytics, and workflow automation.
• Develop and monitor interactions between research and other units and divisions within the company to ensure high impact of research, knowledge transfer, timely dissemination and requirements communication.

Leadership, Culture, and Capability Development

• Lead and mentor a team to deliver high-quality research outcomes and foster a culture of accountability and innovation, while embodying servant leadership and promoting proactive planning.
• Establish frameworks for succession planning, workforce capability development, and leadership coaching across research functions.
• Champion a culture of inclusion, ethical conduct, and collaboration across academic and industry research partnerships.

External Representation & Thought Leadership

• Act as a senior spokesperson and ambassador for the IOG’s research mission at global conferences, consortia, and policy forums.
• Shape and influence the external funding landscape by engaging with key stakeholders, donors, and government bodies.

Leadership  

As Leaders it is our responsibility to motivate, develop and progress our fellow team members. As a Leader there is a need to communicate openly with all members of your team, address any issues head on and not shy away from difficult conversations.

Empowering your team to provide the best results by organising clear processes and coordinating team efforts should be your top priority.

Please read our Leadership at IO Global document for more information on your duties and responsibilities as a leader at IOG

Requirements

Who you are:

• Desirable: PhD in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related research field. 
• Desirable: Advanced leadership or management certification (e.g., Executive MBA, research leadership training).
• 12+ years in research management, partnerships, or operations roles, Desirable: with at least 5 years at a senior leadership level.
• Demonstrated success managing multi-million-dollar research portfolios and funding strategies.
• Experience leading multi-disciplinary, multi-stakeholder research programs across academia, industry, and government.
• Proven experience in organizational leadership, strategic planning, and large-scale operational transformation.
• Established network within research funding agencies, universities, and technology innovation ecosystems.
• Knowledge of blockchain, distributed ledger technologies, or emerging tech research landscapes.
• Executive communication and stakeholder influence at C-level and industry forums.
• Strategic leadership and people development across multiple functions.
• Adaptability, cultural intelligence, and collaboration across diverse global teams.
• Decision-making under complexity with strong ethical and compliance orientation.
• Enterprise-level strategic thinking and cross-functional alignment.
• Financial acumen in multi-program research funding and budget oversight.
• Policy and governance leadership in research integrity and compliance.
• Innovation mindset with focus on continuous improvement and impact measurement.
• In-depth understanding of research operations, academic collaboration models, and funding ecosystems.
• Strong grasp of data-driven research management, KPI frameworks, and research information systems.
• Expertise in large-scale grant and partnership portfolio management across government, academic, and industry ecosystems.
• Proven record of developing global research strategies, policies, and governance frameworks.

Benefits

• Remote work
• Laptop reimbursement
• New starter package to buy hardware essentials (headphones, monitor, etc)
• Learning & Development opportunities
• Competitive PTO 

At IOG, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where all individuals are valued and empowered to succeed. We welcome people of all backgrounds and ensure that employment decisions are based solely on merit, qualifications, and potential. Everyone is given equal opportunities regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.