Leadership role

VP of Research

Directs an organization's research program.

Reporting and scope

Reports to the Executive Director / CEO, President or Chief Science Officer. Authority covers the research program and its grants.

Core responsibilities

  • Sets research strategy and priorities
  • Oversees grant applications and research funding
  • Manages research compliance, including human subjects and animal care
  • Supervises principal investigators and research teams
  • Manages research budgets and indirect cost recovery
  • Represents research to the board and funders

How it differs

Chief Science Officer is the C-level science executive. Director of Research runs research at a lower level. Principal Investigator leads individual projects.

By organization size

In smaller organizations research is a director job. In research institutes and academic medical centers the VP oversees a large grant portfolio.

Filings from the last five years mapped to this role commonly report titles such as: VP Research; VP of Research; VP, Research; Vice President of Research; Vice President, Research; VP for Research

Related roles

Roles this description compares with VP of Research, or that compare themselves with it.

Chief Science Officer
The senior scientific executive, leading the research or scientific direction of a research institute, disease foundation or health organization.
Director of Research
Directs an organization's research or evaluation work.
Principal Investigator
Designs and leads research studies in a scientific or scholarly field.

See what this role pays

Median reported total compensation, nationally: $243,000. Based on 989 IRS Form 990 filings, fiscal years 2021–2025.

This median spans organizations of every budget size and sector, so it will not match a benchmark for one organization.

Benchmark pay for this role

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