The University of Alabama (UA) seeks a visionary Executive Director for the Alabama Water Institute (AWI). The Executive Director reports directly to the Vice President for Research & Economic Development and serves in a full-time, 12-month, administrative position.
Due to the wide scope of responsibilities, UA invites strong candidates with various backgrounds and experiences from academia, government, non-profit, and/or industry to apply. Depending on background and experience, the Executive Director may be a Senior Research Professional (staff position) and/or an adjunct or tenured faculty member in an appropriate academic department at UA, subject to UA’s standard review practices.
Job Summary
The Executive Director, Research is responsible for oversight, supervision, management, and coordination of activities within a large research center. This includes supervision of personnel, budgeting & accounting, administration of programs & activities, evaluation of personnel & programs and reporting. The Executive Director, Research will also serve as a scientific and/or research ambassador and will be responsible for developing new consulting and research opportunities.
Responsibilities
- Provide a vision for collaborative water research through effective leadership that embraces the full range of disciplines represented by AWI.
- Develop and elevate AWI’s national and international profile.
- Coordinate closely with federal water agencies.
- Partner with UA staff and the Vice President for Research & Economic Development to identify, promote, and contribute resources to strengthen AWI and manage its portfolio. This includes identifying and supporting opportunities for research within existing funding streams and through multi-disciplinary collaboration and partnerships across UA and beyond.
- Work closely with existing affiliated centers to ensure their growth and success.
- Stimulate the development of new research centers consistent with the AWI research focus and leverage unique research resources within UA.
- Foster and support high quality research and scholarly activities within AWI by ensuring a stimulating, collegial, and well-managed environment.
- Collaborate with academic units to attract, retain, and develop faculty and staff who will promote academic and research excellence and will contribute to the successful development of AWI.
- Manage resources effectively to ensure AWI is self-sustainable.
- Engage a range of internal and external stakeholders to identify research opportunities and partnerships.
- Assess gaps and meet the need for common resources and facilities across AWI-affiliated centers.
Required Department Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree with 10 years of relevant experience or master’s degree with at least seven years of relevant experience.
- Research and operational experience working in an academic, industrial, and/or government setting. Three years of experience leading successful cross-disciplinary research teams, as evidenced nationally and, preferably, internationally.
- Evidence of a firm understanding of the full range of disciplines represented by AWI.
- Experience in government relations, including developing proposals and securing state and/or federal appropriations.
- Experience working with one or more key federal partners focused on water, including, but not limited to, NOAA, USGS, Army Corps of Engineers, NASA, National Science Foundation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Environmental Protection Agency.
- Experience managing public/private partnerships and fostering government to industry relationships.
- Compelling evidence of being a trusted and effective colleague.
- History of successful and effective staff management and professional development, and the proven capacity to recruit and successfully train and develop researchers.
- Acute understanding of the priorities, operation, and strategies of securing externally funded grants and contracts to support research and applied research.
- Additional required qualifications for faculty consideration: Strong academic record and eligibility for the rank of Full Professor in an appropriate academic department at UA; and a PhD in a relevant discipline.
