Vice Chancellor for Research & Innovation and Dean of the Institutes

Job Summary

The University of Colorado Boulder seeks a dynamic leader to serve as the vice chancellor for research & innovation and dean of the institutes. The individual in this role is the chief research officer of the campus and the chief administrative and academic officer of the university’s institutes, providing strategic and equitable leadership, vision, and planning while fostering the scholarly and intellectual basis for new and continuing research efforts. This position reports directly to the provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs.

The vice chancellor and dean position serves two equally important roles. First, the position supports the research agenda of the university by working closely with the faculty, institute & center directors, provost, and other campus senior leadership, in the strategic development, growth, and quality of the research enterprise. Second, as a member of the provost's leadership team, the role works cooperatively and collaboratively with campus leaders to advance the goals and mission of the CU Boulder campus.

The University of Colorado Boulder is committed to building a culturally diverse community of faculty, staff, and students dedicated to contributing to an inclusive campus environment. We are an Equal Opportunity employer, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

The University of Colorado Boulder’s Research and Innovation Office (RIO) is the central point for support and advocacy for CU Boulder’s extraordinary scholarship, creative work, and growing research enterprise. RIO is focused on creating a global impact and building and maintaining a successful research enterprise by promoting excellence in research and ensuring a supportive and effective infrastructure. It does so by cultivating and supporting collaboration, transformation, and leadership. At the heart of this focus are the diverse contributions of a wide range of world-class experts, working together to accelerate ideas through the entire innovation lifecycle, from idea to impact. Recognized globally for research excellence in areas including aerospace, biosciences, earth & environmental sciences, and more, CU Boulder’s research and innovation ecosystem attracted a record $658 million in research funding in fiscal year 2021-22.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

Leadership/Administration/Management

• Facilitate short and long-term strategic plans that assist faculty in the advancement of their research, scholarship, and creative work.
• Develop strategies to increase the strength of the university's research, scholarship, and creative work programs through the promotion of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) throughout the research enterprise.
• Develop strategies to increase the diversity and strength of the university's research programs, including expanding federal, private, and industry-sponsored research activities.
• Bring the institutes together to work collectively on key initiatives including DEI, finance, HR, and strategic plans that serve the institutes and the university.
• Support student, faculty, and staff awareness of and access to cross-disciplinary innovation and entrepreneurship curricular and co-curricular pathways by creating distinctive offerings and collaborating with the campus and community ecosystem.
• Assure vital administrative support is provided to promote a viable, visible, and highly productive research and innovation effort on the campus. This includes financial analysis of proposed projects, assessment of budgetary and other resource implications, and identifying and pursuing collaborative sharing of research support resources such as staff, space, instrumentation, specialized equipment, and the use of computing.
• Evaluate, develop, and enhance the research and teaching facilities needed to attract and retain a distinguished and diverse research faculty.
• Lead and foster interdisciplinary collaborations inside and outside the university.
• Cultivate mutually beneficial associations with other administrative departments in the university.
• Work with the program directors, faculty in institutes and centers, deans, and the provost to develop innovative programs that represent significant advances in the scope and quality of undergraduate and graduate research and innovation opportunities. These will promote the visibility of the institution locally, nationally, and internationally and enhance experiential learning opportunities for all students.
• Provide administrative oversight of research policies (integrity and compliance) that affect the receipt and expenditure of research funds, animal welfare, human research participant protection, export controls, research compliance, and conflicts of interest and commitment.

Fundraising Partnerships and Development

• Represent the university in interactions with research sponsors from the private and public sectors.
• Champion development activities by cultivating relationships with individual donors, foundations, and corporations.
• Support the commercialization of research through the university’s Venture Partners at CU Boulder office, by collaborating with the local startup community and investors, and by promoting training for faculty, graduate students, and post-doctoral researchers.
• Provide oversight to help ensure compliance with federal regulations and university and sponsoring agency policies and procedures related to intellectual property.
• Cultivate relationships with the local innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem (including startups, accelerators, funding, policymakers, etc.) to provide students with entrepreneurial experiences and job opportunities.
• Develop and expand research collaborations with industry, federal laboratories, and agencies.
• Collaborate with the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade on business development, public-private R&D initiatives, and federal research opportunities.
• Partner with the CU Advancement team and its staff.

Human and Fiscal Resource Management

• Recruit, manage, develop, and conduct annual evaluations of direct reports.
• Work collaboratively with the RIO leadership team and institute directors, to assess and plan for faculty needs, staffing, and structures to meet the needs of the Research Enterprise.
• Provide effective and efficient management and oversight of fiscal resources, including preparation of annual budgets.
• Advise the provost of the state of institutional research funding and of opportunities for strengthening it.
• Seek and allocate discretionary funds to initiate, support, and promote research initiatives consistent with CU Boulder's strategic directions.
• Serve as signatory representative for the university for all research contracts emanating from the Boulder campus and its faculty, via the Office of Contracts and Grants.

Service

• Serve as the primary spokesperson for the university research enterprise and the institutes at academic, social, and public functions.
• Engage in outreach activities to maintain relationships with affiliates, research partners, and other external constituencies.
• Participate in professional service activities to maintain and enhance one's professional and scholarly development.
• Represent CU Boulder on local, state, national, and international committees.

What You Should Know

All University of Colorado Boulder employees are required to comply with the campus COVID-19 vaccine requirement . New employees must provide proof of vaccination or receive a medical or religious exemption within 30 days of employment.

As part of the University of Colorado Boulder’s deep commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, the campus has implemented a reference check pilot program with respect to final candidates for tenured faculty appointments. The reference check pilot program is intended to allow CU Boulder to collect and review information about a candidate's conduct at their current and previous institutions, specifically conduct related to sexual misconduct, harassment, and/or discrimination – before making hiring decisions. All final candidates for tenured faculty appointments are required to complete an Authorization to Release Information.

What We Can Offer

The hiring range for this opportunity is $320,000.00-$386,000.00, plus a moving allowance and a signing bonus. For the joint faculty appointment, salary and start-up funds to be determined upon acceptance of the position.

Benefits

The University of Colorado offers excellent benefits , including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO Pass. The University of Colorado Boulder is one of the largest employers in Boulder County and offers an inspiring higher education environment. Learn more about the University of Colorado Boulder .

Be Statements
Be ambitious. Be groundbreaking. Be Boulder.

What We Require

• Outstanding academic and professional credentials, including an earned doctorate or terminal degree.
• 6 years of academic and/or research-focused experience, including at least 3 years of administrative experience in a research university.
• A record of teaching, research, and service that meets the qualifications necessary to be tenured at the rank of full professor at a major research university.
• Successful budget and resource management experience.

What You Will Need

• Ability to lead with strong relationship skills, a reputation for transparency, integrity, and high ethical standards.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and support an inclusive, diverse, and equitable environment for students, faculty, and staff.
• Proven skills in planning, policy development, professional development, functional support for researchers, and day-to-day management of a large complex research enterprise.
• Ability to work proactively and challenge the status quo or take measured risks in pursuit of excellence.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to speak compellingly about the strengths and aspirations of the organization, passionately seeking support to enable success.
• Ability to lead collaboratively, exercise good judgment in recognizing talent, assess where improvements are needed, make appropriate connections, and demonstrate open-minded and multi-dimensional problem-solving skills.
• Skills necessary to mentor and coach all levels of faculty and staff to produce accountable work performance and products of value to the organization.
• Political savvy that is crucial for creating workable solutions to complex problems.
• Skills necessary to build relationships quickly and effectively across a broad constituency.
• Ability to understand and evaluate organizational risk.
• Ability to develop and implement appropriate and balanced policies, procedures, and communication plans.
• Ability to manage large, complex budgets; align resources with strategic plans; measure and evaluate outcomes.

What We Would Like You To Have

• Knowledge of and experience working with major federal, industry, and foundation funding agencies, including an understanding of federal regulations and agency guidelines for sponsored research from at least one of the following agencies: NSF, US DOE, NIH, NEA, NASA, DOD, NEH.
• Experience working with various external organizations at the local, state, federal, and international levels.
• Extensive knowledge and experience in technology transfer and intellectual property work, preferably within an academic research university or similar setting.
• Demonstrated expertise and knowledge in research compliance, policy, ethics, and related accountability processes for these areas.
• Demonstrated record of public/private partnership development that advanced the research mission or goals of a unit/college.
• Experience with leading and supervising 20+ FTE, empowering and developing staff to actively engage and innovate across organizational boundaries.
• Progressively responsible management experience within a complex organizational setting such as a major research university, federal agency, industry, or similar experience.
• Ability and willingness to obtain a U.S. government personnel security clearance (or already in possession of such credentials).

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials:

1. A current CV or resume.
2. A cover letter that specifically tells us how your background and experience align with the requirements, qualifications, and responsibilities of the position.
3. A short essay that addresses the following: The University of Colorado has a deep interest in strong efforts to foster and promote equity, diversity, and inclusion. Please provide a 1-page statement on how your teaching, research and scholarly work, and/or leadership and service demonstrate an active commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Examples might include scholarly work, efforts to improve access and equity for underrepresented individuals or groups, or other contributions to diverse communities.

You will not be asked to provide the names of references at this time. Confidentiality of applicants will be honored through the search process until finalists are announced when candidacy for the vice chancellor and dean position becomes public. For the commensurate tenured faculty appointment, finalists invited to interview with the campus community will be asked to provide the names and contact information (affiliations and email addresses) of three (3) academic references who will be contacted to provide confidential letters of recommendation, evidence of teaching competence and 3 representative publications/creative works. These documents will be viewed by faculty in each finalist’s tenure home department during review for the appointment with tenure.

Please apply by October 20, 2022, for full consideration. Applications will be accepted until finalists are announced.

Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, please apply through CU Boulder Jobs.

Posting Contact Information

Posting Contact Name: Boulder Campus Human Resources

Posting Contact Email: Recruiting@colorado.edu