Inaugural Director of the Halloran Lab for Entrepreneurship

Job Description
Department:
Provost and Dean of Faculty
Pay Rate Type:
Salary
Employee Type:
Job Summary:

Expressions of interest, nominations and inquiries should be directed to Colby’s search consultant, Chuck O’Boyle of C. V. O’Boyle, LLC, at chuck@cvoboyle.com, who will furnish a detailed specification and internal position description upon request.

As Colby College continues to innovate and redefine modern liberal arts education, it seeks an inaugural Director for its newly established Halloran Lab for Entrepreneurship. The Halloran Lab is the latest differentiating initiative from an institution whose recent investments have elevated its academic stature and competitive position among the premiere U. S. colleges and universities. It is the result of a generous gift from Trustee Emeritus Todd Halloran, a 1984 Colby graduate and Harvard Business School graduate who has spent the majority of his career investing in and working with accomplished business leaders and entrepreneurs, and their growing companies.

Colby aims to infuse an entrepreneurial spirit into its exceptional academic and cocurricular programs and to support students who seek to turn their creative ideas into reality. The Halloran Lab, launching in the fall of 2022, will create and sustain a highly visible program of opportunities for Colby students—and others in the community—to create new businesses and solutions-based initiatives. It joins the Buck Lab for Climate and Environment and the Linde Packman Lab for Biosciences Innovation in offering experiences that complement students’ academic pursuits, support their intellectual exploration, and help them shape their life trajectories.

A member of the Provost’s team, the Director will have overall responsibility for setting the vision for the Halloran Lab in consultation with an external advisory board. The Director will be charged with creating a suite of entrepreneurship education and training programs; raising and dispersing funds for students to start commercial and social enterprises and initiatives; coaching and mentoring students through a dedicated entrepreneurship network; cultivating new and existing partnerships with leading institutions and organizations; engaging with the growing entrepreneurial ecosystem in Maine; and planning and managing purpose-built innovation and maker spaces on campus and in downtown Waterville. A highly visible representative of the College, the Director will work in close partnership with the President, other senior leaders, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and members of the surrounding community. The Director may also be granted teaching opportunities, particularly during Colby’s January term.

Qualifications: For this inaugural role, Colby seeks an articulate, confident, resourceful and self-directed innovator capable of realizing, building, and managing a field-leading college-based entrepreneurship center. A bachelor’s degree is required, with a master’s degree in business, management, marketing or entrepreneurship, preferred. A minimum of 10 years of experience with successful innovation, commercialization or venture creation (ideally focused on the building, running, and scaling of a company or another entrepreneurial organization) is preferred. Also preferred: at least five years’ experience with coaching, mentoring, or advising entrepreneurs, exposure to higher education, and first-hand experience working with undergraduates.

The ability to engage faculty, trustees and senior administrators; to counsel and inspire creative, diligent, professionally ambitious, and service-minded students; and to cultivate and steward a resourceful and highly sophisticated alumni and parent population are essential. Candidates should have an appetite and capacity for fundraising and growing institutional relationships. The successful candidate will have a record of working effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds and the ability to promote an inclusive campus and community. Candidates should demonstrate an affinity for the culture and values of a residential global liberal arts college and should be energized by helping students and other budding entrepreneurs succeed and grow.

Review of candidate materials will begin immediately and continue until the appointment. A complete application will include a letter of interest; a résumé, biographical statement or LinkedIn profile; and contact information for five professional references who can speak about the candidate’s qualifications for this position. All communications will be held in confidence, and references will not be contacted without the candidate’s prior permission. Expressions of interest, nominations and inquiries should be directed to Colby’s search consultant, Chuck O’Boyle of C. V. O’Boyle, LLC, at chuck@cvoboyle.com, who will furnish a detailed specification and internal position description upon request. Colby encourages inquiries and applications from candidates who will contribute to the diversity of the College, including its racial, cultural, and ethnic diversity.