Director, The Institute for Enterprise Engineering (IEnE)

A member of the Association of American Universities, Duke University was created in 1924 with a gift from James Buchanan Duke to Trinity College. Since then, Duke has grown to include 10 schools (Trinity College of Arts and Sciences, Fuqua School of Business, Divinity School, Pratt School of Engineering, Nicholas School of the Environment, Graduate School, School of Law, Sanford School of Public Policy, and the Schools of Medicine and Nursing). The University has over 6,400 undergraduate students, 10,400 graduate and professional students, 4,100 faculty, 47,000 employees, and 196,100 active alumni. Duke had total operating expenditures of $8.2 billion in fiscal year 2023 and an endowment of $11.6 billion.

Duke’s shared values—respect, trust, inclusion, discovery, and excellence—are the foundation of the University’s culture. They also guide and inform the institution’s strategic direction as Duke seeks to adapt to and shape the course of a changing world.

Since its founding, Duke University has been dedicated to a liberal and broad-based education at the undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels, and the ethical pursuit of knowledge that advances humankind. Duke offers a distinctive educational identity that integrates undergraduate teaching with a collaborative research culture, with 15 associated Nobel Laureates and 50 Rhodes Scholars; it fosters a diverse, inclusive, and exceptionally talented campus community, boasting excellent professional schools, a vibrant arts community, and an internationally renowned athletics program. It is also home to a health system that serves as a vital hub for the region and is a leading center of innovation in research and healthcare delivery. The University is universally regarded as one of the leading American and global research universities and academic medical centers.

Duke’s Pratt School of Engineering is a vibrant teaching and research institution dedicated to training the next generation  of leaders and pursuing research in high-impact fields to explore the frontiers of engineering and develop solutions to the world’s greatest challenges. The mission of the Pratt School of Engineering is to provide a rigorous engineering education for students, enabling them to lead productive, rewarding, and ethical lives for the betterment of society.

Duke University's Pratt School of Engineering proudly supports the continued growth of the Institute for Enterprise Engineering (IEnE). The Institute seeks a visionary Director to steward its mission of integrating engineering prowess with enterprise leadership. This role requires a blend of intellectual vision, strategic leadership, and comprehensive operational and financial management to guide the Institute, its community, and its entrepreneurial endeavors.

The Director of the IEnE plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of the Institute and its culture of innovation in engineering education by focusing on the intersection of cutting-edge technology with core engineering design and management principles. This role involves fostering innovative educational programs tailored to rapidly changing industry needs, thereby developing technical leaders poised to elevate the organizational performance and innovation of industry and government enterprises. The Director will engage with faculty across the Pratt School and all of Duke, bringing Duke’s culture of interdisciplinary discovery to merge technical knowledge with leadership, ethics, business, and policy.

In concert with the Pratt School's leadership, the Director will harness Duke's extensive resources and networks, leveraging existing and potential industry relationships to shape a forward-looking, sustainable model for engineering education, poised to address the challenges and opportunities of the future. This includes integrating the Institute's strategy with overarching Pratt objectives, ensuring the Institute not only contributes to but also leads in the broader discourse on engineering education for enterprise excellence.

Key Responsibilities

Spearheading Strategy

• Work with Pratt School leadership to translate innovations from IEnE to the rest of the School. Drive efficiencies across the Institute, including collaboration with staff teams. Showcase Duke's thought leadership to industry stakeholders. Identify emerging trends in engineering, technology, and enterprise leadership to ensure the Institute remains at the forefront of educational and industry advancements and expands its holistic contributions to the School. Determine and leverage Pratt’s competitive advantages in programmatic areas of the Institute. Collaborate with faculty, industry experts, and stakeholders to continuously refine and adapt the Institute’s strategic plan to meet evolving needs. Develop and implement innovative initiatives that integrate cutting-edge engineering and technology concepts, preparing students and working professionals to excel in a rapidly changing global market.

Enhancing Program Offerings

• Evaluate and expand current master’s degree offerings, including engineering management, fintech, cybersecurity, game design, design and technology innovation, and AI for product innovation, ensuring they meet the highest standards of academic excellence and relevance to industry demands. Lead the development of new degree programs, such as systems engineering, from concept to curriculum design, accreditation, and launch. Incorporate interdisciplinary approaches into program curricula, leveraging Duke’s strengths across departments to offer a holistic education that combines engineering, management, ethics, and policy.

Leading the Institute’s Growth

• Drive the expansion of IEnE by increasing student enrollment in both residential and online master’s degree programs, with a strategic focus on diversifying the student body to include a global audience. Enhance the Institute’s infrastructure and resources to support growing academic programs, faculty research, and student engagement activities. Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and excellence within the Institute, positioning it as a leader in enterprise engineering education.

Cultivating Industry Partnerships

• Establish and strengthen partnerships with leading organizations and industry players to ensure educational programs are aligned with current and future organizational challenges. Develop collaborative projects, internships, and capstone experiences that provide students with practical, hands-on experience and networking opportunities. Engage industry partners in a dialogue about the future of engineering education and workforce development, ensuring the Institute’s contributions to the field are both relevant and impactful.

Expanding Duke Engineering’s Reach to Working Professionals

• Design and offer specialized education and credentialing opportunities tailored to the needs of working professionals seeking to advance their skills in emerging technologies and management. Leverage online platforms and flexible learning formats to make the Institute’s programs accessible to a global audience of working professionals. Develop and implement marketing and outreach strategies to raise awareness of the Institute’s offerings among potential students and employers, highlighting its unique value proposition in addressing the demands of the changing workplace.

Duke University has retained Spencer Stuart to assist in this recruitment. To nominate an individual, express personal interest in the position, or communicate comments, questions, or suggestions to the search committee, please feel free to use the confidential search mailbox PrattIENEDirector@SpencerStuart.com. 

Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, (including pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions), sexual orientation, or military status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourish. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.