Vice President for Research and Public Service

West Virginia State University

Founded in 1891, West Virginia State University (WVSU) is a public, land grant institution and a proud Historically Black College and University (HBCU) that has evolved into a fully accessible, racially integrated, and multi-generational institution serving approximately 3,514 students. The University is a community of students, staff, and faculty committed to academic growth, service, and preservation of the racial and cultural diversity of the institution. The University is a community of students, staff, and faculty committed to innovative teaching and learning, research and service that offers 24 undergraduate, 7 graduate, and 7 fully online degrees through its four colleges.  WVSU competes in athletics at the NCAA Division II level in five men’s sports and six women’s sports. WVSU is located in Institute, WV, a suburb of Charleston, the largest city and the capital of West Virginia. With more than 300,000 people living in the metropolitan area, it is an active, exciting and engaging community, boasting cultural and historical events, music, festivals and entertainment.

Position Description

The successful candidate will play an integral role in charting an exciting and transformational next chapter for the University. The Vice President for Research and Public Service is a member of the President's Cabinet, reports to the President of the University, and provides: (1) leadership and coordination in the development, implementation, operation and assessment of programs that results in a significant increase in research funding, intellectual property development, and technology transfer for the institution (2) support for innovative extension/community service programs and sponsored research throughout the University (3) support for the production and submission of successful research and other grant proposals on behalf of the University (4) visionary leadership in the development of initiatives focused on entrepreneurship and economic development.

This is an at-will, essential, FLSA exempt, full-time, benefits eligible position.

The Vice President is responsible for ensuring that the University's research, extension, and other community outreach programs are administered in accordance with relevant state and federal policies, and rules and regulations with a view toward maximizing all available state and federal resources to support the University's mission. The Vice President maintains communications with funding agencies and partnership organizations; engages University administrators, faculty, and staff on trends and factors affecting faculty competitiveness for extramural funding; interprets, implements, and monitors federal, state, local, commercial, and non-profit agency policies and regulations governing grant and contract management; provides leadership in garnering funding and support for disciplinary and multi-disciplinary activities through grants and contracts, consistent with the land grant mission; develops and implements policies and procedures for proposal submission, negotiation of contracts, grants and awards, in conduct of sponsored activities. 

The Vice President is responsible for implementation of the University’s intellectual property and technology transfer policies, and is responsible for research compliance and ethics across the institution. The incumbent must understand and be able to implement trademarks and patents through the United States Patent and Trademark Office as needed.

The Vice President for Research and Public Service also serves as the Director of the Agricultural and Environmental Research Station and the Dean of the Gus R. Douglass Land-Grant Institute, which houses the AERS, the Extension Service, and the Center for the Advancement of STEM (CASTEM).

The Vice President oversees the Office of Research and Public Service including a team of administrators who manage the day to day operations of their specified areas.  These include the Associate Director of the Agricultural and Environmental Research Station (AERS) and the Associate Vice President of Public Service/Director of Extension/Associate Dean of the Gus R. Douglass Land-Grant Institute.

Responsibilities for the Vice President

At West Virginia State University, the Vice President for Research and Public Service has primary responsibility for the excellence and integrity of the university's research and extension enterprise. As such, the university seeks an individual who will:

• Delegate regulatory responsibility to appropriate areas of Land-Grant
• Foster new research and public service initiatives
• Oversee partnerships with industry, government, and external partner institutions, nationally and internationally
• Act as the University representative on local, regional, and national committees

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

• Ability to share a vision of the scholarly enterprise with a broad University constituency and provide leadership in pursuing the vision of Research and Public Service. Specifically, the ability to work closely with the President, Provost, the University Vice Presidents, other executive officers, deans, and directors.
• Ability to build teams for research and outreach.
• Demonstrated history of effecting institutional change.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion in multiple dimensions.
• Demonstrated success in securing extramural federal funding
• Demonstrated ability to administer a large research-support enterprise, including exercising fiscally sound oversight of the budget.
• Ability to delegate, to manage people effectively, fostering the professional development of subordinate staff, and to make sound decisions regarding personnel.
• Understanding of the importance of compliance and regulatory matters to the research enterprise, and ability to develop an effective and efficient organization for dealing with them.
• Extensive knowledge of and experience with both federal and non-federal research funding.
• Service on or with national organizations relevant to providing input into research and extension policy at the national level.
• Ability to articulate an overall vision for research at the University and demonstrated ability to promote and energize the research enterprise.
• Vision for global issues and how to enhance WVSU’s leadership in research and public service programs.
• Ability to promote integration of the research, educational, and outreach missions of the University.
• Ability to promote effective technology transfer and University contributions to economic development.
• Commitment to and ability to exercise leadership locally, at the state level, nationally, and internationally on scholarly and policy issues related to research and extension.
• Ability to represent the University’s research and public service mission to a variety of constituencies, external and internal.

Education and Experience Required

Minimum Degree and Experience Qualifications:

• Education: An earned doctorate in agriculture or closely related field from an accredited institution of higher learning is required.
• Experience: A minimum of five years of experience as a Dean or Associate Vice President in higher education is required. A distinguished record of excellence in relevant field of research as well as in teaching and/or Extension is required. Demonstrated experience working with state and federal legislatures and understanding of state and federal funding processes required. Demonstrated experience in extramural grant acquisition required.
• Skills: Strong organizational and interpersonal communication skills are required. The ability to work collegially within the University system and to negotiate with a wide range of constituencies is required. Excellent leadership skills, decision-making ability, and an ability to project a strong positive image of the University with parents, students, faculty, staff and others, including community, corporate, and government leaders and the media, are required. Strong oral and written communication skills, as well as excellent interpersonal skills, are required.

Other Qualifications

Must be able to attend meetings and other work-related events and activities; and travel to attend state, regional, and national conferences and workshops as appropriate.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job.  Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Salary Statement

Salary will be commensurate with education and experience.

To Apply

This position will remain open until filled.  However, first consideration will be given to applicants who submit a resume, cover letter, copies of academic transcripts, the names and email addresses or phone numbers of three professional references, by June 2, 2022.  All requested information must be submitted for your application to be considered.

Please submit application materials via email, mail or in person to jobs@wvstateu.edu or mail to:

West Virginia State University

Department of Human Resources

1. O. Box 1000, 105 Cole Complex

Institute, WV 25112

West Virginia State University conducts criminal background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer. Any offer of employment is contingent upon the satisfactory completion of a background check.

West Virginia State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action institution. No person shall be denied admission to educational programs, activities or employment on the basis of any legally protected status, or be subjected to prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as race, color, creed, religion, national or ethnic origin, marital status, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, or protected veteran status. Upon request, reasonable accommodations will be made to provide this content into an alternate accessible format by contacting hr@wvstateu.edu or call  304.766.3156.