Position Summary:
The Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin (FCW) is the nation’s first integrated, higher education, multi-institutional program centered on serving the freshwater economy. It is designed to unleash the collective assets of the UW System and place them into an elite, one-of-a-kind program of training and research, while launching a talent development program in which students fully engage a diverse, multidisciplinary course of study across UW campuses.
Built upon the broad expertise, world-class facilities, research acumen, and commitment to undergraduate and graduate student training across all 13 campuses, the FCW will solidify Wisconsin’s competitive advantages represented by our expanding water economy, our unparalleled water wealth and geography, and the diversity of intellectual strengths within our system of public universities. FCW will lay the foundation for a new era of inter-campus, state agency, and private sector cooperation and partnership, trigger Wisconsin’s lead in water sector innovation, and advance a unique platform for linking economic and workforce development with higher education.
Housed at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the FCW Executive Director reports to the Chancellor and Provost, with a dotted line to the Dean of the School of Freshwater Science and the Dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Science. The Executive Director will provide leadership, vision, policy direction, and management oversight for the FCW. The Executive Director will be deeply involved in starting the collaboration and executing the FCW and its on-going operations, including facilitating participation by faculty and staff with expertise in related disciplines and leading coordination of efforts of 13 UW System campuses. The Executive Director must be a skilled collaborator who can work with executive leaders in industry, government, non-profit associations and academia. She or he will work closely with the Office of Sponsored Research and the Office of Development to secure external funding to advance the FCW’s mission. The Executive Director will lead the FCW Leadership Team, which includes a Research Advisory Council and an Industry/Stakeholder Advisory Board, as well as a Faculty Steering Committee made up of representatives from all 13 UW System campuses.
Responsibilities:
- Provide leadership, policy direction and management oversight for the FCW.
- Support the overall strategic goals of the FCW through strategic decision making in conjunction with the Research Advisory Council, Industry/Stakeholder Advisory Board and Faculty Steering Committee
- Work with faculty and administrators at all 13 UW System campuses to build and maintain coordinated academic programming for FCW, including working with programs to guide curriculum design, overcoming administrative obstacles to successful collaboration, and ensuring a wide diversity of programming and opportunities to meet the needs of FCW students and stakeholders.
- Successfully collaborate with leadership of FWC partners in industry, academia and government.
- Successfully communicate with the UW System to facilitate and advance FWC research and academic programming.
- Manage the FCW budget, strategically allocating resources in a fashion aligned with the vision, mission and goals of the FCW and in the case of grant or philanthropic support, complies with grantor or donor intent.
- Collaborate with the Offices of Development at each campus to raise philanthropic support to advance the FCW’s mission.
- Collaborate with Offices of Sponsored Programs/Research at each campus, as well as faculty researchers across the UW System, to help secure multi-campus research support to advance the FCW’s mission.
- Oversee the development of processes, policies and procedures for the distribution of research awards, scholarships, and internship opportunities.
- Facilitate faculty participation and cooperation among related academic organizations, centers and institutes.
- Become knowledgeable about and be able to explain and represent UWM and the UW System’s mission, guiding values and strategic directions, as well as affiliated programs at all 13 UW System campuses.
- Provide leadership, supervision and oversight to between 2 and 8 staff and students employed by the FCW, contingent upon available funding for such positions. Provide reports and assessments of all FCW related activities to the Chancellor, Provost, and Deans of the School of Freshwater Sciences and the College of Engineering and Applied Science; prepare summaries of key FCW related activities suitable for campus/public viewing; provide required reports to governmental funders.
- Other duties as assigned by the Chancellor or Provost.
Required Qualifications:
- 5 years or more of progressively responsible proven leadership and administrative experience
- Demonstrated success in program management including carrying out the coordinated organization, direction and implementation of multiple projects and activities to achieve defined deliverables and outcomes.
- Demonstrated budgetary and financial acumen including spreadsheets, annual budgets, income statements and related financial capabilities.
- Demonstrated ability to work successfully with advisory boards and/or governance bodies.
- Bachelor’s Degree.
Preferred Qualifications:
- PhD or Master’s Degree in a discipline related to the water sector or 5 years of equivalent government, industry or academic leadership experience.
- Demonstrated experience in the water industry or a related industry.
- Experience that demonstrates successful, visionary leadership of an organization with many partners, internal and external. The individual’s leadership style should be collaborative, ethical, team-oriented, and reflect a priority for diversity.
- Demonstrated understanding of the operations of a top public research university and experience working in a university setting or closely with university officials.
- Outstanding interpersonal, communication and leadership skills; demonstrated ability to serve in an outward facing role, as a spokesperson, to lead meetings with an engaging style and presentation.
- Demonstrated experience in a multi-institutional center or institute.
- Expertise or working knowledge of freshwater issues, research challenges and funding sources at the national level, e.g. by federal agencies.
- Experience overseeing a research and development function.
- Experience managing staff and/or students with demonstrated sensitivity and commitment to diversity and inclusion in working with both internal and external stakeholders.
- Demonstrated ability to work well in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.
Working Environment
- Work performed is subject to extended periods of sitting and standing.
- Work performed is subject to extended periods using standard office equipment such as a computer, printer, copier, phone and other, and reviewing and retrieving information.
- Communicate both orally and in writing through email, print, phone, and digital media with students, staff, faculty and members of the public.
- Use independent judgment and critical thinking to make decisions and/or analyze data.
- Professionally represent UWM and the UW System.
- Work collaboratively across various departments within the University, across UW System campuses as well as with diverse populations and groups.
- Travel both within the State of Wisconsin and beyond for meetings or events.
- Work at main School of Freshwater Sciences campus, other UW-Milwaukee regional campus locations and UW campus locations.
Other
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