Job Title: Director, Innovation Initiatives
PVN ID: VA-2108-004199
Category: Managerial and Professional
Location: OFFICE OF SR. UNIV DEAN FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

Job Description

General Description

MISSION

To lead innovation initiatives under the Director of Industry and Campus Engagement. This includes successfully launching and building dynamic CUNY-wide innovations to improve CUNY graduate abilities to earn a living wage within one year of degree completion. This includes, but is not limited to overseeing Blackstone LaunchPad programs, comprised of participating institutions from among The City University of New York in a timely, collaborative, and results-oriented manner that engages a diverse set of users and stakeholders.  

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The individual is to serve as Director of Innovation Initiatives. This will require serving as the primary point of contact for system-wide CUNY System Grant management on a number of grant projects. Role includes managing the overarching CUNY System Grant deliverables; relationship management with foundations, industry partners, and Blackstone LaunchPad grantees; support to BLP and other campus Grantees; developing a long-term funding strategy, and convening CUNY System Council.

The ideal candidate will have superior communication skills, both written and verbal, a customer service mindset, an ability to meet deadlines, and the capacity to think creatively to help all stakeholders achieve their goals.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITES:

  • Manage the overarching Innovation portfolio deliverables
  • Work in tandem with the Foundation, City University of New York – Central Office, and campus Grantees to ensure timely signing of innovation initiatives, including Blackstone LaunchPad grant agreements with participating institutions.
  • Coordinate with City University of New York – Central Office staff and appropriate finance staff to ensure proper disbursement of payments to grantees of innovation portfolio initiatives.
  • Coordinate system-wide reporting, including, but not limited to:
    • Review, quality check, and summarize the results of Semi-Annual Reports from BLP Grantees.
    • Write a system-level executive summary of BLP Grantee reporting in the aggregate, including an analysis of performance in key University Checklist categories and recommendations for mitigation, best practice replication, or other valuable insights.
    • Assign and supervise specific duties to the Administrative Coordinator, as needed.

MISSION

To lead innovation initiatives under the Director of Industry and Campus Engagement. This includes successfully launching and building dynamic CUNY-wide innovations to improve CUNY graduate abilities to earn a living wage within one year of degree completion. This includes, but is not limited to overseeing Blackstone LaunchPad programs, comprised of participating institutions from among The City University of New York in a timely, collaborative, and results-oriented manner that engages a diverse set of users and stakeholders.  

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The individual is to serve as Director of Innovation Initiatives. This will require serving as the primary point of contact for system-wide CUNY System Grant management on a number of grant projects. Role includes managing the overarching CUNY System Grant deliverables; relationship management with foundations, industry partners, and Blackstone LaunchPad grantees; support to BLP and other campus Grantees; developing a long-term funding strategy, and convening CUNY System Council.

The ideal candidate will have superior communication skills, both written and verbal, a customer service mindset, an ability to meet deadlines, and the capacity to think creatively to help all stakeholders achieve their goals.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITES:

Manage the overarching Innovation portfolio deliverables

  • Work in tandem with the Foundation, City University of New York – Central Office, and campus Grantees to ensure timely signing of innovation initiatives, including Blackstone LaunchPad grant agreements with participating institutions.
  • Coordinate with City University of New York – Central Office staff and appropriate finance staff to ensure proper disbursement of payments to grantees of innovation portfolio initiatives.
  • Coordinate system-wide reporting, including, but not limited to:
    • Review, quality check, and summarize the results of Semi-Annual Reports from BLP Grantees.
    • Write a system-level executive summary of BLP Grantee reporting in the aggregate, including an analysis of performance in key University Checklist categories and recommendations for mitigation, best practice replication, or other valuable insights.
    • Assign and supervise specific duties to the Administrative Coordinator, as needed.

Establish and regularly convene Councils of stakeholders to support implementation of the work and successful achievement of key milestones

  • Establish councils or other mechanisms for convening broad, interdisciplinary cross section of individuals, in order to promote adoption of successful career success innovations, including BLP initiatives.
  • Lead Councils towards an agenda that deepens institutional relationships and embeds entrepreneurship throughout CUNY campuses as appropriate.
  • Convene councils of stakeholders on a regular basis. 

Other Duties

  • Oversee staff including any current and future coordinator and program manager roles necessary to execute innovation portfolio
  • Ability to travel within CUNY campuses.
  • Attend staff meetings and trainings as required.
  • Perform special projects and other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

The successful candidate will have the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:

  • Five (5) years of relevant experience supporting programs in education, workforce development, or business development.
  • Senior-level professional, with significant startup and/or academic experience.
  • Extensive supervisory experience of direct and indirect reports.
  • Capable of building trust and strong relationships with university leaders at more senior and peer-group levels.
  • First-hand experience in corporate enterprise and/or supporting services organizations (e.g., banking, accounting, etc.) to establish credibility with and support among their partnership, recruiting, CSR, and other organizational departments.
  • Strong networking ability – both in cultivating and stewarding important relationships on behalf of others/constituents.
  • Dynamic leadership disposition and excellent communication skills.
  • Self-starter and team player who can be responsive and adaptive.
  • Performs highly among key attributes of individual resilience: positive, proactive, focused, flexible, organized.
  • Strong verbal and interpersonal communication skills to work and interact effectively, collaboratively, and cooperatively with a diverse community of students, faculty, staff, and external constituents in a large organization.
  • Detail-oriented and organized with the ability to manage multiple assignments and meet deadlines;
  • Strong computer proficiency using standard office software programs, in particular Microsoft Office;

Physical Requirement

  • Ability to travel within CUNY campuses

EEO 

We are committed to enhancing our diverse academic community by actively encouraging people of any race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetic information, disability, age, or protected veteran status to apply. We take pride in our pluralistic community and continue to seek excellence through diversity and inclusion.  CUNY is an EEO/AA Employer.

About the Research Foundation

The Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY) was established as a not-for-profit educational corporation chartered by the State of New York in 1963. RFCUNY supports CUNY faculty and staff in identifying and obtaining external support (pre-award) from government and private sponsors and is responsible for the administration of all such funded programs (post-award).

RFCUNY stands between CUNY’s principal investigators (PIs) and the sponsors who support them and strives to fulfill its essential responsibilities to both groups. Working closely with individual PIs and Grants Officers on the campuses, RFCUNY oversees employment, accounting, audit, reporting, purchasing, and special responsibilities that include management of a planned giving program; liaison with governmental agencies and foundations; negotiation of agreements; facility construction and renovation; protection and commercialization of intellectual property; and compliance with applicable standards in research involving human subjects, animal care, environmental and radiological safety, and conflicts of interest.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The Research Foundation of the City University of New York is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Americans with Disabilities Act/E-Verify Employer. It is the policy of the Research Foundation of CUNY to provide equal employment opportunities free of discrimination based on race, color, age, religion, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, national origin, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic violence victim status, arrest record, criminal conviction history, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

Key Features

Department
Continuing Education & Workforce Develop
Status
Full Time
Annual Salary Range
$100,000.00 - $110,000.00
Closing Date
Dec 08, 2021 (Or Until Filled)
Bargaining Unit
No

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