Application Review Begins
August 21, 2020; position open until closed

Special Instructions to Applicants
Please submit a resume and cover letter with your application.

Department Summary
Jointly overseen by the Office of the Provost and University Advancement, the Office of Entrepreneurship and Economic Transformation (OEET) builds resources, platforms, and partnerships between University of Oregon faculty and staff, industry, and financial communities to ensure the discoveries made at the university deliver economic and human impact locally, regionally, and across the world.

The Office of the Provost (OtP) upholds, provides leadership on, and carries out the academic mission of the University. In service to this mission, the office: promotes and sustains the highest standards in teaching, research and service; fosters and advocates for faculty; promotes a respectful work environment, equity and inclusion, and a family-friendly workplace; supports and coordinates matters that pertain to faculty and academics, including hiring, retention, promotion, and tenure processes; advances university outreach to the community, academic extension, and internationalization.

University Advancement (UA) supports the University of Oregon’s (UO) mission of providing exceptional teaching, discovery, and service by strategically positioning the university to create awareness, build long-term relationships, and secure resources that increase understanding and further its aims. The division consists of approximately 200 employees primarily working out of Eugene, with offices in Portland and Bend. Departments within University Advancement include: the UO Alumni Association; Development; Advancement Operations; Federal Affairs; and State and Community Affairs.

The University of Oregon is one of only two Pacific Northwest members of the Association of American Universities and holds the distinction of a “very high research activity” ranking in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The UO enrolls more than 20,000 undergraduate and 3,600 graduate students representing all 50 states and nearly 100 countries. The UO’s beautiful, 295-acre campus features state-of-the-art facilities in an arboretum-like setting. The UO is located in Eugene, a vibrant city of 157,000 with outstanding cultural and culinary offerings, a pleasant climate, a well-connected regional airport, and a community engaged in environmental and social concerns. The campus is within easy driving distance of the Pacific Coast, the Cascade Mountains, and Portland.

Position Summary
The Director of the Office of Entrepreneurship and Economic Transformation is a facilitator of change and investment on campus. Their primary initial responsibility is to partner with other University leaders in entrepreneurship and innovation to build a sophisticated network that connects the university’s academic, research, and economic development missions of the university to help the university make rapid progress in these areas. They build relationships internally, partnering with the leadership of UO’s academic units and their brilliant faculty, staff, and students; forging infrastructure for innovation; and advancing UO’s values of equity, diversity and inclusion. The Director also connects the UO externally, sharing the stories of innovation at UO with stakeholders, fostering investment relationships with entrepreneurs and industry leaders, building a pipeline for venture creation and commercialization, and soliciting philanthropic gifts for the future of the university’s work as an economic driver for the state and region. This includes garnering the financial resources needed to ensure long term success of the unit. They also play an important role in communicating the UO’s role in the economic development of state, as well as collaborating to convene statewide conversations in this space so as to position the UO as positive contributor and change-agent in ensuring the economic viability and prosperity of the state as whole.

Reporting jointly to the Provost and Senior Vice President and the Vice President for University Advancement, the Director plays an important role in positioning the University of Oregon as a leader in higher education and innovation, in serving as an economic engine for the local community, state and region. This position supervises a team of three. The University of Oregon is committed to creating a more inclusive and diverse institution and seeks candidates with demonstrated potential to contribute positively to its diverse community.

Minimum Requirements
• Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent combination of skills and experience.
• Five years of experience working with senior academic leadership, including strategic planning and collaborative execution of institutional goals.
• Ten years of experience in external relations, preferably in higher education (may include building partnerships, fundraising, managing volunteers, stakeholder engagements, and strategic communications).

Professional Competencies
• Entrepreneurial leadership: Ability to lead the building of entrepreneurial infrastructure.
• Partnerships: Ability to act as a core advisor and partner to the Senior Vice President and Provost, the Provost’s Innovation Council, other academic leadership, faculty and graduate students to foster innovation and entrepreneurship, navigate venture creation, and build an understanding of industry. Ability to inspire increased faculty participation and partnership with external partners. Ability to partner with other University leaders in entrepreneurship and innovation to build a sophisticated network that connects the university’s academic, research, and economic development missions of the university. Ability to maintain strong partnerships with on- and off-campus partners to create and sell new programs and initiatives.
• Higher education and industry knowledge: High level of programmatic and institutional knowledge, including an understanding of the needs and opportunities of businesses including but not limited to the life sciences, manufacturing, science and/or technology industry, and engineering.
• Strategic planning: Ability to provide leadership in supporting institution wide effort to build a network of entrepreneurship and economic impact that connects academic programs, and research to external opportunities. Ability to collaboratively articulate and execute strategic plan while clearly understanding and positioning the institution in comparison to aspirant peers.
• Working with donors, stakeholders, and prospects: Sophistication in prospective donor and entrepreneurship partner identification, cultivation, and solicitation with a demonstrated ability to serve as a core anchor relationship between individuals and the campus.
• Management and supervision of employees: Ability to manage a successful team that allows individual team members opportunities for professional growth.
• Volunteer management: Ability to manage volunteers and boards, including working successfully with volunteers and academic leadership on strategic direction and priority-setting for the board.
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion: Ability to interact, communicate, and work effectively with individuals, recognizing and respecting the many and varied identities of each person. Commitment to promoting and enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Preferred Qualifications
• Five years of management experience including supervision of a team (including but not limited to performance management, professional development growth, and development of performance metrics).
• Ten years of experience in major gift fundraising.
• Master’s degree in a STEM field or an MBA with a focus in entrepreneurship.

FLSA Exempt: Yes

All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of a background inquiry.

The University of Oregon is proud to offer a robust benefits package to eligible employees, including health insurance, retirement plans and paid time off. For more information about benefits, visit http://hr.uoregon.edu/careers/about-benefits.

The University of Oregon is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution committed to cultural diversity and compliance with the ADA. The University encourages all qualified individuals to apply, and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected status, including veteran and disability status. The University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. To request an accommodation in connection with the application process, please contact us at uocareers@uoregon.edu or 541-346-5112.

UO prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression in all programs, activities and employment practices as required by Title IX, other applicable laws, and policies. Retaliation is prohibited by UO policy. Questions may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator, Office of Civil Rights Compliance, or to the Office for Civil Rights. Contact information, related policies, and complaint procedures are listed on the statement of non-discrimination.

In compliance with federal law, the University of Oregon prepares an annual report on campus security and fire safety programs and services. The Annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report is available online at http://police.uoregon.edu/annual-report.