Executive Director, Institute for Society, Culture, and Environment

About the role

The Institute for Society, Culture, and Environment (ISCE) at Virginia Tech is seeking a strategic and effective leader to serve as the Executive Director. ISCE is one of Virginia Tech’s four research investment institutes, dedicated to enhancing the university's capacity and leadership in the social sciences and humanities.

Responsibilities

• Advance Virginia Tech’s national and international reputation in social sciences and humanities research and scholarship through opportunities for faculty investment and mentoring, and promoting interdisciplinary collaborations.
• Develop a vision for supporting cutting-edge research that addresses complex societal challenges through high-impact research and scholarship.
• Align research investments with funding opportunities and forge strategic partnerships with governmental agencies, industry, and other stakeholders to drive the institute’s research agenda.
• Promote interdisciplinary linkages within the University.
• Manage Institute operations, including supervising and mentoring staff and maintaining fiscal accountability through effective budget planning.
• Provide interdisciplinary leadership and advocacy for faculty engagement and development, including support for promotion and tenure.
• Facilitate opportunities for faculty research and scholarship through internal funding opportunities, technical assistance, mentoring, and proposal development programs.
• Build and sustain relationships with key external stakeholders, including alumni, donors, advisory board members, and corporate and governmental partners.
• Support fundraising, advancement, and visibility of Virginia Tech through strategic external engagement and communication efforts.
• Provide ongoing mentorship, professional development, and leadership support to direct reports to foster a collaborative, high-performing team culture.

Requirements

• Doctoral degree in their discipline and be actively engaged in social science research, with a record of recognized achievement in research, scholarly and educational pursuits, and service meriting appointment at the rank of Professor at Virginia Tech.
• Visionary, inspirational, and strategic leadership with knowledge and experience leading research organizations, for example in academic institutions, research institutes, and/or centers or their equivalent.
• Significant research record and reputation that includes strong external funding support and evidence of interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Extensive knowledge, expertise, and vision for the connection of social science across disciplines and the application of those research outcomes in external settings.
• Experience building and championing the work of others, especially in a research setting.
• Proven ability to work across organizational boundaries with a variety of stakeholders to build and maintain relationships.
• High level of diplomacy, discretion, and problem-solving skills.
• Proven track record in management and budgetary responsibility.
• Demonstrated clear communication and negotiation skills.
• Appreciation for, and experience in faculty mentoring, particularly supporting faculty in engaging in sponsored research.
• Experience managing research resources, including seed funding, advocacy, and faculty support.
• Respect for shared governance and experience advocating for faculty, staff, and students.
• Demonstrated leadership and development of direct reports, and personnel management.

Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in their discipline and be actively engaged in social science research, with a record of recognized achievement in research, scholarly and educational pursuits, and service meriting appointment at the rank of Professor at Virginia Tech.

Skills

• Strategic thinking and leadership
• Interdisciplinary collaboration
• Research management and oversight
• External funding and partnership development
• Faculty mentoring and development
• Communication and negotiation skills
• Financial management and budgeting
• Collaboration and stakeholder engagement

Benefits

• Exempt: Not eligible for overtime
• Regular appointment
• Salary commensurate with experience
• Flexible work schedule

Pay

Commensurate with experience

Schedule

40+ hours per week

Additional Information

This position is limited to the faculty at Virginia Tech. The successful candidate must have a doctoral degree in their discipline and be actively engaged in social science research, with a record of recognized achievement in research, scholarly and educational pursuits, and service meriting appointment at the rank of Professor at Virginia Tech. The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

About Virginia Tech

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including Blacksburg, the greater Washington, D.C. area, the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke, sites in Newport News and Richmond, and numerous Extension offices and research institutes. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $650 million in research annually. Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance. These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective, along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development. Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, ethnicity or national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law. If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Lynn Byrd at byrd@vt.edu during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.