Director of the Farley Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation McCormick School of Engineering

Northwestern University’s McCormick School of Engineering seeks a leader with vision, a track record in entrepreneurship, and a dynamic, inclusive, and enterprising style to serve as Director of the Farley Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. The Farley Center, an endowed center within the McCormick School, supports entrepreneurship education for students in and beyond McCormick; fosters innovation and entrepreneurship programming, activities, and experiences for students across Northwestern; and serves as a hub of the University’s expanding innovation ecosystem. Given the Center’s resources and standing and McCormick’s curricular and research strengths, the Farley Center’s new Director will have a remarkable opportunity to shape the future of innovation and entrepreneurship at one of the world’s premier private research universities and to position Northwestern as a primary catalyst in the ongoing development of the Chicago area’s technology startup sector.

The Director reports to the Dean of the McCormick School of Engineering and will hold a non-tenured faculty position in the School consistent with their experience and credentials.  The Director provides overarching vision for the Center, the focus and measures of success for its programmatic and reputational objectives, and the strategy and tactics to achieve those objectives. Working with the Center’s administrative staff but also drawing on expertise present within the School and in the central administration of the University, the Director is responsible for the curriculum offered by the Center as well as stewarding the Center’s financial and human resources and for contributing to the development of additional financial resources to maximize the quality and scope of its activities. Collaborating widely across the University, the Director ensures that the Center continues to be a distinctive element of the McCormick “whole brain” experience and continues to play a leading role in Northwestern’s innovation ecosystem. As the chief executive of the Farley Center, the Director is fully responsible for the Center’s curriculum and teaching as well as its efficient administration and operation and for growing and shepherding its resources wisely.

The new Director should be a dynamic and visionary leader with the domain expertise to create sophisticated entrepreneurship programming for diverse stakeholders in a complex and intellectually rigorous environment. This leader will have a track record of fostering an entrepreneurial culture and developing sustainable programs and events to advance understanding of, participation in, and commitment to entrepreneurship. Experience as an entrepreneur is an important additional attribute that may differentiate some candidates.

While there are various paths that could lead a successful Director to the Farley Center and many qualities, competencies, and credentials that will be conducive to their success, the Director should at a minimum possess a tangible passion for entrepreneurship and innovation along with the domain expertise necessary to gain the respect of Northwestern faculty, students, staff, alumni, and friends; a clear orientation to action, leadership presence, and effective communication skills; the ability to build and sustain relationships with many constituencies, including deans, faculty, staff, students, alumni, administrators, and philanthropists; exceptional teaching capabilities; the ability to create alignment in a decentralized environment; to influence by means of credibility, expertise, and demonstrated success; and to work effectively across and beyond a complex institution as a visionary, catalyst, guide, and partner; a demonstrated track record of commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of leading and managing, of shaping organizational culture, and of curricular and co-curricular programming; a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution; the ability to align vision, strategy, business processes, incentives, and resources to achieve specific programmatic objectives; impeccable integrity and personal honesty; drive and stamina; a sense of humor.

Opus Partners (www.opuspartners.net) is assisting Northwestern University in this search. Please contact Craig Smith, Partner, or Katie Dean, Associate Partner, to apply or to seek additional information: [email protected] / [email protected]

Northwestern University is an Affirmative Action / EEOC employer. Women and members of minority groups are encouraged to apply.

Executive Director, Office of Technology Transfer & Innovation
Posting STA005422

Established in 1927, the University of Houston empowers students in their pursuit of learning, discovery, leadership and engagement. Located in a sprawling metropolis, our premier Tier One campus provides students with cutting edge programs including undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, distance and continuing education. Ranked among the best colleges in America, UH is home to award-winning faculty, innovative research centers, has one of the most diverse student populations in the nation, and alumni who have become international leaders.

Leads the Office of Technology Transfer and Innovation and oversees the technology transfer activities at the University of Houston; promotes the generation of Intellectual Property (IP), manages the University’s extensive IP portfolio, licenses IP to existing companies and startups, supports the formation of startups, and the eventual commercialization of technology.

• Increase the Commercialization of UH IP: Establish and maintain a technology transfer process to ensure optimal monetization of the IP portfolio. This includes preparation of marketing plans, valuation, and negotiating/executing licenses and options.
• Increase Industry Sponsored Research: Build relationships with and serve as a primary point of contact with potential industrial partners, including the protection of UH IP through involvement in research contracts with industry. Provide input to the Office of Contracts and Grants (OCG) on business and IP terms prior to OCG executing industry sponsored research agreements.
• Ensure effective operation and stewardship of UH IP assets: Convene the Faculty Senate appointed IP Committee for recommendation and approval of IP, oversee management of the UH patent portfolio (300+ patents) and selection of outside counsel for patent prosecution (approximately $2m/year spend).
• Increase the number of UH startups: Provide guidance and mentoring to faculty and student start-ups that are part of the innovation enterprise. This includes providing training and ensuring an effective interface with the Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship (WCE).
• Ensure effective operation of the innovation ecosystem at the Technology Bridge. This includes marketing the facilities/capabilities, sub-leasing space in the Technology Bridge buildings 4 and 5 to external companies, developing a suite of incubation capabilities (ex: accounting and legal advice) available to startups, and helping identify funding opportunities.
• Increase the Generation of IP: Develop patent portfolios and intellectual property with faculty, research staff, and students, and provide early stage feedback on potential licensing opportunities.
• Perform other duties as required.

Requirements:
Requires singular knowledge of a specialized advanced professional discipline or the highest level of general business knowledge, normally acquired through attainment of a directly job-related terminal degree or equivalent formal training in a recognized field of specialization that is directly related to the type of work being performed.

Requires a minimum of ten (10) years of directly job-related experience.

Application Process: Interested candidates must complete the on-line application. Posting number STA005422. All UH positions can be found on our website at https://uhs.taleo.net/careersection. Candidates must include a resume, cover letter, and a list of references with names and contact information in addition to the on-line application.

The University of Houston strives to be an employer of choice by offering a full range of benefits to our full-time staff members. Tuition scholarships, a retirement plan, dental and full medical coverage are only a few of the benefits offered to employees at the University of Houston. From our award winning faculty to our active student body, UH offers the most diverse research university in the country.

The University of Houston is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action institution. Minorities, women, veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Additionally, the University prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.

Director, Center for Entrepreneurship & Social Impact Instructor

We are seeking a motivated, engaged, and socially-minded leader to serve as the Director for the Center for Entrepreneurship & Social Impact. The Center’s mission is to support entrepreneurship and innovation, and as such, the director will be central to enabling and maintaining connections to Chicago’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, organizing programs and events to create cross-disciplinary engagement in entrepreneurship across the campus, and facilitating students’ entrepreneurial success via mentorship. The director will also teach two courses each semester and manage the Creativity & Empathy Lab.

The successful candidate will be a seasoned professional with significant experience and leadership in entrepreneurship and innovation, ideally in both academic and business settings. They will have a history of innovation in a traditional corporate enterprise, 2) track record of entrepreneurship; including starting a business, fundraising and managing a P&L, and 3) created a social impact strategy that was adopted by either a for-profit or non-profit organization. They will have demonstrated outstanding interpersonal, communication, and team building skills and the ability to develop relationships and collaborate with entrepreneurs, potential donors, media, faculty, and other internal and external stakeholders. A master’s degree or PhD is required, as is the ability to deliver high quality educational experiences in entrepreneurship and social impact.

Northern Illinois University & the College of Business

Northern Illinois University (NIU) is a regional public university located approximately 60 miles west of Chicago in DeKalb, IL.  NIU is nationally ranked for ROI value and social mobility, and it is recognized for providing our 18,000 students with personal, career, and life skills. The College of Business at NIU is among an elite 4% of business schools worldwide to hold AACSB International accreditation at all levels: baccalaureate, master, and accounting. Business students have the opportunity to choose from among six undergraduate programs, five graduate disciplines, as well as numerous minor and certificate programs to meet their academic and career goals.

Required Applicant Documents

1. Resume/Curriculum Vitae
2. Cover Letter
3. Transcript
4. List of References

Please submit application documents to Sarah Marsh at [email protected] Review of completed applications will begin on May 20; however, applications will be accepted until the position is filled.  For additional information please contact Sarah Marsh ([email protected]).

EEO Statement and Visa Policy

In accordance with applicable statutes and regulations, NIU is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, religion, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, political affiliation, or any other factor unrelated to professional qualifications, and will comply with all applicable federal and state statutes, regulations and orders pertaining to nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and affirmative action.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document from upon hire.