Executive Director, Institute for Glial Sciences

Description

Date: October 2025

Business Title: Executive Director, Institute for Glial Sciences (Part Time)

Job Title: Senior Research Associate STS

Department: Genetics and Genome Sciences, 694110

School: Medicine

Location: BRB628

Supervisor Name and Title: Dr. Paul Tesar, PhD, Director, Institute of Gilal Sciences, Professor, Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences

 

POSITION OBJECTIVE

The Executive Director, Institute for Glial Sciences (Senior Research Associate STS) will serve a critical role in leading external engagement and drawing diversified funding sources to allow the Institute to realize its full potential. The Executive Director (ED) during this launch phase will mobilize IGS to enter the global scientific community with solidified branding, professional marketing materials, and a strategic fundraising and partnering lens. The ED will ensure CWRU departments and resources are efficiently integrated and operationalized for IGS outreach & development The ED will grow IGS’ reputation as a hub for glial research and therapies in critical stakeholder communities of patients, clinicians, donors, biotech/pharma leaders, and scientists, maximizing visibility in prominent events and cultivating high-profile relationships Ultimately, the ED will accelerate IGS’ path to funding and growth, increasing opportunities for philanthropy, strategic partnerships, and scientific impact, putting CWRU at the forefront of glial sciences worldwide. This position will be a part time, 0.5 FTE position.

 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

 

1.    Develop narratives about IGS science to support fundraising & partnering. Create suite of introductory print & digital materials tailored to diverse audiences. Draw new donors, corporate partners, Build awareness & engagement in sci community. Lead creation of annual reports & broad promotion of key Institute achievements (50%)

 

2.    Program inaugural events for donor & scientific communities. Build & deploy rich annual calendar of fundraising events across country & scientific symposia / seminars (25%)

 

3.    Identify opportunities for diversifying IGS funding, Define additional scientific, technological, strategic objectives to drive growth. Lead IGS funding & partnering strategy (5%)

 

4.    Start building strategic relationships with scientific organizations and funders. Serve as external ambassador for relationship building. Build relationships with university development, comms, corp relations teams. Integrate IGS outreach efforts into processes run by these teams. Establish & deploy infrastructure for IGS outreach efforts that integrates all key university teams. Coordinate fundraising campaigns (10%)

 

 

5.    Build infrastructure to tightly integrate IGS research, operations, communications. Drive and grow IGS operations, fundraising, budgets, recruitment, culture, administration, communication (5%)

 

 

NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

1.    Perform other duties as assigned (5%)

 

CONTACTS

Department: Frequent contact with PI and lab members, may work with other faculty for collaboration of research projects, contact with administrative staff as needed

University: Regular/Occasional contact with other labs for collaboration, Contact with other departments as needed           

External: Supply vendors, other institutions, funding agencies, etc. as needed

Students: Undergraduate and graduate student employees working in the lab

 

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

Supervise IGS staff

 

QUALIFICATIONS

Experience: Minimum of 10 years of related postdoctoral experience in biomedical research required.

Education/Licensing: PhD or MD.

 

REQUIRED SKILLS

 

1.    Dynamic, experienced leader with strategic and execution experience in communications, relationship building, fundraising for successful reputation building and growth

 

2.    Outstanding communicator with experience developing/deploying organizational narratives and materials that capture complex scientific concepts for a variety of audiences, ideally also as a spokesperson

 

3.    Leadership skills with the ability to set and communicate priorities, motivate and integrate a diverse team, and successfully drive organizational growth

 

4.    Exceptional track record in building trusting, productive relationships both internally (institute and university level) and externally (funders, partners)

 

5.    Proven organizational abilities, including establishing and optimizing processes, managing