Strategic Initiatives and Workforce Development Lead - National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center for the Internet of Things for Precision Agriculture - Penn Engineering

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Posted Job Title

Strategic Initiatives and Workforce Development Lead - National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center for the Internet of Things for Precision Agriculture - Penn Engineering

Job Profile Title

Manager Research Project C

Job Description Summary

The Strategic Initiatives and Workforce Development Lead will serve as a senior advisor to Center Leadership, providing strategic analysis, operational insight, and high-level project management to advance the Center’s mission and long-term sustainability. Drive implementation of key strategic initiatives strengthening synergy across research, innovation, and workforce development components, and help guide positioning for diversified funding opportunities. Lead the Center’s workforce and education portfolio and direct its strategy, partnerships, and cross-site engagement. In collaboration with Leadership, oversee Center-wide outcome and impact reporting to meet current federal funding requirements and to support competitive applications for future funding and the building of strategic partnerships necessary for the Center’s legacy.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities

Strategic and Executive Support

• Serve as a trusted advisor to the Director, Site Directors, Executive Committee and other relevant Center Leaders, providing analysis, insight, and recommendations on the Center’s strategic and operational matters to deliver on its Mission and Strategic Plan at a pace that meets or exceeds federal funding agency’s expectations.

• Work with Center Leadership, and Communications, Development and other relevant units at Penn and the other Center Sites, to continually build the Center’s external-facing communications and messaging to reinforce the Center’s strategic priorities.

• Identify and facilitate the Center’s positioning for funding opportunities that have potential to advance Center progress to independence from its current federal funding mechanism. 

Strategic Plan Implementation

• Act as a high-level project manager for the Center’s key special initiatives, especially for initiatives that develop and strengthen the synergy among the Center’s Foundational Components (i.e., research, innovation and workforce development)

• Synthesize information from multiple internal and external stakeholders to support strategic decision-making and Center planning.

• External Partnerships exploration and development (Lead for workforce component; Support Leadership team for research and innovation components)

• Strategic engagement with the ERC network (Lead for workforce component; Support Leadership team for research and innovation components)

Strategic Plan Outcomes for Continued and New Funding Mechanisms