Executive Director

Department
 

SSD: Economics - Staff and Temporary Employees

About the Department
 

For over a century, the Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics has been recognized as one of the world's leading centers for economic research and education. The Department's faculty have received numerous awards, including more Nobel Prize laureates and John Bates Clark medalists in economics than any other university. Among our faculty are many members of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the Econometric Society.

The Economics for Everyone Media and Education Initiative is a new, multi-pronged educational initiative designed to reach global audiences and cultivate a broader public understanding of the contemporary world using basic principles of economics with an emphasis on the role of markets and their relationships to political systems.

Job Summary
 

The Executive Director is a leadership position, reporting directly to the Initiative faculty, and charged with developing and implementing strategies that advance the initiative’s goals. The optimal candidate will exhibit a proven record in program management, partnership development, fundraising, policy and global engagement, and staff management to promote operational excellence. The role will provide an opportunity for collaboration with prominent academics in the USA and abroad and the possibility to teach.

Responsibilities

• Develops strategic priorities and operational plans for the Economics for Everyone Media and Education Initiative (hereafter, Initiative).

• Effectively engages faculty leadership to generate strategic opportunities and lead curriculum-planning.

• Provides strategic direction, overseeing the effective implementation of new initiatives through comprehensive management and guidance.

• Establishes high-level organizational structures, processes, and systems, and serves as the day-to-day leader for a high-visibility institutional initiative.

• Produces and delivers original academic content to advance broad awareness and fluency in the principles of economic thought; develop, oversee, and teach online courses; produces educational materials for various constituents; produces content for edutainment and alternative media.

• Develops and advances curricular and co-curricular programs to advance the Initiative’s goals; effectively engages the Initiative’s faculty supervisors.

• Organize conferences, events and other public programming for E4E.

• Represents the initiative to multiple constituents, including University leadership and administrative units, external partners, philanthropic organizations, and individual donors.

• Establishes and nurtures relationships with key partners in governments, non-profits, foundations, multilateral aid agencies, and the private sector, fostering collaborative initiatives and advancing the institute's mission and goal.

• Communicates to audiences in both university and non-university settings including Latin America, Central Europe, and Asia.

• Leads the planning and execution of comprehensive development initiatives, exploring diverse fundraising avenues, and staying abreast of industry trends to optimize fundraising effectiveness and contribute to the long-term financial sustainability of the organization.

• Takes a leadership role in liaising with donors and potential development partners, representing the initiative’s strategic and communicative objectives.

• Works with faculty leadership and development staff, formulates and implements innovative fundraising strategies, aligning them with organizational objectives, to secure crucial financial support for the mission and initiatives of the organization.

• Oversee all financial activity and management, including budgeting, financial analysis, and reporting. Responsible for all fundraising proposals, donor management, and grants.

• Oversees the Initiative’s operations, human resources, and financial activities, including budgeting, financial analysis, reporting and approving transactions.

• Negotiates and manages vendor contracts.

• Develops annual donor initiative reports.

• Manages initiative website, media outreach and content.

• Oversees seamless coordination and collaboration among teams, ensuring that operational activities are efficiently executed across finance, events, human resources, communications, operations, and academic programs. Fosters an integrated approach to achieve organizational objectives.

• Provides strategic guidance to each team, facilitating the development and implementation of new programs as well as professional growth and development.

• P