Scheduled Hours

37.5

Position Summary

The inaugural Executive Director reports to the Dean of the Law School and works closely with the Institute faculty Co-Directors to develop and drive our vision and mission. This is an exceptional opportunity for an entrepreneurial leader and strategic business developer who enjoys strategic communications and building external collaborations to grow organizational impact and reputation. The Executive Director also oversees administrative functions of the Institute, including strategic planning, communications/marketing, event and program management, budgeting, and team management.

The Institute engages in impactful regional, national, and international activities, including research, events and conferences, presentations and publications, fundraising, student programs, and other initiatives. This position offers a hybrid work schedule; we are open to negotiating a mutually beneficial arrangement regarding the amount of time spent in St. Louis.

Job Description

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

Strategic Institute Leadership

• Leads the Institute in achieving strategic goals including identifying potential partnerships, industry groups, peer academic institutions, and other key constituencies across a broad array of industries and technologies.
• Works with the Co-Directors, the Institute Advisory Board, and key stakeholders.
• Creates a comprehensive strategic plan and timeline for the Institute, including initiatives such as satellite symposia, professional workshops, academic and lay publication opportunities, potential alternative funding sources, and marketing plans.
• Conducts annual review and proposes modifications to the strategic plan to reflect changes in revenue and new opportunities, and ensures timely communications with Institute founders, key stakeholders, and other WashU leadership as appropriates.

Strategic Communications and Public Relations

• Coordinates, plans, and executes Institute communications with internal and external audiences, including the media and key stakeholders.
• Serves as responsible for creating and maintaining a public relations and media plan for the Institute.
• Identifies opportunities to brand the academic and public activities of the Co-Directors and staff, including talks and conferences.
• Serves as the representative of the Institute for inquiries from academic and other non-profit centers, foundations and institutions, corporations, government and regulatory agencies, law firms, and WashU faculty and staff. Serves as the primary liaison to the Institute Co-Directors and the Dean. 
• Leads the Institute website's strategy, content, and management, including reviewing/approving content from fellows and other contributors.
• Ensures accurate reporting of Institute events and news.
• Oversees the production of key deliverables, including project proposals, the Institute's annual report, progress reports, white papers, and other scholarly documents prepared by fellows, faculty, and collaborators.

General Administration

• Oversees administration of staff, projects, and functions, ensuring responsiveness to policies and matrixed relationships across departmental and institutional lines within and outside WashU.
• Delegates responsibilities to the staff.
• Provides oversight of regulatory and other policies, including relevant lobbying laws, fiscal management, human resources, information systems, data-sharing, intellectual property issues, and appropriate funding source rules and guidelines.

Budgeting and Fiscal Oversight

• Develops the Institute’s annual budget, including project/program budgets, communications and events budget, in collaboration with the Danforth campus and Law School finance leaders.
• Prepares quarterly business reports for the Dean, Co-Directors, and key stakeholders to ensure fiscal accountability and transparency.

Events and Education Programs

• Directs the staff responsible for event management and administration of educational programs, including the Cordell Fellowship Program, ensuring the quality and impact of all programming.  

Performs other duties as assigned.

Working Conditions:

Job Location/Working Conditions

• Normal office environment.
• When appropriate, may include minimal travel.
• Open to negotiating a mutually beneficial arrangement regarding the amount of time spent in St. Louis.
• Could include off-campus visits as applicable.

Physical Effort

• Typically sitting at a desk or table.
• Repetitive wrist, hand or finger movement.