Executive Director, Clemson FRESH Sustainability Center

Description

Opportunity

Clemson University invites applications for the position of Executive Director, Clemson FRESH Sustainability Center (FRESH). The FRESH Executive Director is a full-time, twelve-month, leadership position reporting to the Dean of the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences (CAFLS).

The Executive Director’s overarching responsibilities include establishing, leading, and guiding the strategic direction of FRESH, supported by continuous identification of, and relationship building with, internal and external stakeholders who are essential to successfully achieving FRESH’s goals.

University and Departmental Profile

Clemson University is a highly ranked public, land-grant university designated as a Carnegie Very High Research Activity (R1) institution with strong community engagement. The main campus of Clemson University is in the Upstate of South Carolina, adjacent to the Blue Ridge Mountains. The FRESH Innovation Studio and administrative offices are located on the main campus within the Harris A. Smith Building, in tandem with the Sonoco Institute of Packaging Design and Graphics.

FRESH is part of the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences, and works closely with the Department of Food, Nutrition and Packaging Sciences, along with academic departments that are actively engaged in sustainability education and research.

Clemson FRESH Overview

FRESH was established in 2019 with a generous 5-year commitment from the Sonoco Foundation. With a corresponding 5-year limited time naming opportunity, the institute launched as Sonoco FRESH in 2019. At the successful conclusion of the first 5-years, FRESH transitioned to a Clemson brand, and continues to expand its engagement opportunities and impact as Clemson FRESH Sustainability Center.

FRESH takes a holistic approach to sustainability across the food value chain. Much of FRESH’s work focuses on the intersection of sustainable packaging across the value chain, which drives stakeholder engagement across four pillars:

1.       Student Activities, such as:

a.       Courses on trending topics in sustainability.

b.       Participation in research poster presentations.

c.       Sustainability Leadership Program for juniors, seniors and master’s students.

2.       Research & Development

a.       Research portfolio managed by FRESH Research Director, working with industry partners and multi-disciplinary faculty teams that seek to advance sustainability.

b.       Research and service opportunity expansion through FRESH’s Compostable Packaging R&D Center, located at Clemson University’s Cherry Crossing organics research center.

3.       Industry Engagement

a.       FRESH’s Industry Advisory Board (IAB), and

b.       Other industry relationships that have synergies with FRESH research, talent development/students, and Summit.

4.       Annual Food, Packaging & Sustainability Summit (Summit) - Each year’s activities culminate with a nationally prominent Food, Packaging & Sustainability Summit which brings together more than 300 attendees from industry and academia, and features sustainability experts, highlights faculty research and student activities, and promotes Clemson’s capabilities, resources and facilities.

Executive Director Highlights

Strong industry relationships and an understanding of engagement opportunities between industry and academia are essential for success in this position.

The successful candidate will have subject matter expertise in sustainability, preferably related to food and/or packaging, and an understanding of the key challenges and opportunities for advancing sustainability.

The successful candidate will be expected to develop externally funded, interdisciplinary engagement programs that advance sustainability across the food value chain.  Revenue streams include a combination of Industry Advisory Board membership dues, Food, Packaging & Sustainability Summit sponsorships and registrations, synergistic student programs, and sponsored research and industry services (managed by FRESH Director of Research).

Activities that support FRESH’s strategic initiatives will include developing and implementing a broad portfolio of activities such as:

·       Faculty engagement with industry stakeholders

o   Collaborate with and identify potential synergies with industry stakeholders and faculty experts to advance sustainability.

·       Industry Advisory Board (IAB)

o   Cultivate, recruit and steward