Posting Details

Position Information

Position/Classification Title
Associate Vice Chancellor for Partnership Development & Operations

Working Title
Associate Vice Chancellor for Partnership Development & Operations

Position Number
617514

FLSA
Exempt

Appointment Type
Permanent - Full Time

Tenure Track
No

FTE
1 = 40 hours/week, 12 months

If time limited, duration date

Department Hiring Range
The salary is competitive and will be determined based on the candidate's educational background, relevant experience, qualifications, and demonstrated expertise.

EEO-1 Category
Professionals

SOC Code
21-1099 - Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other

Position Overview

Primary Function of Organizational Unit

North Carolina Central University, with a strong tradition of teaching, research, and service, prepares students to become global leaders and practitioners who transform communities. The Office of Transformative Partnerships and Economic Development serves as North Carolina Central University's central enterprise for advancing research, innovation, strategic partnerships, technology transfer, and economic development. The unit connects the University's academic and research strengths with industry, government, community, philanthropic, and economic development partners to create opportunities that expand research capacity, foster innovation, support commercialization, strengthen workforce development, and contribute to regional and statewide economic growth.

The division provides strategic leadership and coordination for the Biomanufacturing Research Institute and Technology Enterprise (BRITE), Biological and Biomedical Research Institute (BBRI), Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Research (IAIER),, while also supporting partnership development, external engagement, business and financial operations, and related institutional initiatives. Through these functions, the Division works to expand externally funded and industry-engaged research, facilitate the translation of university discoveries and expertise into real-world applications, develop workforce-aligned opportunities for students and faculty, and position NCCU as a key partner in the innovation and economic development ecosystem of the Research Triangle, North Carolina, and beyond.

Primary Purpose of Position

The Associate Vice Chancellor for Partnership Development & Operations (AVC) provides senior administrative, operational, and partnership-development leadership within North Carolina Central University's Division of Transformative Partnerships and Economic Development.

Reporting directly to the Vice Chancellor for Transformative Partnerships and Economic Development (VCPED), the AVC is responsible for translating the strategic priorities established by the Vice Chancellor into executable partnerships, projects, operational plans, and measurable outcomes.

The AVC manages the Division's business, finance, administrative, partnership-development, external-engagement, and operational functions and provides coordinated operational support to the Biomanufacturing Research Institute and Technology Enterprise (BRITE), the Biological and Biomedical Research Institute (BBRI), and the Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Research (IAIER).

The AVC works closely with institute directors, faculty, University administrative offices, industry representatives, economic-development entities, foundations, nonprofit organizations, and other stakeholders to develop and advance partnership opportunities consistent with priorities established by the Vice Chancellor.

A central responsibility of the position is ensuring that external opportunities move efficiently from initial engagement through internal coordination, agreement development, implementation, financial and administrative management, assessment, and continued relationship development.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of principles and practices of partnership development, business operations, organizational administration, and project management.
• Knowledge of higher education, research administration, industry engagement, economic development, and/or corporate relations.
• Knowledge of budgeting, financial administration, resource management, and operational planning.
• Knowledge of developing and managing external partnerships, agreements, collaborative initiatives, and stakeholder relationships.
• Ability to identify, cultivate, and advance strategic partnerships with industry, government, research organizations, foundations, nonprofit organizations, and other external stakeholders.
• Ability to translate strategic priorities into actionable plans, projects, timelines, deliverables, and measurable outcomes.
• Ability to manage complex, multi-faceted projects involving multiple internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to establish effective administrative processes, workflows, operating procedures, and accountability mechanisms.
• Ability to analyze operational and partnership data, identify trends and opportunities, and make recommendations to support organizational effectiveness.
• Ability to develop and maintain productive relationships with university leaders, faculty, researchers, industry representatives, government entities, and community and economic-development organizations.
• Strong written, verbal, presentation, interpersonal, negotiation, and relationship-management skills.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities, projects, deadlines, and competing demands effectively.
• Ability to communicate complex research, technical, operational, and partnership concepts to diverse audiences.
• Ability to work collaboratively and exercise sound judgment in a complex, multi-unit organizational environment.
• Ability to provide effective leadership, supervision, coordination, and direction to professional and administrative personnel.
• Ability to identify operational challenges, develop solutions, and implement process improvements.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality, exercise discretion, and demonstrate professionalism when working with sensitive institutional, financial, partnership, and organizational matters.
• Ability to promote a responsive, collaborative, and service-oriented culture while advancing the strategic priorities of the Division.

Minimum Education/Experience

• Master's degree from an accredited institution in business administration, public administration, higher education, science, engineering, technology, economic development, organizational leadership, or a related field.
• Significant progressively responsible professional experience involving business operations, partnership development, higher-education administration, industry engagement, economic development, research administration, corporate relations, or a related area.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex projects involving multiple internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience supervising professional and administrative personnel.
• Experience with budgeting, financial administration, resource management, or organizational operations.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and sustain productive relationships with external organizations.
• Strong organizational, project-management, written communication, presentation, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated ability to operate effectively within a complex organizational environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Doctoral or other terminal degree.
• Ten or more years of progressively responsible professional experience, including leadership experience.
• Experience within higher education, research institutions, industry, government, economic development, or technology-based organizations.
• Experience supporting university-industry partnerships.
• Knowledge of biotechnology, biomanufacturing, biomedical research, pharmaceutical sciences, artificial intelligence, data science, healthcare, or related sectors.
• Experience supporting industry-sponsored research or collaborative research agreements.
• Experience in budget administration and operational management.
• Experience developing workforce-development partnerships.
• Familiarity with the Research Triangle's industry, research, innovation, and economic-development ecosystem.

Licenses or Certification required by Statute or Regulation

Pre-Employment Requirement

Pre-Employment Requirements:

• You must complete and submit an electronic application for employment to be considered. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completing an electronic application.
• Applicants seeking Veteran's Preference must attach a DD 214 form or those seeking National Guard Preference must attach as NG23A form. Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty with your application during the process of applying to the job posting.
• Final candidates are subject to criminal background checks, and education/license verification prior to employment.
• North Carolina Central University participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.

Work Location
Fully On-site (dedicated office at Duty Station)

Primary Responsibilities and Duties

Function
Partnership Development and Execution

Describe the specific tasks and responsibilities related to the function.

• Develop and maintain a portfolio of prospective and active partnerships with industry, government, research organizations, economic-development entities, healthcare organizations, foundations, nonprofit organizations, and other stakeholders.
• Identify external organizations whose research, workforce, innovation, technology, talent-development, or economic-development needs align with NCCU capabilities.
• Conduct targeted outreach and relationship development with prospective partners, particularly throughout Durham, Research Triangle Park, the Triangle region, and North Carolina.
• Develop partnership opportunities consistent with priorities established by the VCPED and facilitate movement of those opportunities from concept to implementation.
• Coordinate initial and follow-up meetings between external organizations and NCCU faculty, researchers, institute leadership, and University administrators.
• Organize external partner visits, laboratory tours, research presentations, industry roundtables, workshops, and other engagement activities.
• Develop opportunities for external partners to engage NCCU through:
• Collaborative research
• Industry-sponsored research
• Workforce-development initiatives
• Laboratory and facility utilization
• Community and economic-development initiatives
• Work with appropriate University offices to facilitate development and routing of memoranda of understanding, partnership agreements, sponsored-research agreements, facility-use arrangements, and other partnership instruments.
• Maintain an active partnership-development pipeline documenting prospects, opportunities, responsible parties, status, next actions, anticipated outcomes, and implementation requirements.