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Job Title:
Director of Sustainability Institute

Tenure faculty (regardless of rank) - persons with the titles of professor, associate professor, assistant professor and instructor who serve on appointments totaling 50% or more service to the university and who are eligible for tenure or who have obtained tenure. Duties and responsibilities are assigned in accordance with the workload guidelines laid out in the pattern of administration of each faculty member’s tenure initiation unit (TIU) and, as appropriate, regional campus; obligations will include research, service and/or teaching or clinical practice.  These faculty will have earned doctorate or other terminal degree in the relevant field of study or possession of equivalent experience.

The Director of the Sustainability Institute at Ohio State is responsible for providing visionary leadership for the institute’s interdisciplinary sustainability initiatives in research, teaching, community engagement, and institutional collaboration.  The position requires a collaborative and entrepreneurial leader with a distinguished record of scholarship and a demonstrated commitment to building partnerships across colleges, departments, community organizations, government agencies, industry, and nonprofit sectors.  By advancing the institute’s mission of accelerating sustainability solutions to global challenges, the Director elevates the university’s regional and national profile in sustainability scholarship and discovery.  The position reports to the Vice Provost for Academic Programs and supervises the Managing Director of the institute.

Key Responsibilities:

Provide strategic and visionary leadership

• Articulate and implement a strategic vision for the Sustainability Institute aligned with the university’s strategic plan and academic excellence plan.
• Promote interdisciplinary collaboration among faculty, students, and external partners.
• Launch new initiatives to take advantage of emerging opportunities in sustainability research, policy, education, and innovation.
• Serve as a compelling advocate and energic spokesperson for the Sustainability Institute and the university with internal and external stakeholders.

Advance interdisciplinary sustainability research and education

• Support and expand faculty-led sustainability research initiatives and grant activity by increasing internal capacity to pursue public and private funding.
• Facilitate interdisciplinary research teams and external funding partnerships that advance research in priority areas.
• Promote sustainability competencies and concepts through new and existing curricula and experiential learning opportunities.
• Provide leadership of the Sustainability Education and Learning Committee.
• Guide the development of programs that provide sustainability skills to meet workforce development needs by industry, government and community partners.
• Oversee the development of and, in some cases, lead lectures, workshops, conferences, and public programming related to sustainability.

Elevate the sustainability profile of the institute and university

• Build relationships with local, regional, and national stakeholders, including government agencies, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and community groups.
• Represent the Sustainability Institute and university in sustainability-focused networks and professional organizations.
• Advance community-engaged research and applied sustainability initiatives.

Administrative Oversight

• Responsible for the performance of the institute, including the institute’s staff, Associate Faculty Director of Research, and all other faculty serving in research and education leadership roles with the institute.
• Collaborate with university advancement and sponsored programs offices to secure external funding and philanthropic support.
• Oversee the preparation of annual reports, assessments, and communications demonstrating Institute impact.
• Ensure sound fiscal stewardship of the university resources entrusted to the Sustainability Institute.

Position Requirements:

Candidates must be tenured professors at The Ohio State University, holding a full professorship in a sustainability-related discipline. The position of Director is funded at 50% time by the Office of Academic Affairs. The Director will also maintain a 50% academic appointment within their Tenure Initiating Unit while providing leadership for the Sustainability Institute.  Demonstrated leadership experience in interdisciplinary academic or research settings, education program development, and a record of successful grant development is required.  Successful candidates will have strong communication, organizational and collaborative leadership skills.  Experience leading university centers, institutes or large collaborative initiatives is preferred.