Executive Director, David Evans Shaw Institute for Public and Planetary Health

Position Details

Position Information

Position Type
Professional Staff

Faculty Track

Position Title
Executive Director, David Evans Shaw Institute for Public and Planetary Health

Employment Status
Full Time

Months
12

Campus
Portland, ME

Description

The Executive Director will provide strategic, academic, operational, and external relations leadership for the Institute during a formative period of growth. The successful candidate will be an accomplished, collaborative, entrepreneurial, and visionary leader who can unite faculty, students, professional staff, community partners, government agencies, industry, philanthropic partners, and other stakeholders around a compelling vision for public and planetary health.

Position Summary

The Executive Director will be responsible for leading the Institute, overseeing its Centers and resources, establishing its strategic direction, and ensuring that its academic, research, and external engagement activities advance UNE's priorities. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys creating rather than maintaining and sees institutions as vehicles for meaningful social change.

Reporting to the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Executive Director will develop and implement the Institute's strategic direction and vision, cultivate interdisciplinary collaboration, strengthen student and faculty engagement, strengthen and expand external partnerships, secure additional external funding, support research and scholarship, and establish UNE as a recognized leader in public and planetary health. Initial reporting units include the Center for Public Health Practice, Center for Healthy Aging, and Center for North Atlantic Studies. The Executive Director will also work closely with academic deans, other center directors affiliated with the Institute, faculty leaders, research administrators, institutional advancement, marketing and communications, government and community relations, and external partners to build a distinctive, high-impact institute that reflects UNE's mission and strategic priorities.

Executive Director, David Evans Shaw Institute for Public and Planetary Health Search Profile

Application and Nomination Process

Applications should include a curriculum vitae or resume and a letter of interest describing the candidate's qualifications, leadership experience, and vision for advancing public and planetary health through an interdisciplinary, university-based institute.

Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. The anticipated start date is negotiable.

About the David Evans Shaw Institute for Public and Planetary Health

The Institute will serve as a catalyst for interdisciplinary academic programs, applied research, sponsored projects, student learning, workforce development, advocacy, policy translation, and public engagement bringing together expertise in public health, health professions and sciences, marine and environmental sciences, business, policy, sustainability, aging, behavioral health, and rural and coastal communities across the Arctic, North Atlantic, and related fields. Intentionally designed as a hub for interdisciplinary collaboration across UNE's colleges, schools, centers, and community partnerships, the Institute is aligned with UNE's mission to improve the health of people, communities, and the natural world.

The Institute is expected to strengthen UNE's visibility and impact in Maine, nationally, and globally while advancing partnerships that translate knowledge into action. This is an opportunity to help define not only a new institute, but a new model for how universities can address the interconnected challenges facing people and the planet.

Life in Maine

The University of New England is located on two beautiful campuses in Maine - an oceanfront coastal campus in Biddeford and a vibrant health sciences campus in Portland, a city of great appeal and historic significance. With breathtaking scenery, a rich cultural environment, world-class dining, low crime rates, and classic New England charm, southern Maine provides an unparalleled quality of life. The quality of life is exemplified by safe towns and cities, top school systems, and a variety of highly accessible outdoor activities, from the beach to the mountains. Whether you enjoy local shopping in Portland's Old Port, sampling unique breweries and distilleries in Biddeford, strolling the harbor-side trail on the Eastern Promenade, hiking, sailing, skiing, or the arts, the area offers something for everyone. The greater Portland region combines city living with small-town charm, frequently cited as one of the best cities in America to live and work.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a compelling strategic vision for the Institute that advances UNE's mission, academic strengths, research priorities, and commitment to healthier people, healthier communities, and healthier environments.
• Provide effective oversight of the Center for Public Health Practice, Center for Health Aging, and Center for North Atlantic Studies.
• Form and cultivate an effective advisory council to provide strategic guidance, review annual priorities, advise on partnerships, and help connect the Institute to internal and external stakeholders.
• Strengthen and build new partnerships with community organizations, public agencies, health systems, environmental organizations, industry, policymakers, aligned academic institutions, and philanthropic partners.
• Identify, pursue, and support external funding opportunities, including grants, contracts, philanthropic gifts, sponsored projects, and strategic partnerships.
• Promote applied research, scholarship, policy translation, and public-facing engagement that addresses complex public and planetary health challenges.
• Support the development of academic and workforce programs, certificates, experiential learning opportunities, fellowships, internships, and continuing education initiatives aligned with the Institute's priorities.
• Work with faculty and academic leaders to support student engagement, interdisciplinary learning, mentorship, and career pathways in public and planetary health.
• Represent the Institute to internal and external audiences through public speaking, convenings, media engagement, professional networks, and national partnerships.
• Lead Institute planning, budgeting, staffing, assessment, reporting, and operational processes in alignment with University policies and priorities.
• Advance a culture of collaboration, inclusion, scientific rigor, innovation, and accountability.

Qualifications

Required qualifications include:

• An earned terminal degree in public health, environmental health, medicine, health sciences, Earth system science, policy, sustainability, social science, business, or a related field; or a record of equivalent distinguished professional achievement appropriate to the role.
• Significant executive or senior leadership experience in higher education, research administration, public health, environmental health, nonprofit leadership, government, industry, philanthropy, or a related setting.
• Demonstrated success in leading growth and change, implementing new initiatives, and delivering measurable institutional and community impact.
• A strong record of interdisciplinary collaboration and the ability to work effectively across academic, scientific, community, governmental, and external stakeholder groups.
• Exceptional communication, relationship-building, and people leadership skills, including experience setting strategy, managing budgets, developing high-performing teams, and translating complex scientific, environmental, public health, and policy issues for diverse audiences.
• Strong emotional intelligence skills.
• Experience securing and stewarding external resources through grants, contracts, philanthropy, strategic partnerships, or other revenue-generating opportunities.
• Evidence of commitment to student success, workforce development, community engagement, and fostering an inclusive, collaborative culture.

Preferred qualifications include:

• A national or emerging national reputation in public health, planetary health, environmental health, climate and health, sustainability, implementation science, community-engaged research, policy, or a related field.
• Familiarity with Maine, Northern New England, and the health, environmental, economic, and community priorities of rural and coastal regions.

Desired Leadership Attributes:

• Strategic, entrepreneurial, and able to build a new institute with clarity, focus, and momentum.
• A leadership style that empowers others to work toward a shared strategic vision balanced with a commitment to execution and implementation.
• Ability to earn trust across disciplines and constituencies.
• Comfortable serving as a visible ambassador for UNE and the Institute.
• Mission-driven and committed to improving health outcomes, environmental stewardship, and community well-being.
• Skilled at convening diverse stakeholders around shared goals and translating ideas into action.