Job Details

Vice President of Industry and External Affairs
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Position Number: 5491698
Location: Albany, NY
Position Type: Academic Vice Presidents and Provosts

Vice President of Industry and External Affairs

Category: Administrative and Professional
Department: Industry & External Affairs
Locations: Albany, NY
Posted: Aug 5, 2024
Closes: Open Until Filled
Type: Exempt
Position ID: 179517

About The Research Foundation for SUNY:
The Research Foundation for The State University of New York (RF) is the largest comprehensive university-connected research foundation in the country.

Our mission is to provide talent, services, and technology that empower SUNY to research, innovate, and transfer discoveries that transform the world's knowledge economy.

Our vision is to make SUNY the best place for faculty, students, and staff to research, innovate and solve the world's most pressing problems.

The RF serves SUNY by providing essential administrative services that enable faculty to focus their efforts on educating students and performing life-changing research across a wide range of disciplines including Artificial Intelligence, Clean Energy, Biotechnology, Longevity, Substance Addiction, Nextgen Quantum Computing, Environmental Health, and Resiliency. We work with the academic and business leadership of SUNY campuses to facilitate research and discovery by administering sponsored projects and delivering intellectual property and technology transfer services that fuel innovation and move ideas and inventions to the marketplace.

The RF is committed to diversity, inclusion, and a working environment that enhances productivity creates personal and professional opportunities, unleashes everyone's full potential, and fuels innovation. We hold the organization and each other to the highest standards of integrity, accountability, and ethical behavior.

Visit www.rfsuny.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Learn about SUNY at www.suny.edu.

ADDITIONAL CENTRAL OFFICE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

As a learning organization, the RF encourages all employees to continue to grow and develop professionally. At the RF Central Office, employees are offered many opportunities for learning and development, including Professional Development Planning, a 12-month Mentoring Program, Tuition Reimbursement, Job Rotation, DiSC Profile Behavioral Assessment, Employee Engagement Teams, Job Skills Training, and an Employee Wellbeing Team.

Job Description:
FUNCTION & SCOPE:

This position will lead the Office of Industry and External Affairs (I&EA) which is the nexus of RF's technology transfer, external relations, and industry-facing activities. The VP will grow the RF's reach and reputation for excellence through strategic relationships with campuses, businesses, government organizations, and other enterprises. The I&EA team is focused on delivering value-added programs and services that 1) enhance SUNY's role as an intellectual property powerhouse, 2) accelerate the transition of SUNY technology from lab to market, and 3) raise the visibility of SUNY research and innovation. The VP's direct reports include the director of intellectual property and licensing, director of new ventures, director of corporate communications, and office manager. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the Vice President is responsible for:

Industry Relations: Oversee all of RF's industry-facing functions, programs, and initiatives. This includes leading a team to identify and secure beneficial and productive engagements with industry partners. Work closely with the Chief Operating Officer and SUNY Senior Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation, and Economic Development on joint SUNY-RF strategies, projects, and business-building initiatives designed to grow RF's industry engagement and impact.
Partnerships: Develop and sustain strategic alliances with businesses and government organizations that reflect and enhance RF's leading role in advancing SUNY research and innovation.
Technology Transfer: Oversee management of SUNY's intellectual property portfolio including risk management activities, internal controls, customer relationship management with SUNY's technology transfer directors, and oversight of the technology transfer integrated services team to provide outstanding centralized service to faculty and campus administration at 28 SUNY campuses.
Joint Ventures and Affiliated Corporations: Oversee all functions and risk management activities supporting RF-campus affiliated corporations including internal controls, and other corporate engagement. Maintain strategic focus on streamlining RF-campus affiliated corporations as necessary and appropriate.
Operations: Oversee the day-to-day operations of the Office of Industry and External Affairs, including leading, mentoring, inspiring and developing a team of diverse professionals, providing opportunities for professional development and continuous performance feedback. This includes developing an annual office operating budget and collaborating with SUNY's Office of Research, Innovation, and Economic Development to resource programs that support SUNY technology to market strategy (e.g., Technology Accelerator Fund, Venture Advisors, Startup Summer School, Startup Grant Works, etc.,).
IP and Industry Policy: Serve as the RF liaison to SUNY's Innovation Policy Board, making innovation policy recommendations and referring all such matters as may be appropriate.
IP and Industry Risk Management: Develop and implement strategic risk management approaches through proactive leadership and collaboration efforts across organizational boundaries to perform effective risk assessments, taking action to mitigate significant risk to RF, and responding effectively to all known threats to RF's reputation.
Communications and External Affairs: Act as spokesperson on all matters relating to SUNY intellectual property, technology transfer, industry partnerships, and corporate engagement.
Leadership: Serve on the RF Leadership Team; upholding the RF mission, vision, and values; making values-based decisions and contributing to RF's ethical culture; contributing to the team's cohesion; and demonstrating professionalism and excellence to all Central Office and campus staff. Also serve on planning and policy-making teams that relate to RF's core business, especially those relevant to academic-industry collaboration. Represent the department at internal and external meetings of corporate and campus constituencies and special events to promote the RF brand.
Marketing: Develop the RF brand with a focus on external engagement in SUNY research and innovation. Elevate RF's presence and develop a consistent narrative in leading industry and trade conferences, creating executive visibility campaigns as appropriate. Pay particular attention to RF branding in industries that enable NYS economic competitiveness.

Requirements:
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:

Bachelor's and advanced degrees in relevant fields, plus at least ten years of directly related, progressively responsible experience, is required. The individual who fulfills this role is expected to be immersed in the RF, its community, and industry, and to represent the RF's beliefs and values at their very best. This executive will have a record of building established relationships of trust and credibility, with proven experience thinking strategically to direct company, community and governmental outreach that places the RF in a position of credibility and influence. This leader is successfully able to communicate complex information in clear and simple terms to diverse audiences, gaining confidence and credibility with others at all levels.

Compensation for this position: The compensation for this role is between $185,000 and $225,000. The pay will depend on a variety of factors that may include but are not limited to experience, education, training, and certifications.

Additional Information:
As an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer, The Research Foundation for SUNY will not discriminate in its employment practices due to an applicant's race, color, creed, religion, sex, pregnancy-related conditions, reproductive health decisions, childbirth or related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, transgender status, age, national origin or ancestry, marital status, familial status, citizenship, physical and mental disability, prior arrest or conviction record, genetic characteristics/genetic information, predisposition or carrier status, domestic violence victim status, military status or service, veteran status, or any other characteristics protected under federal, state or local law. The Company will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant.

The Company will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

The Research Foundation for the State University of New York is not an agency or instrumentality of the State of New York. Employees of the Research Foundation for the State University of New York are not state employees, do not participate in any state retirement system, and do not receive state fringe benefits. The Research Foundation for the State University of New York operates under a contract with The State University of New York and receives no directly appropriated state funding.

Application Instructions:
Applicants interested in applying MUST submit the following documents:

1. Resume/CV
2. Cover Letter

After submitting your resume/CV, the subsequent pages will enable you to upload your cover letter and any other additional documents.

Returning Applicants can Login to your RF SUNY Careers Account to review your application.

To apply, visit https://rfsuny.interviewexchange.com/jobofferdetails.jsp;jsessionid=B812B6C5B33E4F22E0D52BE123CE7BBD?JOBID=179517