Executive Director of Innovation & Strategy

Summary of Function: Reporting to the Executive Vice President, the Executive Director of Innovation & Strategy leads high-priority initiatives that advance the Entrepreneurial College's growth, visibility, and responsiveness to regional workforce needs. The position develops business and industry partnerships and funding opportunities and collaborates with academic leaders to move innovative programs and strategic initiatives from concept through launch, scaling, and evaluation while preserving their responsibility for curriculum, accreditation, and program quality. The position also leads artificial intelligence, emerging and instructional technology initiatives, signature events, and other assigned strategic projects.

Typical Duties: 

• Serves Students. Leads the identification, development, incubation, launch, and scaling of innovative academic, workforce, non-credit, and employer-responsive programs and services. Partners with deans, associate deans, faculty, and other subject matter experts to assess feasibility, align concepts with academic standards and workforce needs, develop business cases and implementation models, establish implementation plans, and support successful transitions from pilot to sustainable operation with academic leaders retain responsibility for curriculum, accreditation, and program quality within their respective portfolios.

• Builds and manages business, industry, economic development, university, governmental, and community partnerships that produce measurable opportunities for students, employers, and the region. Serves as a senior external representative of the Entrepreneurial College; develops partnership strategies, employer engagement models, advisory relationships, sponsorships, work-based learning opportunities, and collaborative initiatives.

• Provides leadership for grant and resource development. Identifies grant, contract, sponsorship, and other resource-development opportunities; coordinates proposal strategy, concept development, partner engagement, and grant-writing efforts; aligns proposals with institutional priorities; and collaborates with Grants, Finance, deans, and project leads to develop competitive and sustainable initiatives. Supports transition from award to implementation and helps maintain executive visibility into major externally funded projects.

• Leads strategic project and portfolio management for major cross-functional initiatives assigned by the Executive Vice President. Establishes scope, deliverables, timelines, budgets, decision points, performance measures, risk controls, and communication plans; coordinates internal and external teams; monitors progress; resolves barriers; and provides concise executive reporting. • Provides strategic leadership for artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, LMS, instructional technology functions, and strategic innovation projects assigned to the position. Coordinates responsible adoption, professional learning, pilots, partnerships, grant opportunities, workforce applications, and evaluation in collaboration with academic leaders, Information Technology, faculty, staff, and industry partners. • Leads planning and execution of signature events and high-visibility engagement activities, including innovation, artificial intelligence, workforce, industry, and partnership events. Establishes event objectives, audiences, sponsorships, project plans, partner roles, logistics, communications, and measures of success while coordinating closely with Marketing, Facilities, academic leaders, and external stakeholders. • Conducts environmental scanning, labor-market and opportunity analysis, and strategic planning to identify emerging sectors, credentials, technologies, partnerships, entrepreneurship, business-development, and revenue or funding opportunities. Develops business cases and executive recommendations, supports change management, supervises assigned staff and budgets, and advances a collaborative, entrepreneurial, studentcentered culture.

Required Qualifications: 

• Master's degree or higher

• Five years progressively responsible experience in higher education, workforce or economic development, business or industry engagement, innovation, grants, strategic partnerships, program development, project management, artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, learning management systems, program incubation, market or labor-market analysis, revenue development. major event leadership, or related areas.

• Demonstrated experience leading complex, cross-functional initiatives from concept through implementation and evaluation.

• Demonstrated experience developing external partnerships and securing or developing grants, sponsorships, contracts, or other resources.

• Demonstrated experience leading effective teams.

• Applicants may Indicate any additional language proficiencies in their application materials, including English/Spanish, as relevant to the position.

• An equivalent combination of education and/or experience from which comparable knowledge, skills and abilities have been achieved may be considered.

Additional Eligibility Requirements: 

• Arizona Driver's License or Equivalent

Classification: Exempt 

Position Type & Work Schedule: 

• Full-time, 12-month position

• 38 hours per week

• Monday-Thursday, 7:00am-5:00pm

• Work flexible schedule to meet the program, department, and/or institutional needs, which may include Fridays, nights, and/or weekends

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 

• Knowledge of and ability to interpret, apply, and follow college policies and procedures • Knowledge of or ability to maintain organizational structure, workflow, and operating procedures

• Knowledge of supervisory principles, practices, and techniques

• Knowledge of workforce and economic development, employer engagement, and innovative program development practices

• Knowledge of grant development, external funding strategies, partnership design, and sustainable program models

• Knowledge of emerging technologies, including Al, and their applications in academic and workforce environments

• Skill in current technologies and word processing, database, presentation, and spreadsheet software, specifically Microsoft Office applications, Windows, college system platforms, software, and applications especially those specific to the department operations

• Skill and ability to be self-directed and to manage one's own time

• Skill in performing a variety of duties, often changing from one task to another of a different nature

• Skill in strategic planning, business-case development, and market and labor-market analysis

• Skill in project and portfolio management, including budget, risk, change, and performance oversight

• Skill in building and sustaining partnerships with educational institutions, community organizations, and external stakeholders

• Ability to complete all departmental and/or institutional mandatory training or development

• Ability to organize, prioritize, follow multiple projects and tasks through to completion, with close attention to detail

• Ability to work independently and contribute to a collaborative team environment

• Ability to provide assistance in a professional, civil, and supportive manner

• Ability to communicate effectively, verbally, in writing, and in a public setting, and to relate to others in a professional manner

• Ability to be flexible and supportive, positively and proactively assimilate change in rapid growth environment

• Ability to maintain confidentiality of protected information and follow FERPA and privacy guidelines

• Ability to supervise and schedule the work of others

• Ability to adapt to a dynamic workload and demands

• Ability to operate relevant equipment required to complete assigned responsibilities for the position • Ability to adapt and maintain professional composure in emergent situations

• Ability to demonstrate integrity, professionalism, and civility in all job-related actions

• Ability to analyze problems, identify solutions, and take appropriate actions to resolve problems using independent judgment and decision-making processes

• Ability to coordinate events and logistics

• Ability to influence and align stakeholders across departments and partner institutions toward shared outcomes

• Ability to represent the College in community partnerships, regional initiatives, and strategic collaborations

• Ability to establish and maintain positive, effective, and collaborative relationships with individuals at all levels of the organization, students, and the public

• Required to travel to other locations using various modes of private, commercial, or fleet transportation, and as needed to support program, department and institutional needs

• Location: Yuma Campus, service-district, employer and partner sites, locations as needed and as assigned

• Benefits Eligible