Associate Director

Current Employees: If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process.


Job Category: Limited

Employment Type: Regular

Job Profile: Bus Eng Dir (B)

Job Summary:
The Wisconsin Energy Institute (WEI) is helping to solve one of the world's greatest challenges: developing new sustainable technologies to meet society's ever-growing need for power, fuels, chemicals, and materials. WEI is committed to generating the knowledge and technologies that will speed up a more plentiful, resilient, and affordable energy future. The Institute assembles and supports cross-disciplinary teams that help expand foundational knowledge to address energy technology-related challenges holistically. This strategy leads to transformative innovations and can form the basis for low-cost solutions that open new markets, create jobs, and generate new economic opportunities for communities nationwide, while reducing the harmful impacts of producing power, fuels, and chemicals. In addition, WEI leadership in multi-disciplinary research, education, and outreach acts as a nexus between campus researchers, scholars, government officials, industry, and community stakeholders. WEI taps expertise and resources at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to advance the principles of the Wisconsin Idea. Through its discovery, collaborative engagement, and technology development WEI moves society "Forward in Energy." WEI is led by scientists and engineers committed to making major breakthroughs in the way we source and use energy. Specifically, WEI seeks to: 1) foster collaborative energy projects across sectors and disciplines, 2) prepare energy leaders of today and tomorrow, and 3) enhance public understanding of energy issues. The largest research program within WEI is the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center ( one of four Department of Energy-funded Bioenergy Research Centers that is led by the University of Wisconsin - Madison with partners in the U.S. and Canada. The mission of this Center is to create biofuels and bioproducts that are economically viable and environmentally sustainable while reducing society's dependence on fossil fuels.

Under the direction of the Director of the Wisconsin Energy Institute, the Business Engagement Director will provide leadership and overall programmatic direction for WEI across a multi-disciplinary and multi-institution environment. This position will lead communications, education, and outreach groups comprised of a total of seven staff members. In addition, the Business Engagement Director will provide supervision of facility space assignments, environmental health & safety (EH&S), and external relations of the Institute.

The incumbent will support and act on behalf of the WEI Director in day-to-day direction, management and planning related to the Institute's business engagement, communications, education and outreach functions. The Business Engagement Director also participates as an active member of the WEI Executive Committee, and has input into formulation, direction and implementation of operational priorities, communications and education and outreach programs and projects to enhance the Institute's ability to achieve its mission.

As a member of WEI senior management, this position plays a key role in developing, planning and managing major organizational functions and initiatives including strategic planning and execution. As needed, the Business Engagement Director may represent the WEI Director with various institution, business or external stakeholders. This position meets regularly with the WEI Director and WEI Executive Committee.

This position is full-time, 100% FTE, and is located at the Wisconsin Energy Institute (1552 University Ave, Madison).

This position is eligible for partial remote work, up to two each week. Remote work requires an approved remote work agreement (RWA) agreement. An RWA requires successful candidates to possess their own high-speed internet and phone to perform the work on a university provided computer. Per University policy, transportation between home and assigned work location is not payable/reimbursable and will be at the expense of the employee.

Key Job Responsibilities:

• Directs the development of large scale and high-profile strategic planning initiatives and objectives to ensure appropriate use of financial, administrative, and staffing resources and alignment with the strategic plan

• Develops operating policies and procedures to comply with regulations, institutional policies, and objectives

Directs, plans, and implements efforts to build research teams and stakeholder networks, including workshops, meetings and other events and initiatives with internal and external participants

• Directs the implementation of participation in campaign and engagement efforts

• Serves as a liaison to internal and external stakeholder groups providing organizational information and representing the interests of the institution in the cultivation of industry and business partner relationships

• Exercises supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of at least 2.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees

Maintains knowledge of significant developments in industry, stakeholders and stakeholder groups, science, public and private research funding, and regulations relevant to the research, education, and outreach mission of the center/institute

• Supervises and develops director-level staff

• Develops and oversees the budget

Department:
Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, Wisconsin Energy Institute

Compensation:
Starting salary will be based on experience and qualifications. Well-qualified applicants can anticipate receiving a minimum offer of $140,000.

Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays, and paid time off; competitive insurances and savings accounts; retirement benefits.

Required Qualifications:

• A minimum of 6 years of senior-level business engagement experience, with demonstrated success developing networks and collaborations with internal and external stakeholders.
  
• Experience working with industry connections to support research and other goals.
  
• Experience overseeing external relations, communications, and/or outreach processes and resources; ability to handle multiple and diverse projects, events and shifting priorities and deadlines.
  
• The ability to develop best practices and manage major process improvement initiatives in rapidly changing operations and research environments.
  
• Demonstrated skill and experience in effective policy development, strategic planning, change management, process improvement, and program development.
  
• Ability to manage, motivate, direct and lead effectively among a diverse group of scientific, technical and administrative personnel. Recognized use of discretion, tact and diplomacy of a senior manager.
  
• Superior oral, written and interpersonal skills as well as excellent presentation and organizational skills.
  

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience working with government and private funding agencies and with complex university, federal, and private research grants.
  

Education:
Bachelor's Degree preferred

Master's Degree in a relevant science, technology, or business field highly preferred.

How to Apply:
Click the "Apply" button to start the application process. You will be prompted to upload the following documents:

• Cover Letter
  
• Resume
  

Applicants are required to attach both a cover letter and resume detailing their training and experience relating to the required and preferred qualifications referenced in the position description. The application reviewers will be relying on written application materials to determine which qualified applicants will advance in the recruitment process. Applicants that do not submit all materials or do not clearly show that they meet the requirements will no longer be considered.

Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without need of employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment.


The selected candidate will be required to pass an initial criminal and/or caregiver background check and then every four years.

Contact Information:
Heather Heimbecker, HR Manager, View email address on click.appcast.io

Institutional Statement on Diversity:
Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal OpportunityEmployer.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgroundsand encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.

To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodationfor any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR)in the division you are applying to.Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.

Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment.

The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).

The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains current campus safety and disciplinary policies, crime statistics for the previous 3 calendar years, and on-campus student housing fire safety policies and fire statistics for the previous 3 calendar years. UW-Madison will provide a paper copy upon request; please contact the University of Wisconsin Police Department.