The University of Virginia (UVA) is seeking a dynamic and innovative Executive Director for the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service . The leader will establish and implement strategies to continuously transform and improve the Center, its relationship with the Commonwealth of Virginia and partners within the University, its service to public and private sector clients and government leaders, and its contribution to research and professional practice. The Executive Director will demonstrate and maintain a successful track record of organizational leadership, internal and external communications, oversight of research contributing to effective policy formulation, fundraising, growth of sponsored research, and vision for significant impact in Virginia’s diverse communities and nationwide. The Executive Director will also have the exciting opportunity to capitalize on the transition of the Weldon Cooper Center into the Karsh Institute for Democracy , with new opportunities to demonstrate the many ways public service bolsters a healthy democracy. The Executive Director will play a key role in leveraging this opportunity to envision and achieve a national footprint for the Center.

The Executive Director will oversee a range of functional areas including human resources, finance, communications, grants and contracts, opportunities for student engagement, and overall administrative operations, as well as an annual planning process to ensure initiatives align with institutional strategic goals. The Executive Director will report to the Executive Director of the Karsh Institute of Democracy, Melody Barnes , and work with the Karsh Institute leadership team to provide the Center with appropriate oversight on operating budget submissions, project timelines, and resource allocations.

The Executive Director will join the University at a time of excitement, opportunity, and a shared sense of purpose . With a visionary President, James E. Ryan and a dynamic and dedicated leadership team including EVP and Provost Ian Baucom , EVP and COO Jennifer “J.J.” Wagner Davis , CEO and EVP for Health Affairs, Dr. Craig Kent , and exceptional faculty, staff, and students, UVA has excellent momentum to achieve its ambitious goals. The Great and Good, 2030 Strategic Plan , provides a roadmap for the future of UVA as it enters its third century.

For more information, please visit: https://executivesearch.virginia.edu/searches

KEY PRIORITIES

The Executive Director will have a wide array of opportunities to contribute to the growth and advancement of the Weldon Cooper Center. Some key priority areas are:

• Advancing the Center’s mission and providing transformative leadership
• Increasing the national visibility and reputation of the Cooper Center and its products and services
• Aligning with the Karsh Institute and seeking new opportunities for collaboration
• Fundraising, specifically major gifts
• Collaboration across the University to advance Center goals
• Promotion and expansion of the Research Collaborative newly formed from units focused on demographics, economic and policy research, and survey administration
• Seeking industry connections to develop new products/services and obtain new clients/business
• Serve as a thought leader in relation to helping state and local governments thrive and emphasizing their relationship to healthy democracy
• Engage the Center’s annual cohort of undergraduate to PhD interns

IDEAL EXPERIENCE

Candidates are expected to have a record of significant and successful executive management experience, preferably in government, academia, journalism, philanthropy, or similar public facing fields. A graduate degree is required. A terminal degree is preferred in a field of study relevant to the duties of this position. Those fields include, but are not limited to: politics, government, sociology, public policy, urban planning, economics, demography, and public administration.

Candidates with a Ph.D. or terminal degree in their field, along with a body of research, publication, and teaching may be considered for the academic affiliation potentially associated with this position.

The successful candidate will ideally possess the following professional qualifications, skills, experience, and personal qualities:

• At least 7 years of administrative or supervisory experience is required
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to recruit, lead, and inspire a dedicated, diverse, and highly accomplished faculty and staff
• Ability to be an innovative, forward-thinking, tech-savvy leader
• Eagerness to develop ties between the University’s scholars and the policy world
• Ability to represent the Center across Virginia and beyond, to state and local government officials, and to other influential community, state, and national leaders
• Commitment to fiscal stewardship and budgetary discipline
• Familiarity with the applied and academic public policy community
• Interest in academic scholarship and in intellectual engagement with policy questions
• Willingness to build long-term relationships with Cooper Center supporters, friends, and donors
• Absolute integrity and high personal character
• Intellectual curiosity
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain collaborative partnerships
• Demonstrated commitment to building a welcoming, diverse, inclusive community where all people thrive
• Ability to inspire faculty, staff, students, and donors
• Facility and comfort with technology and data driven decision making
• Willingness to collaborate with stakeholders across the University and represent the Cooper Center effectively

To Apply or Nominate

The University of Virginia is eager to build a diverse pool of talented individuals. The search committee is working with UVA Executive Search Group (ESG), an internal executive search firm in the Office of the President.

Confidential inquiries and nominations should be directed to AJ Davidson, Managing Director, at ajh2d@virginia.edu . To apply, submit a letter of interest and resume via Workday . The search will be carried out with full confidentiality and will remain open until filled.

COVID Vaccination Requirement and Guidelines

Please visit the UVA COVID-19 Job Requirements and Guidelines webpage prior to applying for current information regarding vaccination requirements and guidelines for employment at UVA.

The University of Virginia, i ncluding the UVA Health System which represents the UVA Medical Center, Schools of Medicine and Nursing, UVA Physician’s Group and the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, are fundamentally committed to the diversity of our faculty and staff. We believe diversity is excellence expressing itself through every person's perspectives and lived experiences. We are equal opportunity and affirmative action employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, veteran status, and family medical or genetic information.