Executive Searches

President of the Research Foundation & SUNY Vice Chancellor for Research

THE RESEARCH FOUNDATION OF STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK

The Research Foundation of State University of New York (RF) exists to capitalize on the scope, scale, and diversity of the State University of New York.

The largest, most comprehensive university-connected research foundation in the country, the RF managed $946 million in research expenditures related to nearly 7,400 projects in 2011. The RF’s current FY 2012 budget is approximately $1 billion. In FY 2011, invention disclosures topped 300 and licenses for commercial invention generated $12 million in revenue. Areas of supported research encompass a vast range of disciplines including life sciences and medicine; engineering and nanotechnology; physical sciences and energy; social sciences; and computer and information sciences. The Foundation is a private, non-profit, tax-exempt corporation led by a President who is accountable to a Board of Directors.

The RF’s Vision is to be the best-in-class partner to –

• Deliver high quality, focused and efficient service to faculty and staff, sponsors and the SUNY research community;
• Provide an environment that facilitates sponsored program collaboration among SUNY campuses and with public- and private-sector partners;
• Capitalize on the scope, scale and diversity of SUNY as an engine of New York State’s innovation economy.

The RF’s Mission is to –

• Work with the academic and business leadership of campuses to support research and discovery at SUNY through efficient and skillful administration of sponsored projects and adept transfer and sharing of intellectual property for public benefit and economic growth.

In carrying out its mission, the RF Values –

• People, community, and collaboration;
• The academic environment and individual campus missions;
• Integrity and ethical behavior, flexibility, adaptability and innovation, quality and efficiency, accountability, and transparency.

Sponsored programs administration and technology commercialization are the RF’s two core services. As a not-for-profit educational corporation, the RF provides faculty, students and staff with the flexibility necessary to focus on research and other sponsored programs funded by federal and state governments, private sector companies and nonprofit foundations.

The RF’s 2009 5-year Strategic Plan, Growth Through Innovation and Collaboration, is aligned with and positioned to support SUNY’s Strategic Plan, the Power of SUNY. The RF’s three strategic goals are to, 1) provide outstanding sponsored program services and stewardship to the SUNY community, 2) support campuses to increase sponsored program funding, and 3) increase technology transfer and commercialization in support of SUNY's efforts to revitalize New York's economy. Each of these areas of activity provides a platform for measurable benchmarks that advance the Power of SUNY.

The RF employs 150 core staff in its central office in Albany and has a joint RF/ SUNY operating structure working with 29 SUNY campuses and with SUNY System Administration. Each location has an Operations Manager (OM) accountable jointly to the campus President and the RF President. As the employer of record for grant-funded staff in an array of special projects, the RF annual payroll regularly exceeds 17,000 employees (including students).

The RF is committed to transparency, accountability and exemplary ethics in fulfilling its mission. It provides for public view and inspection financial data, reports, publications and other information about its operations. The RF website is www.rfsuny.org.

THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK (SUNY)

The State University of New York (SUNY) is the largest comprehensive university system in the United States. It educates more than 467,000 students annually in more than 7,500 degree and certificate programs on 64 campuses and has nearly 3 million alumni around the world. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunity, visit www.suny.edu.

PRESIDENT, RESEARCH FOUNDATION & VICE CHANCELLOR FOR RESEARCH, SUNY

Position Scope & Strategic Responsibilities

In a newly defined role at the leadership level of the State University of New York (SUNY), the President of The Research Foundation (“the President”), who will also serve as the University’s Vice Chancellor for Research, will play a lead role in designing, directing, and expanding the footprint of SUNY’s research, industry relations, and economic development activities. Working collaboratively with campus Presidents, Provosts, VPs for Research and for Economic Development, Deans, and faculty, as well as with SUNY System leadership, the President will contribute significantly to the ongoing development of SUNY’s strategy for basic, translational, and clinical research and research-based economic development and to the implementation of that strategy in terms of innovative programs, initiatives, resources, policy, infrastructure, investment, and business practices. The President will be responsible for developing partnerships, and for fostering the culture and conditions to support partnerships, intended to grow the SUNY research enterprise.

The President will serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, will be responsible for the supervision and operation of the Foundation, and will ensure that all policies, resolutions and other directives of the Board of Directors are performed and delegated as appropriate.

By pursuing the goals established for the Research Foundation, the President will play a key role in implementing SUNY’s overarching strategic plan, The Power of SUNY, which undertakes to position New York State as one of the most vital, resilient, and inclusive economies in the global marketplace. To pursue the objectives defined in The Power of SUNY, University leaders have approved several initiatives that the President will help to implement. These include SUNY Reach, a program designed to foster collaborations among the life-sciences campuses; SUNY Energy, a parallel program designed to leverage research strengths in energy and sustainability; and the SUNY Technology Accelerator Fund (TAF), which has already begun to support the development of promising technologies emerging from SUNY campuses.

The President reports jointly to the Research Foundation’s Board of Directors and to SUNY’s Executive Vice Chancellor & Provost. The Board gathers together leaders of several campuses, notably the research-intensive University Centers, and independent directors with significant industry backgrounds. The Executive Vice Chancellor & Provost reports to SUNY’s Chancellor.

The reporting line to the University’s Provost and the Vice Chancellor for Research dimension of the President’s role are new elements of the position that have been approved by the RF Board and SUNY Trustees to ensure the President has maximum access and leverage to achieve the goals established for this leadership role. They reflect both the University’s desire to take a more strategic approach to fostering research and economic development across the state and its recognition that the Foundation is uniquely positioned to advance these aspects of SUNY’s mission.

A central aspect of the President’s work will involve leadership of the SUNY Research Council, another new element in SUNY’s strategic approach to research. The President will chair this Council and through its work will provide direction to the University on SUNY’s research strategy and on the investment, infrastructure, and policies needed to foster and support research activity across the University. The Council will likely include prominent research faculty, vice presidents for research, government relations staff, academic leadership, and outside experts in relevant areas.

The President will further pursue the RF’s objectives in innovation and service by appointing and overseeing the performance of Operations Managers at each of the 29 state-operated campuses with sufficient sponsored research volume to fund these important roles, who are charged with supporting the management and growth of research at the campuses and collaboratively across the University system.

In an additional aspect of the President’s contribution to the ongoing development of SUNY research, he/she will work with RF colleagues and with senior System- and campus-based officials to enhance the University’s presence in Washington, DC with federal legislators, agency leaders, and regulators, and with legislators and stakeholders in New York State government.

In December 2011, two working groups tasked by SUNY’s Chancellor to review the relationship between the Research Foundation and the University released a summary report and set of recommendations that authorizes much of the enhanced expectations for the President & Vice Chancellor role. The report, which is available here, explains the charter of the Research Council and includes an organization chart of the Research Foundation and of the key relationships the President maintains with SUNY Chancellor and the Research Council.

Operating Responsibilities

Alongside the significant strategic expectations defined for this position, the President is responsible for providing effective and efficient leadership, and direction of the entire RF enterprise, including ensuring both that all policies, resolutions, and other directives of the Board of Directors are carried out and that all RF services are provided to campus constituents in the most effective and efficient way. Working with senior RF staff and with campus-based Operations Managers, the President is responsible for:

• Developing and encouraging strong collaborative working relationships with SUNY System Administration, campus Presidents, OMs, and other members of the campus communities.
• Making appropriate recommendations to the RF Board of Directors and submitting an annual written report at the conclusion of each fiscal year.
• Communicating regularly with the SUNY Chancellor, Provost and the Chair of the Board of Directors to discuss RF and SUNY research performance and address challenges to ensure the RF is providing the highest level of service to SUNY.
• Ensuring risk management and control systems are in place and in compliance with federal, state, RF and sponsor specific policies and procedures.
• Ensuring the RF achieves strong financial and operational performance.
• Ensuring growth of leadership and management skills of executive staff, leading and supporting the corporate workforce, and driving a culture of engagement.
• Performing other duties as directed by the RF Board of Directors and the SUNY Executive Vice Chancellor & Provost or as reasonably incidental to the office.

Qualifications

The following credentials and attributes are considered essential for viable candidates:

• PhD in a research-intensive discipline and/ or an MD with research experience is required; an MBA, JD, or other terminal degree with substantial business experience involving research and development may be considered.
• Successful experience in bringing innovative research to market.
• Experience working with federal, state and business and industry partners to stimulate research and economic development.
• Successful experience working with academic and/or business enterprises to create and implement a targeted, innovative strategic plan to assure achievement of enterprise vision, mission and values.
• Appropriate management experience including progressively more complex technical and executive experience in positions of a similar scope reporting to a Board of Directors or organizational CEO.
• Experience in non-profit, research, and higher education settings preferred; transferable experience may be considered.
• Ability to engage, motivate and mentor staff to achieve strategic goals.
• Ability to be part of a senior management team that models cohesive and innovative leadership.
• Excellent communication skills in person and in writing; excellent relationship-management skills.
• Experience, confidence, leadership and diplomacy to interact with all levels of RF operations, SUNY, partners in business and industry, and federal and NYS government.
• Experience working in a complex, rapidly evolving, and regulated environment with varied constituencies.
• Creative, strategic and poised when facing constant challenge and change.
• Ability to present information and respond to questions from groups of executives, Board members, and the general public.
• Ability to lead change in an organization and flexibility to adapt to changing priorities.

DIVERSITY AT THE RESEARCH FOUNDATION & SUNY

The Research Foundation and SUNY seek to attract and retain the highest quality faculty, staff and administration. Toward this aim, they are committed to equal employment opportunity and to fostering openness and inclusiveness in the workplace. For the RF, as for each SUNY campus, employees believe that promoting a diverse, inclusive working environment enhances productivity, creates personal and professional opportunities, unleashes each individual’s full potential, and fuels innovation.

Please send applications (resume/vita and cover letter) and nominations to:

Craig V. Smith, PhD, Partner
Opus Search Partners
1616 Walnut Street, Suite 1812
Philadelphia, PA 19103
215-790 -1188 x222
craig.smith@opuspartners.net

Visit How to Get RF Information for more details about the Research Foundation.

** Applications and nominations for the President search process will be kept confidential **