President, New Jersey Innovation Institute (NJII)

Title:
President, New Jersey Innovation Institute (NJII)

Department:
President & CEO NJII

Reports To:


Position Type:
Staff

Position Summary:
New Jersey
Innovation Institute (NJII), an NJIT corporation, was founded in 2014 and helps
turn ideas into workable solutions across four divisions: healthcare,
entrepreneurship, defense and homeland security, and professional and corporate
education. NJII combines the vast assets and resources of NJIT, strong and
far-reaching industry and government relationships, and proven methods for
building industry-centric ecosystems to help drive innovation and deliver
solutions that have a direct impact on the regional and larger economy and the
health, welfare, and well-being of those in the communities it serves.

NJII seeks a
dynamic, creative, effective, and proven leader to guide, strengthen, and
expand its growing portfolio of innovation commercialization efforts, sponsored
and contract activities, and economic development initiatives. The NJII
President will connect customers, clients, and partners to NJIT's unique and
substantial resources, including world-class and pioneering research,
state-of-the-art facilities, globally recognized experts, and top STEM-educated
student talent. S/he will provide both a bold vision and strategic direction for:
bolstering commercialization efforts and tech transfer initiatives; amplifying existing,
and developing new, economic development enterprises; growing vital
collaborations with business and industry, government agencies, national labs,
foundations, higher education institutions, and non-profit organizations; and
building robust ecosystems in which industry, academia, and government
collaborate to address major challenges, spur innovations, and create stronger,
healthier, and more prosperous and sustainable communities.

NJII's next President
will lead the development and growth of its suite of programs in healthcare,
entrepreneurship, defense and homeland security, and professional and corporate
education, with significant implications for technology-driven solutions, products,
and services, innovation commercialization services, and workforce development
in the U.S. and globally, within the fast-evolving commercial ecosystem of the
greater NYC metro region. S/he will also be responsible for identifying,
assessing, and adding to the existing suite of programs, as appropriate, new
vertical markets or divisions that leverage the assets and resources of NJII
and NJIT.
The NJII
President reports to the NJIT President and serves as a member of the
university's senior leadership team. S/he also works closely and
collaboratively with NJII's Board of Directors, on which both members of the
university's Board of Trustees and other business and community leaders serve.

Essential Functions:
* Establishes a bold and comprehensive vision for NJII and its role, current and aspirational, as a catalyst of economic development in the region and beyond.
* Collaborates with NJIT faculty and researchers to develop a deep understanding of the university's assets, research programs, and new technology directions, as well as to educate those faculty and researchers about industry trends and priorities, with a view to identifying, developing, and implementing new business development initiatives, commercialization opportunities, and industry-centric product and services solutions.
* Builds, sustains, and strengthens multilayered, mutually beneficial partnerships, relationships, and alliances with business and industry, government agencies, national labs, non-profits, higher education institutions, and the leadership of these entities.
* With the counsel and guidance of the NJII Board of Directors, identifies, evaluates, and implements opportunities for new business development, commercialization, and industry-centric product and services solutions that leverage NJII's and NJIT's assets and strengths, drive future revenue growth, align with strategic needs and priorities, and expand NJII's and NJIT's recognition and brand.
* Works closely with NJIT's Research office to promote opportunities for faculty and student entrepreneurial activities and to connect them to VentureLink@NJIT, New Jersey's largest startup incubator, providing assistance with the formation and structuring of start-up companies, preparation of business plans, and access to the investment community including early-stage venture capital.
* Provides oversight of VentureLink@NJIT, and steers its growth and service to communities both on and off campus.
* Advises NJIT's senior leadership on technology commercialization strategies for the portfolio of intellectual property generated at the university.
* Manages, leads, mentors, and develops a team of high-performing professionals, empowering them to identify and create pioneering solutions, products, and services, to commercialize work products and intellectual property, and to deliver workforce development programs in the region.
* Communicates and markets NJII's unique mission, vision, and services, together with NJIT's distinctive assets and resources, to current and potential partners in business and industry, government, and the non-profit sector.
Identifies, structures, negotiates, and monitors partnership and business transactions to foster highly successful outcomes and to ensure compliance with, as appropriate, proposals, plans, policies, or agreement/contract terms.
* Works in close collaboration and harmonious coordination with NJIT's senior leadership, faculty, research staff, and the NJII Board of Directors and keeps these and other stakeholders regularly informed about the status of pending external business development transactions and partnerships with business and industry, government, and other organizations.
* Works closely with externally-focused divisions at NJIT to create unified and focused strategies designed to grow partnerships with corporations, foundations, government agencies, and other organizations and to expand revenue generation.

This
list of duties and responsibilities is not intended to be all-inclusive and may
be expanded or revised to include or exclude other duties or responsibilities
as deemed necessary.

Prerequisite Qualifications:
*A Bachelor's degree is required; an advanced degree (e.g., MBA, PhD, JD) is strongly preferred.
*15+ years of successful senior management and leadership experience in a relevant sector (public or private companies, start-ups, etc.).
*Proven real-world experience in building, managing, and leading entrepreneurial organizations - in start-ups, within corporations, and/or in academic environments.
*A distinguished record of entrepreneurial and executive experience as well as nonprofit and/or government acumen.
*Demonstrated ability to build, strengthen, and sustain robust relationships, partnerships, and alliances with internal constituents and external stakeholders, including business and industry, government agencies, national labs, foundations, higher education institutions, and non-profit organizations.
*Experience working effectively and productively with governing boards.
*Demonstrated ability to shape and lead corporate transactions, preferably with focus on strategic collaborations, including negotiating, reviewing, revising, and closing a variety of sophisticated and complex transactions.
*Experience in developing business and/or strategic plans, managing complex budgets, and assessing outcomes.
*Intellectual curiosity, creativity, strategic thinking, and significant leadership capability, including hands-on management experience.
*International experience preferred.
*At the university's discretion, the education and experience prerequisites may be exempted where the candidate can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the university, an equivalent combination of education and experience specifically preparing the candidate for success in the position.

Bargaining Unit:
Non-Aligned

Range/Band:
2

FLSA:
Exempt
Full-Time

Special Instructions to
Applicants:
NGrowth has been exclusively retained to lead this search. Interested applicants should reach out to Jessica Toth: j.smarttoth@n2growth.com