Associate Vice President for Business Engagement

Georgia Southern University
Associate Vice President for Business Engagement

Georgia Southern University seeks a visionary, innovative, and entrepreneurial leader to serve as the inaugural Associate Vice President for Business Engagement.

About the University

With over 26,100 students, Georgia Southern University’s 10 colleges, schools and departments offer 132 different degree programs at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate levels. These programs are offered on the University’s beautiful campuses in Statesboro, Savannah, Hinesville and through online instruction. We even have a study-abroad learning and research center in the charming city of Wexford, Ireland, marking Georgia Southern as the only public U.S. university with a campus in the country.

Whether a recent high school graduate, a military-affiliated student or an adult learner seeking to advance a career, Georgia Southern has a place to call home for everyone, ranking nationally in the Top 100 degree producers for diverse students.

With a single vision of growing others, our research is focused on community impact. Our teaching is focused on our students. And our students are focused on their future.

Georgia Southern’s nationally accredited academic programs prepare graduates for the real world of career or academics from graduation day. A unit of the University System of Georgia, the University boasts 300-plus student organizations, outstanding Division I athletics and state- of-the art residence halls and campus facilities.

Since 1906, the University’s hallmark has been a culture of engagement that bridges theory with practice, extends the learning environment beyond the classroom and promotes student growth and life success. Central to the University’s mission is the faculty’s dedication to excellence in teaching and the development of a fertile learning environment exemplified by a free exchange of ideas, high academic expectations and individual responsibility for academic achievement.

Faculty, staff, and students embrace core values of collaboration, academic excellence, discovery and innovation, integrity, openness and inclusion and sustainability.

Job Summary

The inaugural Associate Vice President for Business Engagement (AVPBE) will serve as a champion for corporate partnership and collaboration to advance the University’s mission. The Associate Vice President for Business Engagement will cast a long-range vision to expand and deepen corporate engagement across campus, with emphasis in the areas of research collaboration, philanthropy, and student success. To that end, the AVPBE will create the Office of Business Engagement and provide ongoing strategic leadership and direction of the business relations strategy of the university. The AVPBE will report to the Vice President for External Affairs, Communications, and Strategic Initiatives; Chief of Staff to the President.

Job Duties/Responsibilities

The AVBE is expected to provide strategy and leadership for the newly created Office of Business Engagement. It is expected that the inaugural AVBE will:

• Develop short- and long-range strategic plans
• Build regular means for assessing plans and goals for each area of responsibility
• Create, direct, assess, and coordinate the department’s financial and budget activities to fund operations and maximize efficiency
• Structure, appoint, and lead staff within the Office of Business Engagement
• Establish, delegate, communicate, monitor, and reinforce staff assignments, accountabilities, performance expectations, and goals for staff reporting to this position
• Analyze operations to evaluate and continuously improve the performance of the department and its staff in meeting objectives
• Direct, plan, and implement policies, objectives, and activities to ensure continuing maximization of returns on investment of staff and resources toward activities
• Establish and nurture strong relationships with academic leaders, senior staff, and colleagues across campus to create a collaborative team environment and to advance business engagement at all levels within the University
• Launch the inaugural Office of Business Engagement as the front door for companies to access Georgia Southern assets
• Develop and execute a campus-wide strategy to increase corporate research collaboration, philanthropy, student experiential learning opportunities, and engagement
• Lead a team to establish and achieve individual- and unit-level performance goals
• Advance brand strategy and marketing plan to drive internal and external interaction with the Office of Business Engagement
• Build synergistic partnerships with key internal stakeholders including the Business Innovation Group, Foundation and Alumni Relations, Office of Research and Economic Development, Office of Career and Professional Development, the office of Continuing and Professional Education, and college and unit-level industry coordinators
• Establish university-wide business engagement team to strengthen relationships with existing corporate partners, improve coordination in relationship management, and to identify new opportunities for corporate engagement across campus

Desired Qualifications

It is required that the AVBE possesses a bachelor’s degree in business administration, management, marketing, or relevant field with a master’s degree or higher strongly preferred. In addition, it is preferred, the selected candidate demonstrates:

• An understanding of or experience in entrepreneurship, corporate partnership programs, intellectual property policies, and/or programs that cultivate economic development and corporate engagement in university environments
• The ability to lead and manage teams of people within the framework of a large, complex organization like Georgia Southern University
• A passion for the creation of a new Office of Business Engagement and a desire to support the growth and professional development of their team
• A willingness to partner with senior management, peers, and others using a collaborative mentality and style
• Strong strategic planning abilities
• Executive problem-solving skills and the ability to organize and manage complex functions
• The capability to drive and manage change in an academic environment
• Knowledge of and experience needed to drive strategy and shift priorities of the Office of Business Engagement based on data and institutional mission and goals

Application Process

The Associate Vice President for Business Engagement Search Committee invites letters of nomination, applications (letter of interest, complete CV, and references), or expressions of interest to be submitted to the search firm assisting the University. Confidential review of materials will begin immediately and continue until the appointment is made. It is preferred, however, that all nominations and applications be submitted before Tuesday, October 29, 2024. For more information, please contact Parker Executive Search:

Porsha Williams, Vice President
Jacob Anderson, Senior Principal
Brett Sauls, Associate
Parker Executive Search
Five Concourse Parkway, Suite 2875 Atlanta, GA 30328
janderson@parkersearch.com || bsauls@parkersearch.com
Phone: (678) 775-4564

Georgia Southern University, a unit of the University System of Georgia, is an equal opportunity educational institution and is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.