The Associate Provost for Research reports to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and is responsible for oversight of the Office of Research and Creative Activity, while collaborating closely with the President's Cabinet and college deans to align research with Western Kentucky University's (WKU) overall academic mission. The Office of Research and Creative Activity is a twelve-member team who oversees the pre-award, research development, compliance and security, administrative operations and innovation, tech transfer, and commercialization functions on behalf of WKU.
The Associate Provost for Research supervises six of the twelve team members and is responsible for developing institutional research policies and procedures, coordinating and providing oversight of research, scholarship, and creative activity at WKU, serving in a crucial leadership role in defining and meeting the emerging research opportunities of the future, and being involved with the operations of the WKU Innovation Campus.
The Associate Provost will lead the University in achieving the goals of its research and commercialization agenda including: promoting interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary research; integrating research and education at both the graduate and undergraduate levels; ensuring the integrity of research processes and policies; stewarding the physical and computational infrastructure necessary for research leadership; establishing collaborative research partnerships between the University and key stakeholders at the local, regional, national, and international levels; participating in federal and state policymaking regarding research and economic development; and engaging a broad range of individuals in research, scholarly, or creative activity that strengthen the University's research enterprise.
The Associate Provost for Research will promote and facilitate intellectual property development and commercialization by supporting translational research to help move discoveries from the conceptual stage through the start-up phase. In addition, the Associate Provost will play a critical role in fostering increased business engagement, entrepreneurship, and economic development opportunities by leveraging business development and technology transfer.
Job Requirements:- Earned doctorate and a scholarly record consistent with appointment as a tenured full Professor at Western Kentucky University.
- Experience in managing a complex organization including people, resources, and operating budgets.
- Experience building research support and development programs that lead to increased external funding.
- Record of growing levels of externally funded research by overseeing and promoting the acquisition of funding from traditional and novel funding sources to support research and associated facilities, equipment, and infrastructure needs and capabilities.
- Familiarity with research compliance and risk management within a complex academic organization and the ability to lead and support WKU research compliance programs, initiatives, and committees.
- Ability to diversify funding streams to support the WKU research mission.
- Experience with technology transfer and a history of fostering, cultivating, and capitalizing upon constructive collaboration between research, scholarship, outreach/dissemination, and economic development.
- Possess a persuasive, diplomatic, and collaborative leadership style needed to build, navigate change, and maintain constructive alliances with a wide variety of people needed to navigate the rapidly changing university environment.
- Record of team building with strong commitment to creating and sustaining a positive university work environment, while promoting entrepreneurship and innovation.
- Successful history of competitive funding from federal agencies, non-profit agencies, and/or industrial entities.
Additional Information:Kentucky state law requires all public institutions of postsecondary education to conduct pre-employment criminal background checks to determine suitability for employment.
Western Kentucky University (WKU) is committed to a policy and practice of providing equal employment and educational opportunities to all individuals. In accordance with Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Revised 1992, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, no form of discrimination or harassment will be tolerated at WKU on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, marital status, age, uniformed services, veteran status, genetic information, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, or physical or mental disability in admission to career and technical education programs and/or activities, or employment practices.
Persons with disabilities, who need reasonable accommodations to participate in the application and/or selection process, should notify the office of Institutional Equity. To request an accommodation, report a complaint, or ask questions regarding WKU's Discrimination and Harassment Policy (#0.2040), please contact Ms. Ena Demir, Executive Director/Title IX Coordinator via email at ena.demir@wku.edu or by phone at (270) 745-6867. Ms. Demir is also responsible for coordinating the University's response to complaints related to sex and gender harassment. Additional information regarding Title IX is accessible via WKU's https://www.wku.edu/titleix/ website.
Information concerning educational programs offered by WKU are provided at: http://www.wku.edu/atwku/academics.php
For information related to job postings, please email employment@wku.edu.