Wilkes University College of Business and Engineering (COBE) invites nominations and applications for the Founding Cohen Executive Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CCEI). Reporting directly to the Dean, the Executive Director will work closely with COBE faculty and staff, the Director of the Small Business Development Center, the Executive Director of the Family Business Alliance and other relevant stakeholders within Wilkes University.

Primary Responsibilities

The director will support Wilkes's mission while leading the Center's strategic initiative to enhance students' entrepreneurship and innovation experience through academic curriculum, experiential learning and community enterprise engagements while enhancing the College of Business and Engineering entrepreneurial program on campus and in the broader region.

Specific Responsibilities Include

Strategic Leadership:
Develop and implement strategic plans for the center to promote COBE's goals of entrepreneurship and innovation across the university, driving regional and national impact.
Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to strengthen entrepreneurial networks.
Program Development:
Design and implement interdisciplinary programs, workshops, and competitions to encourage entrepreneurial thinking among students and faculty.
Student and Faculty Engagement:
Advise and mentor students on entrepreneurship and venture creation, providing resources and opportunities to support their entrepreneurial aspirations.
Work with faculty to integrate entrepreneurship and innovation into academic curricula, ensuring students receive a comprehensive entrepreneurial education.
Financial Oversight:
Manage the financial health of the CCEI, overseeing budgets, fundraising, and the administration of restricted and endowed funds in collaboration with university advancement.
Teaching:
With appropriate qualifications, selected candidate may teach a business, entrepreneurship, or an interdisciplinary course in venture creation each semester.

Additional Responsibilities

Guide the development of co-curricular programming for the center and conduct internal programming assessment in support of both AACSB and ABET accreditation compliance.
Maintain comprehensive knowledge of current trends in entrepreneurship and innovation.
Coordinate the Center's Scholars program while advising and mentoring student scholars.
Design and implement an integrated four-year entrepreneurship program(s) similar to an integrated four-year PPD program for students, including symposia, entrepreneurship competition and other events.
Plan visits to relevant regional, state or national enterprises to invite speakers, panelists to on campus events on initiatives related to entrepreneurship and innovation.
Coordinate with the office of marketing and communication to maintain the center's website and regular publications, such as monthly or quarterly newsletters
Manage the center's outreach programs.
Collaborate with the university advancement for the Center's fundraising efforts and monitor restricted and endowed funds.
Engage in personal professional development opportunities to meet the program needs.
Take on other tasks as assigned

Required Qualifications

A Master's degree in business administration, engineering, or a related field.
Extensive experience in entrepreneurship, innovation, intellectual property, business development, and venture creation.

Wilkes University is an independent, comprehensive university dedicated to academic excellence in the liberal arts, sciences, and selected professional programs. The University has approximately 2,000 students at the undergraduate level and over 1,500 full time equivalent students at the graduate and first professional levels.

Its institutional focus is on developing strong mentoring relationships with each of its students and contributing vitally to economic development of Northeastern Pennsylvania. The University is located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, a revitalized city that is located on the lovely Susquehanna River and is within two and one-half hours driving distance of New York City and Philadelphia.

To apply, visit https://wilkesuniversitycareers.applicantpro.com/jobs/. Please be sure to include a cover letter, resume or curriculum vitae and three references.

Wilkes University is constantly seeking to become a more diverse community and to enhance its capacity to value and capitalize on the cultural richness that diversity brings. The University strongly encourages applications from persons with diverse backgrounds. Wilkes University does not discriminate in its employment practices or in its educational programs or activities on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, disability, pregnancy, sex/gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, marital or family status, military or veteran status, or genetic information.

Employment at Wilkes is contingent upon the results of a thorough background screening. PA Act 153 requires that persons working in positions with regular and unsupervised contact with minors complete additional clearances, including FBI fingerprinting and PA criminal and child abuse clearances.

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