Executive Director

North Carolina State University; North Carolina; On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, and Vision

Retirement Programs

Disability Plans

Life Insurance

12 Holidays Each Year

Tuition and Academic Assistance

Job summary

NC State University seeks an Executive Director for Industry Expansion Solutions (IES) Operations in Raleigh, NC. You will lead strategic planning, financial stewardship, and statewide outreach, aligning IES with the College of Engineering and public–private partnerships.

You will manage a diverse team, oversee a multi-million-dollar budget, and foster industry collaboration to translate research into impactful, scalable programs across North Carolina.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or higher in Engineering, Business Administration, Industrial Management, Technology Policy, or a closely related discipline.
• Minimum of eight years of executive-level leadership experience managing complex technical operations, industrial outreach, or university-based extension programs.

Responsibilities

• Provide overarching vision, strategic planning, and operational leadership for IES, aligning unit goals with NC State’s mission.
• Oversee statewide network of regional offices, field staff, and administrative teams with a multi-million-dollar budget.
• Lead strategic workforce development and partnerships with industry, community colleges, and state agencies.

Skills

Executive leadership

Strategic planning

Stakeholder engagement

Budget management

Industry experience

Education

Master’s degree or higher

Job description

Posting Details

• Posting Number: PG195034EP
• Internal Recruitment: Yes
• Working Title: Executive Director
• Anticipated Hiring Range: Commensurate with education and experience
• Work Schedule: Core Business Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with flexibility based on business needs.
• Job Location: Raleigh, NC
• Department: Industry Expansion Solutions (IES) Operations

About The Department

Industry Expansion Solutions ( IES ) plays a vital role in North Carolina’s economic development by bringing engineering, science, and technology to industries, businesses, and public agencies. Through professional education and technical assistance, IES empowers engineers and technical professionals with best practices that drive innovation, enhance productivity, and support environmental sustainability. By advocating for the strategic use of engineering and technology, IES helps organizations grow, improve quality, and remain competitive in an evolving marketplace.

Wolfpack Perks And Benefits

As a Pack member, you belong here, and can enjoy exclusive perks designed to enhance your personal and professional well-being. As you consider this opportunity, we encourage you to review our Employee Value Proposition and learn more about what makes NC State the best place to learn and work for everyone.

What we offer:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision
• Flexible Spending Account
• Retirement Programs
• Disability Plans
• Life Insurance
• Accident Plan
• Paid Time Off and Other Leave Programs
• 12 Holidays Each Year
• Tuition and Academic Assistance
• And so much more!

Attain Work-life balance with our Childcare benefits, Wellness & Recreation Membership, and Wellness Programs that aim to build a thriving wolfpack community.

Disclaimer: Perks and Benefit eligibility is based on Part-Time or Full-Time Employment status. Eligibility and Employer Sponsored Plans can be found within each of the links offered.

Essential Job Duties

As the Executive Director of Industry Expansion Solutions ( IES ), you will provide strategic, administrative, and operational leadership for NC State University’s primary engineering and industrial outreach organization. Reporting to the Dean of the College of Engineering, you will lead efforts to translate university research, innovation, and technical expertise into practical solutions that support North Carolina’s industries and economic growth. You will also oversee a statewide network of regional field offices, technical specialists, and administrative staff, with responsibility for a multi-million-dollar operating budget supported by state appropriations, federal grants, industrial contracts, and fee-for-service revenue.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Industrial Outreach Management

• Executive Direction: Provide overarching vision, strategic planning, and operational leadership for IES, aligning unit goals with the mission of the College of Engineering and NC State’s land-grant commitment.
• Statewide Engagement: Serve as the primary public face and advocate for NC State’s industrial extension services to state legislative bodies, economic development organizations (e.g., Economic Development Partnership of NC), industry associations, and local business leaders.
• Regional Operations: Oversee the statewide delivery system of regional directors, field specialists, and technical experts to ensure comprehensive coverage across all 100 North Carolina counties.
• Technical Assistance Programs: Administer the development and maintenance of technical solutions that provide extension services support to statewide businesses, including the oversight of the Minerals Research Laboratory in Asheville, NC.

Financial Administration, Sponsored Programs & Grant Operations

• Fiscal Governance: Manage a complex multi-million dollar operational budget composed of state-budgeted funds, federal grants, corporate sponsorships, and client fee-for-service revenue streams.
• Federal & State Compliance: Oversee the development, submission, compliance, and execution of major federal and state grants, and non-financial cooperative agreements including major recurring awards from NIST, OSHA, the Department of Defense (DoD), and the Department of Energy (DOE).
• Business Development: Identify and secure new, diversified funding streams, federal grants, and commercial partnerships to ensure financial sustainability and program expansion.
• Resource Allocation: Direct internal budget allocation, staffing models, and physical assets across IES operational units (e.g., Manufactured in NC, SE OSHA Training Institute Education Center).

University Leadership, Interdisciplinary Collaboration & College Integration

• College Leadership Team: Serve as an active member of the College of Engineering senior leadership team, collaborating with department heads, associate deans, and research directors.
• Research Translation: Bridge academic research and industry practice by facilitating faculty and student engagement with industry partners, supporting applied research, technology transfer, and commercialization pathways.
• Workforce Development Strategy: Collaborate with the university, community colleges, and trade organizations to design and deploy critical workforce development, credentialing, and technical training programs.

Human Resources Governance, Executive Oversight & Organizational Strategy

• Executive Hiring & Final Approval: Serve as the ultimate hiring, appointment, and salary approval authority for all IES personnel, maintaining executive oversight of organizational structure, key director-level appointments, and overall workforce planning.
• Leadership Supervision: Provide direct strategic supervision and performance management to the senior leadership team—including Associate Executive Directors, Program Directors, and Functional Managers—who independently manage day-to-day unit operations, staff supervision, and recruitment pipelines.
• Organizational Development & Culture: Establish the overarching cultural, professional development, and retention strategies for a statewide workforce of EPS faculty/staff, field specialists, and SHRA support staff, fostering a culture grounded in customer responsiveness, technical excellence, and public service.
• Policy Governance & Compliance: Ensure overall unit adherence to NC State University HR policies, EPS non-faculty guidelines, equal opportunity standards, and performance evaluation metrics across all statewide field offices and operating centers.

Technical Communications & Impact Reporting

• Impact Measurement: Direct the collection, analysis, and dissemination of quantitative economic impact metrics (e.g., job creation, cost savings, plant retention, and ROI) reported annually to NIST, the NC General Assembly, and university leadership.
• Stakeholder Reporting: Prepare comprehensive reports, policy briefings, and presentations for internal university leadership, IES and external advisory boards, and legislative committees.

If you are a strategic leader passionate about strengthening industry partnerships, advancing innovation, and supporting North Carolina’s economic growth, we welcome you to apply and lead the continued impact of NC State’s Industry Expansion Solutions.

This position is open for current NC State Employees only, permanent or temporary.

Other Responsibilities

• Maintain deep working relationships with federal program officers (NIST, OSHA, DoD) and key university stakeholders (Office of Research and Innovation, University Advancement).
• Perform other high-level strategic duties as assigned by the Dean of the College of Engineering to support the College’s and IES’s operational and organizational priorities.

Qualifications

Minimum Education and Experience

• An earned Master’s degree or higher in Engineering, Business Administration, Industrial Management, Technology Policy, or a closely related discipline. All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.
• Minimum of eight years of executive-level leadership experience managing complex technical operations, industrial outreach, or university-based extension programs.

Other Required Qualifications

• Executive Leadership: Outstanding executive presence with proven capability to lead matrixed, geographically dispersed teams across the state.
• Executive Personnel Governance: Proven ability to manage an executive organizational chart, delegate operational management effectively to subordinate directors, and lead through matrixed management teams.
• Strategic Workforce Oversight: Demonstrated skill in setting high-level performance expectations, driving organizational retention, and evaluating executive-level performance across a diverse, multi-disciplinary team.
• Strategic Vision: Ability to identify emerging industrial trends (e.g., Industry 4.0, AI in manufacturing, supply chain resilience) and translate them into actionable outreach programs.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Experience building and maintaining trusted relationships with C-suite executives, state legislators, university administrators, and federal sponsors, supported by strong interpersonal and political acumen
• Communication: Ability to communicate complex information effectively through exceptional written, verbal, and presentation skills to audiences ranging from technical staff to university leadership and legislative stakeholders.
• Financial Management: Demonstrated track record of successful financial management, including budget oversight of complex, multi-sourced funding portfolios (federal grants, state appropriations, and revenue-based services).
• Industry Experience: Proven experience working directly with manufacturing sectors, industrial supply chains, or technology transfer operations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ph.D. or doctoral degree in Engineering, Technology Management, or a related field.
• 10+ years of senior executive experience in a land-grant university extension unit, state economic development agency, or federal Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) center.
• Extensive knowledge of North Carolina’s economic landscape, key manufacturing sectors (e.g., aerospace, biomanufacturing, textiles, defense, advanced materials), and state legislative processes.
• Proven success as a Principal Investigator (PI) or Executive Lead on major federal grants (NIST, DoD, DOE, OSHA).
• Professional certifications in Lean/Six Sigma, Project Management (PMP), or Professional Engineering (PE) license.

Required License(s) or Certification(s)

n/a

Valid NC Driver's License required

No

Commercial Driver's License required

No

Recruitment Dates and Special Instructions

Job Open Date: 11/12/2026

Anticipated Close Date: 11/30/2026; if posting is still active we are accepting and reviewing applications.

Position Details

• Position Number: 00001545
• Position Type: EPS/SAAO
• Full Time Equivalent (FTE) (1.0 = 40 hours/week): 1.00
• Appointment: 12 Month Recurring
• Mandatory Designation - Adverse Weather: Non Mandatory - Adverse Weather
• Mandatory Designation - Emergency Events: Non Mandatory - Emergency Event
• Department ID: 140701 - Industry Expansion Solutions (IES) Operations

EEO

NC State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal opportunities for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, and veteran status. The University encourages all qualified applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities, to apply. Individuals with disabilities requiring disability-related accommodations in the application and interview process are welcome to contact 919-513-0574 to speak with a representative of the Office of Equal Opportunity.

If you have general questions about the application process, you may contact Human Resources at [phone] or [e-mail] .

Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. Degree(s) must be obtained prior to start date in order to meet qualifications and receive credit.

NC State University participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.