Executive Director
NC State University
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Job summary
NC State University is seeking an Executive Director for Industry Expansion Solutions (IES) to provide strategic, administrative, and operational leadership for the statewide engineering outreach program. This role reports to the Dean of the College of Engineering and guides initiatives that translate research into practical, regional solutions.
You will oversee a statewide network of offices, manage a multi‑million dollar budget, and build strong partnerships with industry, government, and
Qualifications
- Executive Leadership and strategy oversight across statewide operations.
- Experience managing multi-sourced funding and large budgets.
- Ability to engage with state legislators, industry partners, and university leadership.
- Strong financial governance and federal/state grant oversight.
- Experience with workforce development and industry outreach.
Responsibilities
- Provide strategic vision and operational leadership for NC State's Industry Expansion Solutions.
- Oversee statewide network of regional offices and staff.
- Manage multi-million dollar operating budget and funding streams.
- Develop and sustain partnerships with industry, government, and academic stakeholders.
- Report impact and coordinate with College of Engineering leadership.
Skills
Education
Job description
This position is open for current NC State Employees only, permanent or temporary.
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.
Department: Industry Expansion Solutions (IES) Operations
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.
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.
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.
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.
- 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.
- 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, varied 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, southeastern OSHA Training Institute Education Center).
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 varied, 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.
- 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.
n/a
Valid NC Driver's License required
Valid NC Driver's License required no
Commercial Driver's License required
Commercial Driver's License required no
Job Open Date: 11/12/2026
Anticipated Close Date: 11/30/2026; if posting is still active we are accepting and reviewing applications.
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
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 (919) 515-2135 or workatncstate@ncsu.edu.
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.
Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).
- How did you learn of this opportunity?
- NCSU Website
- NCSU Executive Search Services
- Monster.com
- CareerBuilder.com
- InsideHigherEd.com
- Carolina Job Finder / Employment Guide
- Job / Career Fair
- The Chronicle of Higher Education
- HERC
- Professional Journal
- Print Advertisement (Newspaper / Periodical)
- Professional Organization
- Direct Contact from NCSU HR Representative / Recruiter
- NCSU Employee Referral
- Social Media (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Other)
- Other
- If you learned about this vacancy from "other source" or "other website", please provide the source.
(Open Ended Question)
- Are you CURRENTLY a PERMANENT or TEMPORARY employee of NC State University?
- Yes
- No
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