Executive Director of the Board of Regents

Board of Regents State of Iowa; Urbandale (IA); Sur place; USD 130 000 - 180 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

The Iowa Board of Regents invites candidates for the Executive Director, serving as the chief executive officer of the Board Office. You will provide strategic leadership for the Board Office and advance priorities for Iowa's three public universities and affiliated enterprises.

Reporting to the Board, you will oversee governance, legislative affairs, and operations, and serve as a trusted spokesperson across higher education, state government, and stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree is required; advanced degree preferred.
• Experience in the public sector and higher education trends is expected.
• Ability to build relationships across campus constituencies and communicate with authority.
• Knowledge to speak on higher education issues with authority.

Responsabilités

• Oversee governance, legislative affairs, strategic planning, institutional oversight, board relations, communications, finance, operations and administration.
• Serve as trusted partner to Board and institutional leaders, aligning priorities and state interests.
• Coordinate legislative activities and design a transparent process for developing the next strategic plan.
• Lead the Board Office staff (18 FTE) and report to the Board as its principal advisor and spokesperson.

Connaissances

Executive leadership

Relationship building

Strategic leadership

Administrative capabilities

Excellent communication

Formation

Bachelor's degree

Advanced degree preferred

Description du poste

The Iowa Board of Regents invites candidates who demonstrate the executive leadership, judgment, relationship-building, and administrative capabilities necessary to successfully serve as Executive Director. The Executive Director serves as the chief executive officer of the Iowa Board of Regents, providing strategic leadership for the Board Office while advancing the Board's priorities in support of Iowa's three public universities and affiliated enterprises. Reporting directly to the Board, the Executive Director serves as its principal advisor and spokesperson, operating at the intersection of governance, higher education, public policy, and state government. The Executive Director works closely with Regents, institutional presidents, senior university leaders, legislators, state agencies, and other stakeholders to advance the Board's mission and strategic objectives.

As leader of the Board Office, the Executive Director oversees a broad portfolio that includes governance, legislative affairs, strategic planning, institutional oversight, board relations, communications, finance, operations, and administration. The Executive Director serves as a trusted partner to the Board and institutional leaders, helping navigate a complex and highly visible higher education environment while ensuring alignment among institutional priorities, state interests, and Board objectives.

The Executive Director oversees 18 full-time employees in the Board Office, including six direct reports. The office is supported by state appropriations and institutional support, with a FY 2027 budget of just over $5.2 million. The office is located in Urbandale, part of the Des Moines metro area.

The Executive Director will have the opportunity to design a transparent process for developing the next strategic plan, coordinate all legislative activities on behalf of the Board and campus leadership, and lead a skilled and dedicated Board Office staff. The Executive Director will be an exceptional communicator across a broad range of constituents and a trusted voice in higher education.

An earned bachelor's degree from an accredited institution is required, and an advanced degree is preferred. The successful candidate will have sufficient experience in the public sector and with contemporary trends in higher education, the ability to build relationships across campus constituencies, and the knowledge to speak on higher education issues with authority.

For fullest consideration, candidate materials should be received by November 13, 2026.

The Iowa Board of Regents does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, ethnicity, religion, national origin, pregnancy, sexual orientation, genetic information, sex, marital status, disability, status as a U.S. Veteran, or any other classification protected by law.