The Executive Director leads the Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute (DWFI) as a global leader in the international water and food research, learning, and practice communities. The Executive Director’s primary responsibility is to continue to build DWFI as a global leader in the international water and food communities by developing and nurturing local, national, and international partnerships with the public and private sectors, pursuing collaborative opportunities, promoting relevant high impact research, demonstrating achievement of results and outcomes, and ensuring the long-term financial sustainability of the Institute. The Executive Director promotes excellence in all facets of DWFI by:
Culture and Environment
- Facilitating access to scientific expertise for clientele within Nebraska, the High Plains, and globally by giving attention to expanding access to individuals and groups who have not previously engaged with DWFI.
- Fostering a culture within DWFI in which all contributions to the team are appreciated and recognized, collaboration and innovation are encouraged, and the abilities of all are engaged to fully realize the potential of the team, and the success of each person.
- Ensuring opportunities are open to all and efforts are made to engage audiences that have not previously engaged with DWFI.
Strategic Direction and Visioning
- Leading the development and implementation of a shared vision and strategic direction for DWFI integrated across research, discovery and innovation; outreach and engagement; teaching and learning; and public and professional service that results in sustained and tangible impacts that are highly aligned with the University’s and IANR’s visions and missions, and for the benefit of Nebraska and beyond.
- Continuing the development of DWFI as an internationally recognized leader in areas relevant to water and natural resource management in agricultural and food systems.
- Fostering a climate of innovation to enhance success and advance DWFI’s strategic vision.
- Engaging and coordinating DWFI’s strategic vision with university units and external organizations that have complementary purposes and visions for understanding, preserving and utilizing water resources in agriculture, food systems and natural resources.
- Maintaining a comprehensive understanding of the needs for specialized expertise of researchers and scholars across the University of Nebraska (NU) system, and partner industries.
- Communicating with transparency and clarity all aspects of DWFI initiatives, operations, and challenges and opportunities with faculty, staff, students, stakeholders, and funders and potential funders.
Collaboration and Engagement
- Supporting, coordinating, and partnering with NU campuses, departments/schools, centers including university Research Extension and Education Centers (REECs), Extension program areas and other entities internal to the university that support and/or align with DWFI initiatives, programming and expertise. Emphasis will be on enhancing collaboration with the IANR departments of Agricultural Economics, Agronomy and Horticulture, Animal Science, Biological Systems Engineering, and the School of Natural Resources; and UNMC’s College of Public Health to advance the DWFI’s strengths and IANR’s and the University’s interdisciplinary initiatives.
- Partnering with NU administrators, academic unit leaders, and center directors to promote and support collaborations and team building.
- Engaging and coordinating as appropriate with relevant Extension and research program areas.
- Nurturing a strong and productive relationship with the advisory board for DWFI.
- Fostering linkages with external groups (e.g., FAO, CGIAR and IWMI) and industry partners to strengthen ties that advance the missions and visions of DWFI and the university.
Resource, Personnel Management, and Advancement Activities
- Aligning and managing personnel, financial, and physical resources responsibly to maximize the effectiveness of those resources, exhibiting fiscal discipline and transparency, and utilizing best management practices.
- Recruiting faculty, staff, and students to attract, develop, and retain a team exhibiting and valuing excellence.
- Working with IANR’s expanded leadership team in donor engagement, fundraising, and stewardship to advance DWFI’s goals.
- Ensuring all operations, initiatives and programs are administered in accordance with all university policies, procedures, and affirmative action/equal opportunity/diversity programs.
Nurturing Success of Students, Postdocs, Staff, and Faculty
- Encouraging and providing support for the professional development of the faculty, postdocs, staff, and students.
- Mentoring and supporting faculty in developing research in their field of expertise and in contributing expertise to others.
- Engaging in professional development to continually hone skills to effectively lead and manage DWFI operations and initiatives, and to advance the mission of DWFI.
- Ensuring that guidance documents (e.g., operational procedures, bylaws) are relevant and up-to-date.
The incumbent accepts committee assignments, reporting responsibilities, and other special ad hoc assignments as requested at the administrative unit, institute, and/or university level.
Success in the role will be measured by the accomplishments and impacts of the faculty, staff, students, teams/collaborations and initiatives of DWFI.