Vice President of Science Leadership and Culture

HHMI seeks an inaugural Vice President of Science Leadership and Culture who will be a member of its senior leadership team and provide vision, leadership, and management for its Center for the Advancement of Science Leadership and Culture. The Vice President of Science Leadership and Culture will be based out of HHMI’s headquarters in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

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Summary

Last fall, HHMI announced a renewed commitment to advancing racial, ethnic, and gender diversity in academic science. At this pivotal time in its history, HHMI seeks an inaugural Vice President of Science Leadership and Culture (VPSLC) who will be a member of its senior leadership team. The ideal VPSLC will be a scientist with academic experience as well as a change agent with a track record of influencing and integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work throughout an organization.

The VPSLC will provide vision, leadership, and management for the Center for the Advancement of Science Leadership and Culture (CASLC). The goal of CASLC will be to advance HHMI’s mission by the following:

• Serving as a center of expertise for advancing DEI in HHMI’s new and existing scientific and educational programs and in support of other DEI initiatives that focus on HHMI’s workforce;
• Providing general supervision of HHMI’s science-focused DEI goals across programmatic departments;
• Finalizing and launching resources for the development of skills to help maintain inclusive environments throughout the HHMI scientific community;
• Leading HHMI’s precollege, undergraduate, and graduate science education programs (other than programs focused on educational media or based at HHMI’s Janelia Research Campus); and
• Serving as a resource and thought leader across and beyond the greater HHMI community on advancing DEI to help create a healthier academic research ecosystem in the U.S.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Partner with the President and other HHMI leaders in strategic, programmatic, and operational decision-making. Proactively provide advice and recommendations to the President and other members of HHMI leadership on issues relating to the advancement in academic research environments of leadership, culture, and DEI. Collaborate with HHMI’s People and Culture department to support other DEI initiatives that focus on HHMI’s workforce.
2. In coordination with the President and other programmatic vice presidents and other leaders, provide general oversight across HHMI with respect to the strategies, programs, and activities implemented to advance HHMI’s science-focused DEI goals, such as the expansion of the Hanna H. Gray Fellows and Gilliam Fellows Programs, and the launch of the new early career scientists and postbaccalaureate programs. Develop strategies to encourage inclusive activity by academic departments that early-career HHMI scientists enter as they begin tenure-track faculty positions. This includes, for example, taking the lead on coordinating assessment efforts for these strategies, programs, and activities, and the reporting of results of those assessment efforts, across programmatic departments.
3. Lead HHMI’s external precollege, undergraduate, and graduate science education programs (other than those focused on educational media or based at the Janelia Research Campus). These programs currently include grants to local public schools and other local institutions; the Inclusive Excellence program; the Driving Change program; the HHMI Professors Program; the Science Education Alliance; the Gilliam Fellows Program; and support for advanced courses for biomedical science trainees.
4. Build and maintain CASLC as a center of expertise within HHMI for the advancement of DEI in HHMI’s scientific and educational programs. Over time, develop CASLC to serve as a resource and thought leader outside of the HHMI community on advancing DEI to help create a healthier academic research ecosystem in the U.S. This may include, in coordination with the Office of the President and other programmatic vice presidents, developing and maintaining strategic external relationships to advance DEI beyond HHMI.
5. Finalize and launch resources to help HHMI lab heads, trainees, and other lab members develop skills to create and maintain inclusive environments. This includes, for example, scaling up and disseminating mentorship training to HHMI scientists, and managing the initial launch and periodic updates of or additions to the professional development curriculum HHMI is developing with the National Center for Principled Leadership and Research Ethics (NCPRE).
6. Collaborate with programmatic vice presidents and other leaders in HHMI’s Science department and at the Janelia Research Campus to help increase the diversity of HHMI’s advisory boards, Investigator program, Janelia lab head population, and the Institute’s overall lab-based population to better reflect the racial, ethnic, and gender makeup of the relevant talent pools.
7. Proactively anticipate and develop responses to changes in the scientific research, science education, and science policy environments that could impact HHMI’s strategy and goals for advancing DEI, scientific leadership, and culture. 
8. Provide the President and Board of Trustees with timely, accurate, and incisive reports on CASLC strategy, programs, and operations.
9. Support the President in establishing the cadence and operating framework of HHMI’s external DEI advisory board and developing agendas for DEI advisory board meetings; regularly present to and interact with the DEI advisory board.
10. Motivate and lead a high-performing team with responsibility for CASLC programs and operations. Attract, recruit, and retain key leaders as needed.
11. Establish and maintain a culture in CASLC that is diverse and inclusive, and values commitment, collaboration, integrity, and continuous improvement. Mentor and support CASLC staff in carrying out their work in a creative, effective, and professional manner and in productive collaboration with other departments and teams with which they interact.
12. Manage CASLC’s overall budget. Monitor expenditures against budget over the course of each budget year and cycle to keep costs within approved budgets.
13. Other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the President or the Board of Trustees.

Qualifications

Education/Experience

• Passion for and commitment to the work and mission of HHMI.
• MD or PhD (or equivalent) degree in a scientific field relevant to biomedical research is required. Renowned and/or well-established scientist is preferred.
• Credibility in research leadership is required, preferably in an organization dedicated to excellence in scientific research and education.
• Ongoing pursuit of scientific research and lab work are encouraged.
• Track record in building, leading, and delivering DEI-related initiatives and programs from design to deployment and assessment is strongly preferred; in-depth knowledge of research-based best practices which promote DEI is required.
• Extensive knowledge of life sciences, scientific research operations, research trends, and current state of US academic research.
• Experience demonstrating exceptional interpersonal, organizational, and leadership skills.

Skills and Abilities

• Strong leadership skills with an ability to set vision, lead change, influence, motivate and mentor others.
• Ability to collaborate, influence, and work successfully with multiple constituents in the design, deployment, integration, and assessment of strategies, programs, and activities.
• Intellectual curiosity and keen problem-solving skills. Ability to work effectively and positively with others, encouraging open discussion of ideas, opinions, and differing approaches; comfort challenging the status quo with fresh ideas, new approaches, and new solutions. Ability to resolve conflicts effectively and fairly.
• The highest ethical standards. Demonstrated commitment to providing a safe and respectful work environment for all employees, in keeping with equity, equal employment opportunities, and HHMI standards of conduct.
• Highly developed emotional intelligence skills with a track record of collaborating and working amicably with others. The ideal VPSLC will be a builder with a track record of creating pathways and interconnections. One who has a strong community orientation is highly desirable.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including facilitation, coaching, consulting, and presentation skills. The ideal candidate will be an exceptional listener. Additionally, they will be able to communicate effectively with a range of audiences, in diverse settings.

The VPSLC will be purpose-driven and resilient. The successful candidate will engender trust while being passionate, humble, and diligent about making a difference.

Compensation & Benefits

Salary and benefits are competitive and commensurate with experience. 

Apply for this Position

Koya Partners, the executive search firm that specializes in mission-driven search, has been exclusively retained for this engagement. Please submit a compelling cover letter and resume here.

Koya Partners is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing interest online, please email NonprofitSearchOps@divsearch.com. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.

HHMI is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ+ applicants.

https://www.hhmi.org/careers/vice-president-science-leadership-and-culture