The inaugural Vice Chancellor and Executive Director will report to the SUNY Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost and President of the Research Foundation and will work in close strategic partnership with the SUNY Senior Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Economic Development. The Senior Vice Chancellor will provide guidance, context, and perspective on SUNY’s research and economic development priorities. The Vice Chancellor and Executive Director will also work closely with the RF Vice President for Innovation and Partnerships to advance opportunities for innovation, industry engagement, and partnerships across SUNY.

This is a rare opportunity to build an organization and shape the future of university-industry engagement at one of the nation's largest public higher education systems. This position will help define how industry engages with SUNY's world-class research enterprise for years to come. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to build a new organization, influence system-wide strategies, and create partnerships that accelerate innovation, economic development, and research impact across New York State.

About the State University of New York:

The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive university system in the United States. Its impact in New York State and across the globe begins with its 64 institutions, including research universities, academic medical centers, liberal arts colleges, community colleges, colleges of technology, and an online learning network. SUNY serves nearly 1.3 million students in credit-bearing courses and programs and through continuing education and community outreach programs. The institution’s nearly 3 million SUNY alumni are located around the globe, each making their own unique impact.

SUNY was created out of a commitment to opportunity and access and designed to meet diverse needs across a vast geographic landscape. SUNY reflects both the land-grant mission reborn and a reputation for embracing new thinking and brighter ideals. Its faculty and students are constantly seeking, generating, analyzing, and sending knowledge back into the world through informed citizens, revitalized communities, and experts who transform entire sectors.

SUNY’s colleges and universities are state-supported, and its graduates have been giving back and transforming the lives of local and global citizens since it was established over 70 years ago. Millions of SUNY alumni are working in their communities every day, changing and improving the world with exceptional contributions – whether defined as a medical breakthrough, a technological innovation, an inspirational piece of art, or the birth of a new business.

By leveraging its talents and resources in targeted, quantifiable ways, SUNY bolsters New York’s economy and enhances quality of life for its citizens. Find more information about SUNY here.

About the SUNY Research Foundation

Chartered in 1951 by the New York State Board of Regents as a non-profit education corporation, the SUNY Research Foundation (RF) is the largest comprehensive university-connected research foundation in the country. The RF supports a vibrant research ecosystem that cultivates innovation and entrepreneurship across multiple key areas, including Artificial Intelligence, Clean Energy, Biotechnology, Longevity, Substance Addiction, Next-gen Quantum Computing, Environmental Health, and Resiliency.

The RF comprises a central office and operating units at 30 state-operated campuses across New York State, and is governed by a board of directors. Under the leadership of the President of the SUNY Research Foundation and the Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost for SUNY, the SUNY Research Foundation supports:

• $1.27 billion in total revenue (FY26);
• $5.1 million in technology accelerator funds; and
• $40M in capital secured by 84 supported companies.

Driving social impact, enhancing human well-being, and stimulating economic growth, the RF provides SUNY’s campuses with an infrastructure of people, technology, and processes that enable faculty to:

• write and submit grant proposals to agencies, foundations, and companies;
• establish contracts and manage funding awarded to run campus-based research projects;
• protect and commercialize intellectual property created within those projects; and
• establish enduring partnerships that shape the future.

About the SUNY Industry Engagement Hub

The SUNY Industry Engagement Hub is a five-year strategic initiative that will connect industry partners with SUNY’s research expertise, innovation assets, facilities, and talent pipeline. The successful candidate will create and execute a system-wide strategy that:

• Expands industry-sponsored research across SUNY;
• Creates a seamless experience for corporate partners;
• Accelerates contracting and partnership development;
• Amplifies focus on commercialization outcomes;
• Strengthens workforce development pathways and career opportunities; and
• Builds deep and long-term strategic relationships with industry leaders.

The Vice Chancellor and Executive Director will establish the SUNY Industry Engagement Hub as a trusted gateway for companies seeking research collaborations, talent partnerships, and innovation opportunities across SUNY.

The Candidate Profile:

The ideal candidate is a relationship builder, strategist, and operator who excels at creating partnerships that generate measurable impact. They will have demonstrated experience in many of the following areas:

• Strategic leadership: Demonstrated success in developing organizational strategy and effectively implementing organizational growth initiatives. A track record of establishing processes and practices to encourage and reinforce innovation and inspiring followership through engaging key constituents in a reasoned way.
• Business development and commercialization acumen: Progressive leadership experience in industry engagement, corporate partnerships, research administration, business development, IP management and technology commercialization, and/or innovation ecosystems.
• Building and leading teams: Executive leadership experience building and scaling teams in an entrepreneurial setting. A track record for inspiring a diverse staff with energy and dedication to their professional advancement, as well as commitment to clarity and accountability.
• Multi-sector experience: Demonstrated expertise and knowledge of multiple sectors, with the ability to effectively communicate across a broad range of industries, areas of inquiry, and academic disciplines.
• Stakeholder engagement experience: Ability to listen effectively and communicate transparently across a broad range of stakeholders and constituents, with a strong orientation towards consensus building and an appreciation of shared governance.
• Experience in a research-intensive setting: Prior work in support of, or meaningful exposure to, an environment focused on research and innovation, through either faculty or administrative appointment, board service, or other means that would provide knowledge of sponsored research, technology transfer, and commercialization processes. Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in science, engineering, business, law, finance, or a related field, preferred.

Other Personal Characteristics

• Intellectual breadth and curiosity.
• Outstanding written, verbal, and presentation skills.
• Connection to the educational and research missions of the University.
• Persistence and resiliency, with comfort navigating ambiguity to drive entrepreneurial efforts to fruition.
• A leadership style characterized by the highest personal integrity and ethics, transparency, accessibility, and openness to a team-centered environment.

The Search Process:

State University of New York System Administration is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, familial status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, criminal conviction, or retaliation.

The hiring committee welcomes nominations, applications, and expressions of interest, which may be submitted via the confidential search mailbox: SUNYIndustry@SpencerStuart.com.

The inaugural Vice Chancellor and Executive Director will report to the SUNY Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost and President of the Research Foundation and will work in close strategic partnership with the SUNY Senior Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Economic Development. The Senior Vice Chancellor will provide guidance, context, and perspective on SUNY’s research and economic development priorities. The Vice Chancellor and Executive Director will also work closely with the RF Vice President for Innovation and Partnerships to advance opportunities for innovation, industry engagement, and partnerships across SUNY.

This is a rare opportunity to build an organization and shape the future of university-industry engagement at one of the nation's largest public higher education systems. This position will help define how industry engages with SUNY's world-class research enterprise for years to come. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to build a new organization, influence system-wide strategies, and create partnerships that accelerate innovation, economic development, and research impact across New York State.

About the State University of New York:

The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive university system in the United States. Its impact in New York State and across the globe begins with its 64 institutions, including research universities, academic medical centers, liberal arts colleges, community colleges, colleges of technology, and an online learning network. SUNY serves nearly 1.3 million students in credit-bearing courses and programs and through continuing education and community outreach programs. The institution’s nearly 3 million SUNY alumni are located around the globe, each making their own unique impact.

SUNY was created out of a commitment to opportunity and access and designed to meet diverse needs across a vast geographic landscape. SUNY reflects both the land-grant mission reborn and a reputation for embracing new thinking and brighter ideals. Its faculty and students are constantly seeking, generating, analyzing, and sending knowledge back into the world through informed citizens, revitalized communities, and experts who transform entire sectors.

SUNY’s colleges and universities are state-supported, and its graduates have been giving back and transforming the lives of local and global citizens since it was established over 70 years ago. Millions of SUNY alumni are working in their communities every day, changing and improving the world with exceptional contributions – whether defined as a medical breakthrough, a technological innovation, an inspirational piece of art, or the birth of a new business.

By leveraging its talents and resources in targeted, quantifiable ways, SUNY bolsters New York’s economy and enhances quality of life for its citizens. Find more information about SUNY here.

About the SUNY Research Foundation

Chartered in 1951 by the New York State Board of Regents as a non-profit education corporation, the SUNY Research Foundation (RF) is the largest comprehensive university-connected research foundation in the country. The RF supports a vibrant research ecosystem that cultivates innovation and entrepreneurship across multiple key areas, including Artificial Intelligence, Clean Energy, Biotechnology, Longevity, Substance Addiction, Next-gen Quantum Computing, Environmental Health, and Resiliency.

The RF comprises a central office and operating units at 30 state-operated campuses across New York State, and is governed by a board of directors. Under the leadership of the President of the SUNY Research Foundation and the Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost for SUNY, the SUNY Research Foundation supports:

• $1.27 billion in total revenue (FY26);
• $5.1 million in technology accelerator funds; and
• $40M in capital secured by 84 supported companies.

Driving social impact, enhancing human well-being, and stimulating economic growth, the RF provides SUNY’s campuses with an infrastructure of people, technology, and processes that enable faculty to:

• write and submit grant proposals to agencies, foundations, and companies;
• establish contracts and manage funding awarded to run campus-based research projects;
• protect and commercialize intellectual property created within those projects; and
• establish enduring partnerships that shape the future.

About the SUNY Industry Engagement Hub

The SUNY Industry Engagement Hub is a five-year strategic initiative that will connect industry partners with SUNY’s research expertise, innovation assets, facilities, and talent pipeline. The successful candidate will create and execute a system-wide strategy that:

• Expands industry-sponsored research across SUNY;
• Creates a seamless experience for corporate partners;
• Accelerates contracting and partnership development;
• Amplifies focus on commercialization outcomes;
• Strengthens workforce development pathways and career opportunities; and
• Builds deep and long-term strategic relationships with industry leaders.

The Vice Chancellor and Executive Director will establish the SUNY Industry Engagement Hub as a trusted gateway for companies seeking research collaborations, talent partnerships, and innovation opportunities across SUNY.

The Candidate Profile:

The ideal candidate is a relationship builder, strategist, and operator who excels at creating partnerships that generate measurable impact. They will have demonstrated experience in many of the following areas:

• Strategic leadership: Demonstrated success in developing organizational strategy and effectively implementing organizational growth initiatives. A track record of establishing processes and practices to encourage and reinforce innovation and inspiring followership through engaging key constituents in a reasoned way.
• Business development and commercialization acumen: Progressive leadership experience in industry engagement, corporate partnerships, research administration, business development, IP management and technology commercialization, and/or innovation ecosystems.
• Building and leading teams: Executive leadership experience building and scaling teams in an entrepreneurial setting. A track record for inspiring a diverse staff with energy and dedication to their professional advancement, as well as commitment to clarity and accountability.
• Multi-sector experience: Demonstrated expertise and knowledge of multiple sectors, with the ability to effectively communicate across a broad range of industries, areas of inquiry, and academic disciplines.
• Stakeholder engagement experience: Ability to listen effectively and communicate transparently across a broad range of stakeholders and constituents, with a strong orientation towards consensus building and an appreciation of shared governance.
• Experience in a research-intensive setting: Prior work in support of, or meaningful exposure to, an environment focused on research and innovation, through either faculty or administrative appointment, board service, or other means that would provide knowledge of sponsored research, technology transfer, and commercialization processes. Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in science, engineering, business, law, finance, or a related field, preferred.

Other Personal Characteristics

• Intellectual breadth and curiosity.
• Outstanding written, verbal, and presentation skills.
• Connection to the educational and research missions of the University.
• Persistence and resiliency, with comfort navigating ambiguity to drive entrepreneurial efforts to fruition.
• A leadership style characterized by the highest personal integrity and ethics, transparency, accessibility, and openness to a team-centered environment.

The Search Process:

State University of New York System Administration is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, familial status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, criminal conviction, or retaliation.

The hiring committee welcomes nominations, applications, and expressions of interest, which may be submitted via the confidential search mailbox: SUNYIndustry@SpencerStuart.com.