Associate Director and Chief Operating Officer, Jen-Hsun Huang and Lori Mills Huang Collaborative Innovation Complex

OSU Oregon State University•Corvallis, OR

16d•Onsite

About The Position

The Jen-Hsun Huang & Lori Mills Huang Collaborative Innovation Complex is seeking an Associate Director and Chief Operating Officer. This is a full-time (1.00 FTE), 12-month, professional faculty position. The Associate Director and Chief Operating Officer is a foundational leadership position within the Complex, reporting directly to the Executive Director. This role is responsible for driving strategy execution, managing day-to-day operations, and building the organizational infrastructure to enable the Complex's growth, scale, and mission fulfillment. The Associate Director is a member of the senior leadership team and a key advisor and operational strategist for the Executive Director, providing regular advice and support. The Associate Director will at times step in for the Executive Director when directed. While the Executive Director serves as the Complex’s primary external representative and institutional leader, the Associate Director is the Executive Director’s principal internal partner, ensuring the Executive Director’s vision is translated into a functioning and high-performing organization. The Associate Director will have primary responsibility for the complex’s internal enterprise including: operations, finances, and infrastructure. The Associate Director will act as an advisor to the Executive Director supporting their vision, designing, planning, and execution of strategic programs and initiatives. During the initial phase of the Complex, the Associate Director provides direct leadership and oversight across all three primary functional areas: laboratory and research operations, financial management, and internal communications. This requires a leader who is comfortable holding broad operational scope while simultaneously building the organizational structure and staffing model that will support the Complex’s long-term growth. As the Huang Complex matures and functional staff are added, the Associate Director will transition toward executive oversight of those functional areas, continuing to serve as the senior operational leader of the Complex. Equally central to this role is the ability to build authentic, trust-based relationships and to support the multidisciplinary faculty, staff and student teams that make up the Huang Complex community. The Associate Director actively fosters collaboration, connecting people, ideas, and resources within the Complex to advance the HCIC mission. The Associate Director navigates a broad and diverse stakeholder landscape that includes OSU faculty and academic leadership, research teams, student communities, industry and government partners, OSU Foundation stakeholders, and community partners. Building and sustaining productive relationships across this landscape, and leveraging those relationships to advance the Huang Complex’s mission, is a core leadership responsibility of this position, not a secondary or support function.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field AND a minimum of eight (8) years of progressively responsible professional experience in operational leadership research administration, innovation centers, industry partnerships, complex program management, research facilities, higher education operations, or a related environment.
At least four (4) years of leadership experience with direct accountability for driving operational outcomes, building organizational capacity, and managing personnel and resources across multiple functional areas simultaneously.
Demonstrated experience building or significantly developing an organizational unit, including designing systems, developing staffing structures, and creating the management infrastructure needed for long-term growth and performance.
Demonstrated experience in budget preparation, financial tracking, expenditure management, and financial reporting for a significant program, unit, or organizational entity.
Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
Strong judgment, discretion, emotional intelligence, and problem-solving ability.
Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging as core values in leadership practice, team culture, and operational management.
This position is designated as a critical or security-sensitive position; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a criminal history check and be determined to be position qualified as per University Standard: 05-010 et seq. Incumbents are required to self-report convictions and those in youth programs may have additional criminal history checks every 24 months.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree (Master’s or doctoral level) in business administration, public administration, higher education administration, research management, or a related field
Experience in an R1 research university or similarly complex higher education environment, with senior operational leadership responsibility across multiple functional areas and diverse stakeholder communities
Experience with innovation districts, research institutes, AI centers, entrepreneurship hubs, technology commercialization, or translational research environments.
Experience managing research facilities, laboratories, shared-use spaces, maker spaces, innovation studios, or convening spaces.
Experience building programs that connect faculty research, student learning, industry engagement, and community impact.
Familiarity with sponsored research administration, intellectual property, data governance, compliance, and university policy environments.
Experience developing dashboards, metrics, annual reports, implementation plans, or executive briefings.

Responsibilities

Drive the day-to-day operational management of the Huang Complex across all assigned functional areas, in direct support of the Executive Director’s priorities and direction.
Develop and implement internal operating procedures, service standards, management systems, and organizational infrastructure for the Huang Complex.
Play an active role in designing and building the Huang Complex’s organizational structure and staffing model, in partnership with the Executive Director, as the Complex grows.
Exercise budget management authority over Huang Complex operational expenditures within parameters established by and reviewed with the Executive Director.
Supervise and provide lead work direction for Huang Complex staff, student employees, graduate assistants, and vendors, with hiring and personnel actions conducted in partnership with the Executive Director.
Represent the Huang Complex in coordination with OSU administrative offices, in internal university processes, and externally as directed by the Executive Director.
Bring operational issues and matters with significant institutional or financial implications to the Executive Director with analysis and a recommended course of action.