Executive Director, Institute for Advanced Computing (IAC)

Virginia Tech•Alexandria, VA

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

Virginia Tech invites nominations and applications for the position of the inaugural Executive Director of the Institute for Advanced Computing (IAC). The Executive Director will serve as the visionary and strategic leader responsible for shaping its long-term vision, expanding its partnerships, and positioning it for national and international prominence. Reporting to the Vice President for the Greater Washington, D.C. Area, and working in close collaboration with senior university leadership and the IAC Managing Director, the Executive Director will guide the Institute’s strategic direction while enabling its operational and academic success. This is a rare opportunity for a bold, collaborative, and entrepreneurial leader to build a dynamic, interdisciplinary institute from the ground up—at the intersection of academia, government, and industry—in one of the most important tech corridors in the country. The IAC holds a distinctive mandate within Virginia Tech. In addition to advancing world‑class research, the Institute is responsible for delivering high‑quality academic programs—notably industry‑informed Master of Engineering degrees. The Executive Director serves as the chief executive of the Institute, with ultimate authority and accountability for strategy, performance, and resource alignment that underpins this dual mission and will propel the Institute’s research enterprise to achieve national prominence and sustained global impact. The Executive Director will identify priority areas for investment and partnership, positioning the Institute within key innovation ecosystems in the greater D.C. area, identifying and working with areas of strength at Virginia Tech that align with the IAC vision and advancing its reputation as a leader in advanced computing research and graduate education. Serving as the Institute’s primary external representative, the Executive Director will position the IAC to expand on its research and educational collaborations, secure new sources of philanthropic investments to reach its fundraising goal of $250M, and advance public-private initiatives that contribute to economic development and workforce innovation in the Commonwealth of Virginia and beyond. The Executive Director will lead an accomplished team, including the IAC’s Managing Director, who oversees the execution of the Institute’s day-to-day operations and academic programs, thereby enabling the Executive Director to concentrate on external engagement, strategic growth, and institutional advancement.

Requirements

Distinguished record of accomplishment in fields related to advanced computing.
Demonstrated leadership in positions of significant responsibility in academia, private, or public sectors.
Highly collaborative leader.
Thrive in a distributed environment—both geographically and organizationally.
Work effectively across diverse units and stakeholder groups.
Strong record of institutional leadership.
Strong record of fundraising.
Strong record of partner engagement.
Capacity to translate strategic vision into operational success.
Capacity to deliver on complex initiatives.
Capacity to sustain momentum across multiple priorities and constituencies.
Criminal conviction check.

Responsibilities

Serve as the visionary and strategic leader responsible for shaping the IAC's long-term vision.
Expand partnerships for the IAC.
Position the IAC for national and international prominence.
Guide the Institute’s strategic direction.
Enable the operational and academic success of the IAC.
Advance world-class research.
Deliver high-quality academic programs, notably industry-informed Master of Engineering degrees.
Serve as the chief executive of the Institute, with ultimate authority and accountability for strategy, performance, and resource alignment.
Identify priority areas for investment and partnership.
Position the Institute within key innovation ecosystems in the greater D.C. area.
Identify and work with areas of strength at Virginia Tech that align with the IAC vision.
Advance the reputation of the IAC as a leader in advanced computing research and graduate education.
Serve as the Institute’s primary external representative.
Position the IAC to expand on its research and educational collaborations.
Secure new sources of philanthropic investments to reach its fundraising goal of $250M.
Advance public-private initiatives that contribute to economic development and workforce innovation in the Commonwealth of Virginia and beyond.
Lead an accomplished team, including the IAC’s Managing Director.