Executive Director, David Evans Shaw Institute for Public and Planetary Health

University of New England Career•Portland, ME

14h

About The Position

The Executive Director will lead the David Evans Shaw Institute for Public and Planetary Health at UNE. The role is responsible for developing and implementing a strategic vision that advances UNE’s mission, academic strengths, research priorities, and commitment to healthier people, communities, and environments. The Executive Director provides oversight of the Center for Public Health Practice, Center for Healthy Aging, and Center for North Atlantic Studies; cultivates an advisory council; and builds partnerships across community, public, academic, health, environmental, industry, policy, and philanthropic organizations. The Executive Director identifies and supports external funding opportunities and promotes applied research, scholarship, policy translation, and public engagement addressing public and planetary health challenges. The role supports academic and workforce programs and works with faculty and academic leaders to advance student engagement, interdisciplinary learning, mentorship, and career pathways. The Executive Director represents the Institute to internal and external audiences and leads planning, budgeting, staffing, assessment, reporting, and operations in alignment with university policies and priorities. The position advances a culture of collaboration, inclusion, scientific rigor, innovation, and accountability.

Requirements

Earned terminal degree in public health, environmental health, medicine, health sciences, Earth system science, policy, sustainability, social science, business, or a related field, or a record of equivalent distinguished professional achievement appropriate to the role.
Significant executive or senior leadership experience in higher education, research administration, public health, environmental health, nonprofit leadership, government, industry, philanthropy, or a related setting.
Demonstrated success leading growth and change, implementing new initiatives, and delivering measurable institutional and community impact.
Strong record of interdisciplinary collaboration and ability to work effectively across academic, scientific, community, governmental, and external stakeholder groups.
Exceptional communication, relationship-building, and people leadership skills.
Experience setting strategy, managing budgets, developing high-performing teams, and translating complex scientific, environmental, public health, and policy issues for diverse audiences.
Strong emotional intelligence skills.
Experience securing and stewarding external resources through grants, contracts, philanthropy, strategic partnerships, or other revenue-generating opportunities.
Evidence of commitment to student success, workforce development, community engagement, and fostering an inclusive, collaborative culture.

Nice To Haves

A national or emerging national reputation in public health, planetary health, environmental health, climate and health, sustainability, implementation science, community-engaged research, policy, or a related field.
Familiarity with Maine, Northern New England, and the health, environmental, economic, and community priorities of rural and coastal regions.
Strategic, entrepreneurial leadership and ability to build a new institute with clarity, focus, and momentum.
Leadership style that empowers others to work toward a shared strategic vision while emphasizing execution and implementation.
Ability to earn trust across disciplines and constituencies.
Comfort serving as a visible ambassador for UNE and the Institute.
Mission-driven commitment to improving health outcomes, environmental stewardship, and community well-being.
Skill in convening diverse stakeholders around shared goals and translating ideas into action.
Comfort operating in a dynamic environment and balancing vision with practical implementation.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement a strategic vision for the Institute that advances UNE’s mission, academic strengths, research priorities, and commitment to healthier people, communities, and environments.
Provide effective oversight of the Center for Public Health Practice, Center for Healthy Aging, and Center for North Atlantic Studies.
Form and cultivate an advisory council to provide strategic guidance, review annual priorities, advise on partnerships, and connect the Institute with internal and external stakeholders.
Strengthen and build partnerships with community organizations, public agencies, health systems, environmental organizations, industry, policymakers, academic institutions, and philanthropic partners.
Identify, pursue, and support external funding opportunities, including grants, contracts, philanthropic gifts, sponsored projects, and strategic partnerships.
Promote applied research, scholarship, policy translation, and public-facing engagement addressing public and planetary health challenges.
Support development of academic and workforce programs, certificates, experiential learning opportunities, fellowships, internships, and continuing education aligned with Institute priorities.
Work with faculty and academic leaders to support student engagement, interdisciplinary learning, mentorship, and career pathways in public and planetary health.
Represent the Institute through public speaking, convenings, media engagement, professional networks, and national partnerships.
Lead Institute planning, budgeting, staffing, assessment, reporting, and operational processes in alignment with university policies and priorities.
Advance a culture of collaboration, inclusion, scientific rigor, innovation, and accountability.