Senior Director, Strategy & Innovation

Arizona State University•Phoenix, AZ

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Director for Strategy & Innovation is a high-impact, facilitative leader who serves as a primary strategic advisor and force multiplier for the Dean of the School of Technology for Public Health (STPH). This role is responsible for designing, aligning, and executing the Dean’s most critical strategic priorities, ensuring they are mapped to broader university, state, and presidential initiatives. Operating at the intersection of research strategy, university-wide partnerships, and executive operations, the Senior Director advances STPH’s mission with speed, precision, and scalability. This role requires deep familiarity with the ASU Charter and design aspirations, and the ability to navigate and leverage ASU’s unique structure, systems, and culture to accelerate institutional growth. The Senior Director acts as a bridge-builder across ASU Health, ASU Knowledge Enterprise, and other internal and external partners, with a strong emphasis on rapid expansion of the school’s research and innovation portfolio.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree and seven (7) years of experience appropriate to the area of assignment/field including two (2) years managerial experience; OR, Any equivalent combination of experience and/or training from which comparable knowledge, skills and abilities have been achieved.
Progressive leadership experience within a complex organization, including service in a Director-level or comparable senior leadership role.
Demonstrated experience in research strategy, administration, or development, including familiarity with federal funding mechanisms and large-scale grant development.
Proven success managing high-visibility, cross-functional initiatives involving multiple stakeholders across academic and administrative units.
Ability to translate complex research and innovation priorities into actionable strategies that drive institutional impact.
Demonstrated ability to build and sustain effective relationships across stakeholders, including faculty, senior leadership, and external partners.
Strong operational leadership skills, with the ability to independently drive initiatives from concept through execution with minimal direction.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including experience preparing briefings, reports, and strategic materials for executive-level audiences.
High level of emotional intelligence, sound judgment, and discretion in navigating complex and sensitive organizational environments
Ability to clearly communicate to perform essential functions

Nice To Haves

Experience within a research university environment preferred.
Familiarity with the ASU ecosystem strongly desired.
Master’s degree or higher; PhD or terminal degree preferred.

Responsibilities

Serve as a proxy for the Dean in high-level university meetings, committees, and task forces to ensure alignment with Provost and Presidential priorities.
Lead the development and operationalization of major school initiatives (e.g., AI strategy, health policy initiatives, statewide data platforms) from concept through execution.
Monitor and evaluate progress toward STPH’s strategic goals and ASU Charter commitments, proactively identifying barriers and implementing solutions.
Serve as the primary liaison to ASU Knowledge Enterprise to streamline research administration and identify large-scale funding opportunities.
Partner with school leadership and faculty to develop and implement strategies that increase competitiveness for center-level and large-scale grants.
Utilize data-driven approaches to track research performance and identify emerging areas for growth and investment.
Support the launch and ongoing development of the school’s public health technology incubator, advancing translation from research to real-world application.
Build and manage relationships with external partners, including healthcare organizations, state agencies, and industry leaders.
Facilitate strategic partnerships that enhance innovation, commercialization, and public impact.
Manage the strategic flow of initiatives within the Dean’s Office, ensuring effective prioritization and execution.
Provide high-level strategic communications, including drafting briefings, white papers, and policy narratives for executive audiences.
Represent STPH in cross-functional initiatives and institutional collaborations as needed.
May supervise staff or student workers; provide guidance and support to STPH employees as needed.
Other duties as assigned.