Executive Director, Vaughan Institute

Named for Insurance pioneer, Emmett Vaughan, the Vaughan Institute of Risk Management and Insurance in the Tippie College of Business at the University of Iowa is situated within a vibrant and world-renowned insurance ecosystem of Iowa. As a designated Global Center of Insurance Excellence, the center is devoted to providing innovative education, research, and thought leadership in the field of risk management and insurance regionally, nationally, and globally. The Executive Director’s primary goal is to actively cultivate partnership opportunities with the RMI industry to enhance student and industry success. This position has responsibility for building strong relationships between the RMI industry and University of Iowa alumni and students, with particular focus on students pursuing an RMI or Actuarial Science major, an RMI Certificate, or an entrepreneurial focus in Insurtech. The executive director will interact effectively with practicing professionals in the RMI and financial services sectors as well as faculty and other thought leaders in RMI to: 1) generate experiential learning opportunities and successful career preparation for students, while 2) aggressively building reputation for the Vaughan Institute and the Tippie College. The director will work closely with the University of Iowa Center for Advancement to generate ongoing support to raise the national stature of the Vaughan Institute.

This position provides administrative supervision to one or more additional staff in the Vaughan Institute (this may include Assistant or Associate Directors and an Executive in Residence) and works closely with the Faculty Director of the Vaughan Institute to ensure that curriculum reflects industry needs and research address the industry’s most pressing needs. The position will lead the activities of the Vaughan Institute advisory board and reports to the Strategic Partnerships Office.

Get to know the Tippie College of Business

Since 1847, the Tippie College of Business has cultivated a legacy of innovation, thought leadership, and excellence in business education. We are over 4,700 students with BBA and graduate programs spanning six academic departments—accounting, business analytics, economics, finance, marketing, and management and entrepreneurship. We are eight centers and institutes, and four student-managed endowment funds. We’re over 56,000 alumni—and growing. Tippie is regularly listed in top business school rankings. We also hold the gold standard of accreditations, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), and have maintained the accreditation for over 95 years (since 1923).

But who we are is not just in the curriculum we curate—it’s also in the culture we create. Our leadership embraces our responsibility to pursue excellence through diversity. More than 150 years after our founding, we continue to provide a welcoming, inclusive environment designed for you to grow and flourish in your professional or academic career.

Key Areas Of Responsibilities And Specific Job Tasks

Strategic Planning

• Track internal and external trends based on industry knowledge and input from key stake holders, including alumni, RMI thought leaders, and industry experts.
• Identify stakeholders and target audiences related to the advancement of the RMI industry, including, but not limited to the State of Iowa, national and international professional associations, and insurance accelerators.
• Work closely with the Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships to ensure a consistent and coherent strategy of industry outreach and engagement.
• Jointly with the Dean, Department Executive Officer, and Faculty Director of the Vaughan Institute to develop a strategic plan to raise the national stature and impact of the Vaughan Institute.

Public Relations

• Work closely with the Faculty Director to build the academic reputation of the Vaughan Institute with other higher educational institutions with a goal of being recognized as one of the nation’s top RMI programs.
• Work closely with Tippie Career Services (and other relevant entities, i.e., Pomerantz Career Center, mentoring programs) to prepare Vaughan affiliated students for internships and upon graduation placements.
• Cultivate and maintain a strong alumni network to leverage opportunities for partnerships to bolster innovation, entrepreneurial activity, and knowledge creation in the industry.
• Serve as the Institute’s chief liaison to its professional constituencies, including alumni and friends of the program, industry leaders, and key professional associations to promote student success, enhance the Institute’s reputation, and promote industry growth and effectiveness.
• Represent the Institute on boards, committees, or professional associations.
• Have primary responsibility for the Institute’s Advisory Board and Young Advisory Board, including communications, meetings, identifying and cultivating new members, and reporting to the Board at bi-annual meetings.
• Assume primary responsibility for managing the Institute’s non-academic events and activities (including career fairs, competitions, speaker series, and others).
• Serve as liaison to the University of Iowa Center for Advancement for fundraising that enhances student, faculty, Institute and program resources.

Message Development & Implementation

• Lead the development of externally focused messaging and communication that leverages and enhances the reputation of the Vaughan Institute as a Center of Excellence for Risk Management. Work closely with
• Work with the Faculty Director of the Vaughan Institute and faculty to enhance the Institute’s reputation for thought leadership with external constituencies, including supporting cross-disciplinary research and promoting faculty research externally.
• Assume primary responsibility for marketing the Institute, program, and student accomplishments, by leveraging Tippie’s Strategic Communications and Collegiate Marketing units. This includes using brand consistent messages and maximizing channel effectiveness.

Information Management

• Oversees data collection to provide regular reports to the Dean, Tippie Career Services, and other relevant entities for tracking outcomes and recommending improvements to the program.
• Works with undergraduate, graduate and life-long learning program directors in the Tippie College to develop new offerings to advance learning opportunities for students and industry partners.

Financial Responsibility

• Serve as back up to Faculty Director when needed.
• Track internal and external trends that may affect funding opportunities for the Institute.
• With input from the Faculty Director and DEO, plan and direct the administrative and operational activities of the Vaughan Institute, including management of staff and financial oversight.
• Assume primary responsibility for coordinating the Institute’s financial support of students through scholarships, and Gamma Iota Sigma (student organization) activities that include, but are not limited to, professional trips, corporate tours, competitions, and involvement in activities within the Institute.

To obtain the full job description including key areas of responsibility, technical competencies, and desirable qualifications, please contact [email protected]

Position Qualifications

Education Requirement

• Bachelor’s Degree

Required Experience And Competency

• Expert proficiency in strategic thinking and innovative program design.
• Demonstrates collaborative leadership in processes, policies, and behavior affecting organizational administration and performance.
• Successful experience in supervisory role.
• Expert proficiency in budget planning, oversight and management related to staffing, team building, operations, and resources.
• Expert proficiency in collaborating with a variety of individuals and groups to foster respectful communication, learning and spirit of cooperation.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to meet and maintain UI Fleet Safety driving requirements.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience working in the risk management and insurance industry.
• Demonstrated constructive and collaborative relationship building skills with a variety of individuals and groups, including peers, leadership, and external constituents.
• Expert proficiency in written and verbal communications.
• A minimum of 5 years of successful creation, advancement, and maintenance of productive internal and external relationships.

Desired Experience

• Knowledge of and/or experience with Salesforce or similar tools.
• Experience managing change.
• Master's or other advanced degree
• Experience working in higher education administration (for example, an AACSB-accredited business school).
• 5+ years of experience working in the risk management and insurance industry

Application Details

In order to be considered for an interview, applicants must upload the following documents and mark them as a “Relevant File” to the submission:

• Cover Letter
• Resume

Job openings are posted for a minimum of 14 calendar days and may be removed from posting and filled any time after the original posting period has ended. Successful candidates will be required to self-disclose any conviction history and will be subject to a criminal background check and credential/education verification. Up to 5 professional references will be requested at a later step in the recruitment process. For questions, contact Josh Gulick at [email protected].

This position is eligible for a combination of on-campus and remote work. Work arrangement options will be discussed during the hiring process.

Benefits Highlights

• Fringe benefit package including paid vacation; sick leave; health, dental, life and disability insurance options; and generous employer contributions into retirement plans.
• For more information about Why Iowa? Click here.
• Regular salaried position. Located in Iowa City, Iowa.

Additional Information

• Schedule: Full-time
• Classification Title: Comm/Const Relations Director
• Appointment Type: Professional and Scientific
• Work Modality Options: Hybrid within Iowa

Compensation

• Pay Level: 7A

Contact Information

• Contact Name: Josh Gulick
• Contact Email: [email protected]
• Organization: College of Business