Executive Director, Water in the West, Stanford University

The Program on Water in the West (“Water in the West”) is a joint research effort between the Woods Institute for the Environment and the Bill Lane Center for the American West launched in 2010. It represents a strategically designed set of research and policy initiatives to develop and demonstrate solutions to major water challenges facing the western United States that are sustainable from economic, ecological, political, institutional, and equitable perspectives. In its initial years, Water in the West will focus on three main research areas:

• Better management of groundwater, including groundwater banking, and of surface and groundwater interactions • Development of metrics and design performance measurement systems or “dashboards” (along with the filling of data gaps) needed to effectively guide and drive efforts in California and the remainder of the West to move toward more sustainable water systems, and • Expanded and improved water reuse, including use of reclaimed water for irrigation and watershed restoration.

The executive director of the Program on Water in the West is the chief executive officer of this research initiative. As such, s/he will provide strategic leadership and management direction to all stakeholders in the project.

Job Description

The Executive Director will have principal responsibility for:

1. Leading Water in the West in developing a strategic plan and overseeing its implementation with individual research track leads.

2. Managing fundraising efforts

3. Managing the research budget and accountability for budgets to all funding sources 4. Creating and overseeing a communications strategy 5. Serving as a liaison to the press and Western water community to communicate the research program and results, as well as to find real-world applications of the work 6. Approving hires and overseeing the work of Water in the West staff personnel; managing and coordinating the efforts of participating and affiliated faculty and graduate students

Time permitting, the Executive Director will also engage in research and the authoring of reports within Water in the West’s three focal areas.

The Executive Director will report to the directors of the Woods Institute and the Bill Lane Center for the American West. All staff associated with Water in the West will report to the Executive Director.  The Executive Director will be an employee of Stanford University, and based at Stanford, but will likely also spend some time off-site in the West communicating with and engaging stakeholders in the agriculture, policy, environmental, and water management communities.

Professional Qualifications

1. Demonstrated success as an inspirational leader with experience leading a team, keeping strategic focus, building consensus, and thinking big; director-level work experience in the non-profit, public, or private sectors preferred 2. Significant experience working on Western water issues and strong relationships with key constituencies and stakeholders, preferably in California 3. A demonstrated ability to navigate through complex partnerships in a diplomatic manner 4. Strong record of collaborative and relentless fundraising 5. The flexibility to travel regionally Personal Attributes 1. Strong interpersonal skills to inspire trust and motivate team members and external stakeholders 2. Practical bent with a focus on applied solutions and turning ideas into action 3. Ability to communicate effectively with a range of people from different environments, sectors, and society 4. Willingness to listen to others and learn from their best ideas, intellectual curiosity, approachability, and openness to input from all levels of staff and a variety of external stakeholders 5. Superb professional presence, with a proven ability to write and speak effectively 6. Ability to manage a budget Education and Experience Requirements:

Advanced degree required in relevant area. Three to five years experiencing working on Western water issues required.

Compensation for the Executive Director includes a competitive base salary and an excellent package of employee and health benefits.

Interested candidates can submit a cover letter, resume, and reference list (of at least three individuals) online at jobs.stanford.edu, job identification number 39085.

Stanford University is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty and staff. It welcomes nominations of and applications from women and minority groups, as well as others who would bring additional dimensions to the university’s research, teaching and clinical missions.

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