POSITIONS: Job Opening: Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Entrepreneurship Department, Research & Policy Director

[entrepreneurship-phd at lists.uni-due.de]

From: Mindee Forman [mailto:mforman at consultant.kauffman.org] 
Date: Fri 9 Dec 2016 22:02

**Please forgive cross postings**


Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Entrepreneurship Department, Research & Policy Director

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation of Kansas City is a private, fully endowed foundation that works with partners to advance entrepreneurship in America and improve the educational achievement of youth.

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation ("Kauffman Foundation") was established in the 1966 by the late entrepreneur and philanthropist Ewing Marion Kauffman. Based in Kansas City, Missouri, the Kauffman Foundation is among the thirty largest foundations in the United States with an asset base of approximately $2 billion.

OUR MISSION: To help individuals attain economic independence by advancing educational achievement and entrepreneurial success, consistent with the aspirations of our founder, Ewing Marion Kauffman.

JOB DESCRIPTION: Reporting to the Vice President of Entrepreneurship, this person will lead the design and implementation of the Foundation's research and policy strategy. The Director partners with the Vice President of Entrepreneurship to position the Foundation as the country's central resource and authority on entrepreneurship research and policy.

The Director is a strategic and visionary leader; anticipating trends, and identifying patterns in data and evidence to shape the Foundation's entrepreneurship strategy. This person is also charged with identifying knowledge gaps that must be closed in order to advance entrepreneurship. It's important that the Director places special emphasis on actionable and practical research - research that can inform the Foundation's programmatic strategy in entrepreneurship.

The Director is responsible for a portfolio of research and policy initiatives that advance the Foundation's entrepreneurship agenda. Ultimately, the impact of this research and policy strategy must position the Foundation (and the field) to better understand barriers to entrepreneurship, reduce those barriers, and accelerate the start and scaling of businesses. The person in this role is charged with ensuring tight alignment between research, policy and practice - maintaining a robust feedback loop for research to inform and support programmatic initiatives and grantmaking.

Kauffman Foundation funding in this area will be focused on initiating and supporting scholarship by highly respected scholars and researchers in a wide range of related fields. It is critical that scholarship supported by the research and policy team advances the Foundation's entrepreneurship agenda. Topics of study may include: founders' education, peer learning, accelerators and incubators, market gaps: capital, geographic and demographic, and entrepreneurial ecosystems. Topics of study should also be shaped by adjacent fields - behavioral economics, engineering, business and others - to ensure concepts and trends in other fields are applied to and shape our understanding of entrepreneurship. Again, it is critical that the research portfolio is actionable, practical and informs/advances the Foundation's programmatic agenda.

The Director will establish projects that yield valuable, credible data and conclusions that will encourage and promote successful entrepreneurship. Toward that end, this person will collaborate with the Director of Evaluation to develop metrics and track progress on key impact metrics to measure results of the Foundation's research and policy strategy.

This person will play a role in supporting convenings hosted by the Foundation - including conferences and symposia that bring together disparate authorities on an array of issues that influence the health and welfare of entrepreneurship in the United States.

This person will work closely with the Vice President of Public Affairs and Communications to effectively disseminate the findings of Foundation sponsored research to further the success of entrepreneurship in America.

Finally, it's important to note that this person has both internal and externally facing responsibilities. Internally, this person must be skilled at leading, managing and developing a team, developing and managing a budget, and working collaboratively with other departments (finance, grants administration, and evaluation) to support successful grantmaking. Externally, this person is charged with cultivating and nurturing a range of relationships and partnerships as well as publicly representing the Foundation's research and policy agenda in a number of venues. This person's externally facing responsibilities include writing, presenting at conferences, and engaging with policy makers and other key audiences.

EXPERIENCE/EDUCATION: The successful candidate is a creative and strategic leader, a bona fide authority in entrepreneurship, economics, business or a related field. Ambitious, high energy and highly entrepreneurial, this person understands research, research tools and is very comfortable working with top-notch academic investigators. He/she enjoys working in a collaborative environment in a rapidly evolving organization.

Candidates for this position may come from academia, where they have developed a demonstrable interest in and knowledge of entrepreneurship and the fundamental issues that influence its success.

Alternatively, the successful candidate may be a business economist, business executive or venture capitalist with substantial, broad based experience in the field of entrepreneurship and possesses outstanding academic experience and credentials.

The successful candidate is a credible intellectual who may be working in an economic policy organization, think tank or a highly successful entrepreneurial business.

This person understands the role entrepreneurial enterprise plays in the growth of the nation's post industrial era economy. S/he has sound knowledge of the existing data in the field of entrepreneurship, as well as an understanding of important potential research areas that have not been adequately investigated.

The successful candidate has proven leadership skills and is strategic, innovative, creative, highly energetic, and has an entrepreneurial style. This person knows the issues and influences that affect the success of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial enterprises.

S/he has a wide-ranging knowledge of existing research into the public policies and economic, societal, psychological and cultural influences that impact entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship. S/he has a strong interest in education and the development and sharing of research results.

This person is a consensus-builder who forges strong working relationships with people at all levels inside and outside the organization. The successful candidate is a strong motivator, who can attract and work with top-notch researchers and academics. Innovative, creative and flexible, this person has an entrepreneurial nature, but recognizes and implements good ideas from a variety of sources.

Qualified candidates for this position must be highly motivated, capable of self-direction and able to work collaboratively in a teamwork capacity. Candidates must exhibit a keen sense of responsibility and enjoy working with multiple demands, shifting priorities, and constant change.

EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree required (master's degree preferred) in research, economics, public policy, business, or related field.

WORK EXPERIENCE: Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience described above.

TRAVEL: This position will require regional and national business travel.

COMPENSATION: A competitive compensation package, including base salary and an outstanding benefits package will correspond to the experience level, credentials, and personal characteristics of the candidate.

NON-DISCRIMINATION: The Kauffman Foundation firmly supports the principle and philosophy of equal opportunity for all individuals, regardless of age, race, gender, creed, national origin, disability, veteran status or any other protected category pursuant to applicable federal, state or local law.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE: Please send your current resume and cover letter to: administrator at criterionsg.com, Criterion Search Group, Inc.

Questions: 610-581-0590