UNIVERSITY RELATIONS
THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK

DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE & FOUNDATION RELATIONS

This position has an emphasis on "venture initiatives," intended to "bridge" colleges in ventures with corporations and foundations. It is an outstanding opportunity for an entrepreneurial, savvy, person to build a program. Robert Sellery Associates will share with sources and candidates our perspective gained through lengthy orientation meetings with the vice president for research and deans at several colleges on the College Park campus.

We believe some of the attractions of this position are:

• The president, C. D. (Dan) Mote, comes from the leading public university, the University of California at Berkeley, and is committed to increasing Maryland’s standings in all areas. His broad experience and successful tenure at UC Berkeley is his greatest asset for leading the University of Maryland. Prior to assuming the Presidency at Maryland in 1998, Dr. Mote served on the University of California, Berkeley faculty for 31 years. From 1991 to 1998, he was Vice Chancellor and held an endowed chair in Mechanical Systems and was President of the UC Berkeley Foundation. He led a comprehensive capital campaign that raised $1.4 B. He earlier served as chair of the department of Mechanical Engineering and led the department to its number one ranking in the National Research Council review of graduate program effectiveness.

• Maryland has a collegial administrative group and a dedicated and loyal faculty. Excellent recruits in faculty and students. Quality of people is high.

• The links to the Greater Washington Business Community and the Federal Government create dynamic interactions for faculty and staff at the University of Maryland. The geographical area is also very pleasant for quality of life.

• A new research park being built on the campus creates many opportunities for strengthening relationships with the business community.

• College Park is the flagship campus in the University of Maryland System. It is one of the nation’s premier public research universities. Founded in 1856, the University is strategically located 9 miles from Washington and 30 miles from Baltimore. The University is one of only 61 institutions with membership in the prestigious Association of American Universities. Sixty-five University programs are ranked in the top 25 nationally and 50 programs are ranked in the top 15.
  

The Position

Reports to the Vice President for University Relations and will work closely with the University President, the Vice Presidents for Research, college and school deans, and faculty and development colleagues in the colleges to fashion an ambitious program to secure support from regional and national corporations and foundations.

The Director will be expected to be a catalyst in establishing University-corporate partnerships and for fostering broad scale, multi-faceted interaction between the University and major corporations. The Director will identify, cultivate, solicit and steward corporate and foundation prospects, focusing particularly on gifts and grants at the $2-5 million level, as an integral part of a forthcoming capital campaign.

There are significant opportunities for the Director to work in partnership with the A. James Clark School of Engineering, the Robert H. Smith School of Business, the College of Computer, Mathematical and Physical Sciences, the College of Life Sciences, the College of Behavioral & Social Sciences, the College of Arts & Humanities and other campus units.

The Director’s staff will include associate director and administrative assistant. It is expected that over time the staffing level of the office will expand.

The Ideal Candidate Should Have:

• An understanding of higher education and a commitment to the values and role of a public research university.

• Knowledge of educational development/fund-raising.

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

• The ability to work effectively with university leaders, corporate and foundation executives, and faculty.

• The ability to work collaboratively within a large and diverse university environment. It is desirable, but not required, that candidates will have had experience in corporate research and development, corporate relations, corporate strategic planning, or high-level fund-raising at a research university.

• A sensitivity to work with all parts of the campus, at different times.

• Bachelor’s degree and seven years or more of relevant experience are required. An advanced degree would be advantageous.

The Ideal Candidate Should Be:

A catalyst and a leader, able to:

• "Throw away" his/her desk, and be out in the field with corporations and foundations, or in the colleges with deans and faculty.

• Manage a process to maximize the flow of dollars and information to the University. The colleges need to feel like partners in the process.

• Mobilize colleges where "linkages" are most likely to occur.

Critical Issues

• This position offers an opportunity to energize corporate and foundation relations for the University; work with faculty and deans, some of whom already have good ties to these funding sources, and build a culture of support by the business community. This position should not interfere with faculty and dean contacts at corporations and foundations, rather, it should "enhance" the contacts.

• A strong relationship between the University and the State of Maryland needs to be cultivated.

• This position must present the University of Maryland as a cohesive and efficient entity to the outside world. We need a self-starter who will also coordinate the efforts already going on in the colleges with the central development offices. The colleges do not want central development to be a "gate keeper."

For more information about the University of Maryland, visit http://www.umd.edu .

Candidates and sources, please communicate with:
Bob Sellery or Katie Wilson, Robert Sellery Associates, Ltd.
1050 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., 10th Floor
Washington, D.C. 20036.
Email: wilson@sellery.com  or sellery@sellery.com
FAX 202.333.1167 or 202.772.3101
Telephone: 202.331.0090
All inquiries will be kept in strict confidence.

ROBERT SELLERY ASSOCIATES, LTD.
1050 CONNECTICUT AVENUE, N.W. , 10TH FLOOR     WASHINGTON, D.C. 20036     202.331.0090
sellery@sellery.com