Director of Strategic Initiatives & Communications – Neuroscience Full-time

Director Of Strategic Initiatives

The Director of Strategic Initiatives serves as a senior executive leader for the Department of Neuroscience and functions as a principal strategic advisor to the Department Chair. With delegated authority, this role provides department-wide leadership over strategic planning, research growth, communications, advancement integration, innovation, and external partnerships. The position is accountable for translating long-term strategic priorities into executable plans that align financial, operational, and human resources to achieve sustained scientific, educational, and reputational impact. Represents the Department of Neuroscience in school-level, university-wide, and external initiatives and plays a critical role in positioning the Department as a leader within WashU Medicine and the broader research enterprise.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Planning

• Serves as a senior advisor to the Department Chair, exercising delegated authority to advance departmental priorities.
• Leads the development, execution, and monitoring of the Department's multi-year strategic plan.
• Identifies risks, opportunities, and barriers impacting departmental success and recommend corrective strategies.
• Monitors progress toward strategic goals and ensures accountability for outcomes.
• Champions a collaborative, inclusive research and education culture that supports long-term departmental success.

Strategic Authority and Financial Oversight

• Provides financial oversight for strategic initiatives, including planning and monitoring the use of departmental funds and philanthropic resources.
• Partners with departmental and school leadership on long-range financial modeling related to research growth, faculty recruitment, and sustainability.
• Aligns strategic initiatives with available financial, operational, and human resources.

Research Strategy, Planning & Development

• Provides leadership for research planning and funding strategy across the Department.
• Partners with faculty, grants teams, and Advancement to identify and pursue new funding opportunities.
• Supports the development of center grants, training grants, and interdisciplinary initiatives.
• Builds funding resources supporting graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.
• Guides the Department through changes in the federal funding landscape and their downstream financial impacts.
• Supports faculty in developing high-impact publications and long-term research trajectories.

Innovation, Commercialization & External Partnerships

• Identifies and advances opportunities for research translation and commercialization.
• Maintains regular engagement with faculty to identify intellectual property, funding needs, and innovation opportunities.
• Serves as liaison to the Office of Technology Management, BioSTL, industry partners, and regional innovation organizations.
• Supports expansion of the Department's intellectual property and patent portfolio.
• Identifies and addresses barriers to commercialization and industry engagement.

Communications, Advancement & External Engagement

• Provides functional leadership for departmental communications, marketing, and reputation management.
• Partners with Medical Marketing & Communications, Advancement, and University stakeholders to promote departmental research and achievements.
• Oversees departmental websites, newsletters, and digital communications, including new faculty websites.
• Leads in the development of public-facing events and programs that communicate scientific impact.
• Guides preparation of award nominations, promotion materials, and high-level presentations for the Chair.
• Strengthens alumni engagement strategies and external stakeholder networks.

Organizational & Functional Leadership

• Provides functional and matrix leadership across communications, research development, advancement coordination, and innovation activities.
• Leads cross-functional teams in executing complex, high-impact initiatives.
• Serves as a member of the Department's executive leadership team.
• Acts as a strategic liaison to school leadership, central administration, and external partners.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Working Conditions:

• Normal office environment.
• Typically sitting at desk or table.
• Repetitive wrist, hand or finger movement.
• Ability to move to on and off campus location
• Office equipment.

Required Qualifications:

Education: Bachelor's degree or combination of education and/or experience may substitute for minimum education.

Certifications/Professional Licenses: No specific certification/professional license is required for this position.

Work Experience: Relevant Experience (7 Years)

Skills: Not Applicable

Driver's License: A driver's license is not required for this position.

More About This Job:

WashU seeks highly motivated individuals who are able to perform duties in a manner consistent with our core mission and guiding principles.

Preferred Qualifications:

Education: Master's degree

Certifications/Professional Licenses: No additional certification/professional licenses unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.

Work Experience: Leading Strategic And Organizational Planning Efforts, Program/Project Management Offices, And Change Management And Communications Delivery Teams (10 Years)

Skills: Analytical Thinking, Budget Management, Change Management, Communication, Data Analysis, Data Reporting, Deadline Management, Digital Communications, Leadership Training and Development, Marketing Communications (MarCom), Microsoft Office, Organizational Leadership, Project Management, Stakeholder Engagement, Strategic Planning, Tactful, Vendor Management, Written Communication

Grade:

G15

Salary Range:

$84,200.00 – $148,500.00 / AnnuallyThe salary range reflects base salaries paid for positions in a given job grade across the University. Individual rates within the range will be determined by factors including one's qualifications and performance, equity with others in the department, market rates for positions within the same grade and department budget.

Accommodation:

If you are unable to use our online application system and would like an accommodation, please email CandidateQuestions@wustl.edu or call the dedicated accommodation inquiry number at 314-935-1149 and leave a voicemail with the nature of your request.

All qualified individuals must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.

Pre-Employment Screening:

All external candidates receiving an offer for employment will be required to submit to pre-employment screening for this position. The screenings will include criminal background check and, as applicable for the position, other background checks, drug screen, an employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.

Benefits Statement:

Personal

• Up to 22 days of vacation, 10 recognized holidays, and sick time.
• Competitive health insurance packages with priority appointments and lower copays/coinsurance.
• Take advantage of our free Metro transit U-Pass for eligible employees.
• WashU provides eligible employees with a defined contribution (403(b)) Retirement Savings Plan, which combines employee contributions and university contributions starting at 7%.

Wellness

• Wellness challenges, annual health screenings, mental health resources, mindfulness programs and courses, employee assistance program (EAP), financial resources, access to dietitians, and more!

Family

• We offer 4 weeks of caregiver leave to bond with your new child. Family care resources are also available for your continued childcare needs. Need adult care? We've got you covered.
• WashU covers the cost of tuition for you and your family, including dependent undergraduate-level college tuition up to 100% at WashU and 40% elsewhere after seven years with us.

For policies, detailed benefits, and eligibility, please visit: https://hr.wustl.edu/benefits/

EEO Statement:

Washington University in St. Louis is committed to the principles and practices of equal employment opportunity and especially encourages applications by those from underrepresented groups. It is the University's policy to provide equal opportunity and access to persons in all job titles without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation,