Additional Info

• Partner with the Executive Director and Deputy Executive Director to develop and implement the Institute’s strategic plan, connecting Institute strategy with campus resources.
• Design, manage, and continuously refine organization-wide strategic planning processes to support ongoing alignment and adaptability.
• Build and sustain strategic partnerships at the local, national, and field levels to advance the Institute’s mission and expand impact.
• Lead the development of strategic materials for engaging Board of Advisors, including briefing documents, presentations, and summaries of discussions, decisions, and action items.
• Provide cross-functional strategic leadership, ensuring coordination and alignment across programs, operations, and initiatives.
• Identify and advance opportunities for program innovation, development, and expansion in alignment with the Institute’s mission and strategic priorities.
• Analyze external trends and landscape to inform organizational positioning and decision making.
• Ensure alignment between strategy, programs, and funding streams to support sustainability and growth.
• Align Institute priorities with the university’s strategic framework and developing key performance indicators and metrics to track progress and impact.

• Lead cross-functional collaboration to develop proposals, coordinating efforts across the Institute and with multi-university and multi-organizational partners.
• Manage and improve the Institute’s proposal development process to ensure efficiency, quality, and timely submission.
• Identify, track and cultivate grant and funding opportunities aligned with the Institute’s initiatives.
• Develop a deep understanding of programmatic content and priorities to ensure proposals are accurate, compelling, and aligned with organizational goals.
• Translate funding opportunity requirements (RFPs) into programmatic approaches and proposals components.
• Collaborate with project leads and contributors to develop letters of inquiry, concept papers, and grant proposals that clearly communicate impact and include aligned budgets.

Nature/Complexity of Work

This position requires an individual who works with considerable independence, energy, initiative, strong work ethic, and sound judgment in a complex day-to-day environment. Strong attention to detail, accuracy, professional discretion, and sensitivity to confidential information, a record of effective teamwork with others, and time management skills are required. Knowledge of the University of Nebraska’s organizational structure and interrelationships among the campuses and internal and external constituencies is helpful in this position.

Know-How

This position demands the ability to take initiative, operate independently, and thrive in a fast-paced and multi-tasking environment. One should demonstrate exceptional interpersonal skills with a strong orientation toward diplomacy, tact, collaboration, and teamwork; exceptional verbal, writing, editing, and proofreading skills; must be detail-oriented and accurate; must have ability to prioritize effectively and quickly respond to shifting priorities; the ability to collect, compile, and analyze facts, draw conclusions and recommend solutions; possess a strong work ethic and willingness to work beyond regular hours, if necessary; and demonstrate a high level of professional discretion and confidentiality. Ability to interpret and prepare information for analysis activities and communicate findings to management is essential. Must follow Board of Regents bylaws and policies, state and federal law, and other rules and regulations.

Technical Skills

This position demands technological proficiency, with a willingness to learn and use new technologies. Proficiency using Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook is also required.

Problem-solving and appropriate decision-making are required in every element of this position. Key duties involve independent judgment regarding analysis of issues and actions required to support day-to-day business transactions. Actions are governed by broad objectives, professional ethics, university procedures, and/or business acumen.

This individual is required to be proficient and conscientious when representing the Buffett Institute and the university. Administrative review is often necessary before information is released by this position, but the responsibility for error-free detail supporting analytical information rests on the employee.

This position will be expected to manage the Institute’s proposal development process and work collaboratively; advocate new ideas; identify and address obstacles; and construct quality project/work plans with deliverables from minimal definitions. This position will help build and strengthen relationships with the University of Nebraska campuses and must have the ability to work as a member of a team, as well as independently, in a complex environment, and with respect for confidential and sensitive information. This position also interacts with many external constituencies.

This position reports to the Deputy Executive Director.

No

Office

Operation of standard office equipment