Managing Director

Managing Director

Job Summary

The Managing Director will coordinate the AI Business Futures Initiative, working with Ross leadership, faculty, staff, and program partners to grow its vision and connect activities across strategic pillars. Leading through partnership and influence, the Managing Director will facilitate planning, align stakeholders and resources, prioritize opportunities, track progress, encourage AI adoption, and communicate the Initiative's accomplishments. The Managing Director will work with faculty and unit leaders to develop and deliver individual programs, providing coordination needed to promote the Initiative.

This hybrid position is based in Ann Arbor, MI, with an expectation of three days per week on-site. The role may require occasional travel and work outside of standard business hours. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire and maintain that authorization throughout employment.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Coordination and Communication of Vision (30%)

• Partner with the Chief of Staff and Ross leadership to define and communicate the Initiative's vision, priorities, and commitment to productive, ethical, responsible, and human-centered AI.

• Translate priorities into clear messages and materials for faculty, staff, students, alumni, donors, and corporate partners.

• Develop a plan to position Ross as a leader in AI and business among prospective students, recruiters, and peer business schools.

• Facilitate annual and multiyear planning; maintain a roadmap of current and proposed activities; and identify connections, gaps, dependencies, and opportunities across the Initiative.

• Monitor developments in AI, business, higher education, and workforce transformation; share relevant insights; and prepare briefings and recommendations for leadership.

• Initiative Coordination and Facilitation (30%)

• Coordinate Initiative activities and convene faculty leaders, staff partners, project teams, advisory groups, and external collaborators.

• Establish processes to share information, coordinate timelines, document decisions, identify needs, and track progress.

• Connect Ross programs, centers, institutes, administrative units, and other U-M schools and colleges to support collaboration.

• Connect companies, executives, alumni, donors, technology providers, government entities, and community organizations with relevant faculty and programs.

• Develop New Ideas (20%)

• Establish a clear process for receiving and reviewing proposed activities; help sponsors define goals, audiences, resource needs, expected outcomes, and strategic fit.

• Assess proposals with appropriate academic, technical, operational, financial, and subject-matter experts, considering potential impact, feasibility, sustainability, scalability, and responsible AI, security, privacy, accessibility, and reputational factors.

• Present assessments and recommendations to the Chief of Staff, Ross leadership, faculty committees, or other decision-makers, and support small pilots or exploratory activities.

• Communications, Visibility, and Reporting (10%)

• Coordinate communications that explain the Initiative's vision, activities, accomplishments, and impact to internal and external audiences.

• Gather updates from faculty, project leaders, program offices, centers, and partners; develop accessible stories and evidence of the Initiative's contributions.

• Partner with Ross communications professionals to coordinate accurate communications for events, announcements, publications, partnerships, and funding awards in keeping with school and University standards.

• Financial Tracking and Resource Coordination (10%)

• Coordinate with Ross finance, advancement, academic units, and project owners to track Initiative budgets, expenditures, and funding.

• Prepare financial reports, forecasts, and resource summaries for the Chief of Staff and Ross leadership.

• Help project owners develop preliminary budgets and identify potential funding sources.

• Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, technology, higher education, public policy, communications, organizational leadership, information science, or a related field.

• At least eight years of progressively responsible professional experience, including coordinating complex projects.

• Experience at the intersection of AI and business transformation, business education, or workforce development.

• Familiarity with responsible AI considerations, including ethics, privacy, security, accessibility, transparency, intellectual property, and human oversight.

• Experience developing impact reports, dashboards, executive briefings, publications, events, or expert communications.

• Experienced in achieving results through influence, facilitation, and partnership across diverse stakeholders in a matrixed or decentralized organization.

• Experience developing or monitoring budgets and tracking funding, commitments, and expenditures.

• Familiarity In navigating organizational roles, decision-making authority, confidentiality, and escalation.

• Proficiency with productivity, collaboration, presentation, budgeting, reporting, and project-management tools.

• Why Work at Michigan?

In addition to a career filled with purpose and opportunity, the University of Michigan offers a comprehensive benefits package to help you stay well, protect yourself and your family and plan for a secure future. Benefits include:

• Generous paid time off (Vacation, Holidays, Season Days, Maternity and Parental Leave)
• A retirement plan that provides two-for-one matching contributions with immediate vesting
• Many choices for comprehensive health insurance
• Life insurance
• Long-term disability coverage
• Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses
• Flexible work arrangements
• Access to the onsite Fitness Center at Ross