DEPARTMENT: Nutrition
REPORTS TO: Chief Scientific Officer
SUMMARY:
The New York Academy of Sciences is a global nonprofit organization that since 1817 has been committed to driving innovative solutions to society’s challenges by advancing scientific research, education, and policy. With more than 20,000 Members in 100 countries, the Academy is creating a global community of science for the benefit of humanity. Headquartered in New York City, the Academy maintains offices and a conference center in downtown Manhattan, and an international network of partners.
Nutrition sits squarely in the midst of the most pressing issues of our times: unhealthy diets are now seen as a key driver of chronic disease and illness; nutritious foods are acknowledged as central to the cognitive and biological well-being of individuals, from pregnancy to adult life. Further, our current eating patterns and the global food system are environmentally unsustainable. For more than a decade, the Academy’s work in nutrition science has been dedicated to improving the human condition and addressing these challenges by maximizing the role of science and evidence-based policy in achieving optimal nutrition.
Following the Academy’s development of the Global Research Agenda for Nutrition Science, in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), the Academy—working in cooperation with leaders from academia, government, and the public and private sectors—has mobilized international communities around critical gap areas in nutrition science, stimulated nutrition science research through the awarding of competitive research grants, fellowships, and open-innovation challenges, developed policy recommendations, and translated this knowledge in the field through innovative, community-based nutritional interventions. From the use of micronutrient supplements in pregnancy, to the use of antibiotics in animal foods, to other groundbreaking domains like computerized nutrition modeling and adolescent women nutrition, we have been at the cutting edge of solutions in the field through our Discovery to Delivery (D2D) model.
A Director of Nutrition Science is now sought to steward our current program commitments and expand our success by opening new areas of interest such as, but not limited to, the relationship between poor nutrition and chronic non-communicable diseases, as well as issues related to the connections between better nutrition and the availability of high quality as well as sustainably produced food – and better communication about nutrition – to broad members of the public both nationally and internationally.
Beyond the reporting relationship with the Chief Scientific Officer, this position will work closely with the President, the senior leadership team, and the Senior Vice President for Advancement. The Director will design and lead the strategic orientation of our nutrition portfolio, deliver high-impact innovative programs that encourage the exchange of information and resources; nurture the next generation of scientists; and affect community intervention and public policy changes in nutrition both domestically and globally.
The Director will mobilize new research networks and partner with the Academy’s Advancement team to secure the financial resources required to build on the success of the Nutrition Program’s global image, sustain and grow the program’s initiatives, and expand its program portfolio as new opportunities arise.
The Director will also work in close coordination with other Academy programmatic and shared services teams to leverage the Academy’s strengths in scientific convenings, awards, publications, and education, and to highlight the program prominently in marketing and advocacy efforts.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES:
- Provide the strategic leadership and vision needed to move forward and sustain current international programs and expand the portfolio to include domestic activities.
- Work in partnership with the Academy’s Advancement team and existing network to define outreach strategies and lead efforts to secure resources to ensure that the nutrition-science research community continues to address cutting-edge problems and to nurture future generations of scientists to build research capacity.
GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
Collaborate with academic institutions, non-profit organizations, government bodies, and corporations to convene scientists and experts that highlight advances in nutrition science; stimulate research; and disseminate key ideas through publications. The Nutrition Science Program generates a coordinated network across sectors, disciplines, and geographies.
Use the Global Research Agenda to stimulate research, innovation, and action on key research priorities; utilize research findings to drive on-the-ground policy and practice change; translate research into projects that can be implemented in the field.
Inspire, motivate, and lead a team by establishing key performance goals and evaluating performance against those identified goals.
Mentor and develop staff through a supportive and collaborative team approach, fostering cross-program synergy, transparency, and coordination to promote a culture of high performance, quality, excellence, and continuous improvement.
- orts to design and host programs and events to enable researchers, government representatives, NGOs, and other stakeholders to build networks and collaborate to share knowledge and experiences and to motivate and create on the ground proof-of-concept programs that advance the integration of nutrition science into practice.
- Ensure that staff talents are fully utilized and that the operations of the program are thoroughly integrated with those of the Academy; manage and allocate critical and shared resources for maximum impact.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY:
- Directly supervise the Program Managers and support staff.
REQUIREMENTS:
- An M.D., Ph.D., or M.D./Ph.D. degree in nutrition, public health, or a closely related scientific field is required.
- Minimum 7-10 years preferred of relevant experience in a scientific, academic, medical, government or non-profit organization working in a biomedical field with exposure to nutrition science.
- Extensive knowledge of scientific research in the fields of nutrition, public health, and related areas; commitment to the highest standards of research and scientific integrity.
- A proven leader, with evidence of building trust and credibility with key leaders in the field of nutrition, including researchers, government representatives, administrators of NGOs, members of private industry, and the policy community.
- Must have a demonstrated capability to acquire and maintain external funding and lead a scientific research program with the support of private and public grants. The candidate will be expected to develop and maintain a vigorous externally funded research program and raise his/her salary and program budget from external grants.
- The considerable professional stature and presence, coupled with the engagement and communication skills, required to attract and grow the network of stakeholders dedicated to the program’s long-term success.
- The business skills and the strategic awareness required to navigate the complex field of nutrition. Must have a track record of successfully overseeing public/private partnerships; must be able to identify funding sources and partners; in-depth experience negotiating with multi-sector stakeholders.
- Excellent financial, analytical, and process skills; capable of synthesizing complex data and making sound recommendations.
- A smart, insightful, dynamic strategic leader; a “self-starter” with the necessary drive and stamina to respond to the demands of the Academy by “rolling up his/her sleeves” and working collaboratively to achieve results.
- A transformational thinker, highly diplomatic, and discreet. Unquestionable personal integrity and a commitment to the highest ethical standards; exudes credibility and professionalism; quickly builds confidence in others.
- Proven project management skills; capable of establishing priorities and delivering high-quality work on a timely and cost-effective basis.
- Proven leadership skills and experience managing scientific and operational staff through excellent performance management skills.
- Outstanding interpersonal and relationship management skills; demonstrated success at cultivating good working relationships with staff and key stakeholders.
- Excellent communication skills, including the capability to actively listen and synthesize critical issues; ability to communicate and influence a variety of people and audiences.
- Passionate and committed to the mission of the Academy.
WORK SCHEDULE:
The Academy operates during standard business hours Monday through Friday from 9am-5pm ET. Standard work week is 35 hours, unless otherwise noted.
This is a remote position, however, candidates must reside in the states of New York or California. Travel to New York City will be required for meetings, events, and other business needs. Domestic and international travel up to 25% annually.
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
Salary range: Salary commensurate with experience and qualifications with a salary range of $125,000 - $150,000.
This is a Full-time, Exempt position.
In addition to salary, the Academy offers a comprehensive benefits package, which includes affordable health insurance, a retirement plan with matching employee contributions, a personal & career development stipend as well as liberal paid time off policies.
The New York Academy of Sciences is an Equal Opportunity Employer, adhering to the laws which prohibit discrimination in the terms, conditions, and privileges of employment. Academy policy expressly prohibits discrimination in employment because of any legally impermissible classification, including but not limited to actual or perceived race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, and any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.
Equal Opportunity and equal consideration will be afforded to all personnel actions involving applicants and employees, including (but not limited to) recruiting and hiring, selection for training, promotion, job assignments, working conditions, rates of pay or other compensation, discipline, transfer and layoff, or termination.