Career Center

Job Summary

Harvard University's Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society is a University-wide research center and one of the largest and most influential conveners and accelerators of scholars, technologists, activists and makers working on understanding the digital world and forging related law, engineering, and public policy interventions in the public interest. At a time of staggering technological and social change for humanity, the Center seeks an Executive Director to join our team, appreciate our legacy, and help us shape the next wave of engagement with the digital world.

This is a rare and unusual opportunity to join a flourishing, intellectually robust community of faculty, students, fellows, and affiliates from multiple disciplines and backgrounds, committed to studying and improving the digital space by building in it. The Center works on the cutting edge of research and development while operating amid, and benefiting from, one of the most revered educational institutions in the world.

The Center's enduring strengths have included its ability to cultivate and convene rigorously thoughtful people from both inside and outside academia, and across disciplines, who critique and refine each other's ideas, and who make positive societal impact. We survey and assess the current state of the digital environment, and seek a leader who can help fulfill our aims, several years in the making, to deepen our nimbly addressing the manifold tech-related issues confronting society, including those of social media and artificial intelligence.

Position Description

As Executive Director you will:

• Collaborate closely with the Faculty Director and other key stakeholders, including the Managing Director and Senior Director for Strategy and Programming, to review and refine the mission and strategy for the Center.

• Make strategic decisions about Center priorities and communicate that vision broadly to internal and external communities.

• Serve as an ambassador for BKC, and as a peer to counterparts in sibling academic centers and public interest organizations, as well as to affiliated faculty whose work may be augmented through BKC.

• Explore potential funding and research opportunities originating from the BKC board and other senior stakeholders, leveraging BKC's academic reputation and research capabilities to help complicated projects be not only successful but pathbreaking.

• Determine which opportunities, including new collaborations and projects across and outside Harvard, to pursue.

• As the CEO of the Center and with the Managing Director, oversee the effective leadership of management and resources so that the Center can deliver pioneering research, programming, and community development consistent with BKC's mission.

• Determine the allocation of Center resources, including core support such as communications, technology, and community teams, across existing projects

• Engage with supporters and funders of BKC, both to explore and encourage new avenues of support and to ensure stewardship for existing support.

Basic Qualifications

Bachelor's degree and 10 or more years' experience leading people and projects in an academic setting, nonprofit, public or private sector technology-related organization, or research or policy institution.

Additional Qualifications and Skills

Below is a list of additional qualities and experiences that would tend to enhance the prospects for success in the job and for the institution and the public it seeks to serve. Since no single candidate will possess all these qualifications, we offer this list as a way of indicating the kind and range of talents and backgrounds that would be welcome in the role.

We are looking for people who might have:

• Engaged in extensive research and fundraising

• Managed a dynamic research or innovative technology environment

• Operated in a not-for-profit or academic institution with variable funding conditions

• Senior level leadership experience (head of organization or large function within organization)

• Organized team members toward shared goals while enabling pursuit of independent goals

• Catalyzed and inspired good and great work from others

• A strong academic and/or technology community reputation

• An ability to weave together disparate or competing means and goals towards a synthetic whole

• Led (or had a significant role in) an organization through an important strategic or programmatic transition and to growth

• Demonstrated keen project or program management skills

Additional Information

This is a one-year term appointment with potential for renewal subject to funding and departmental need.

We regret that Harvard Law School is unable to provide visa sponsorship for staff positions.

All offers to be made by HLS Human Resources.

Be a part of excellence and leadership in legal education and scholarship at Harvard Law School. We are a community of talented people from diverse backgrounds, lived experiences, and perspectives, dedicated to advancing the cause of justice all over the world. We value our differences and our diversity as a source of strength. We are committed to developing and inspiring our students and our workforce. Whoever you are, whatever you do, however you do it, Harvard Law School is a place where you can thrive.

Benefits

We invite you to visit Harvard's Total Rewards website to learn more about our outstanding benefits package, which may include:

• Paid Time Off: 3-4 weeks of accrued vacation time per year (3 weeks for support staff and 4 weeks for administrative/professional staff), 12 accrued sick days per year, 12.5 holidays plus a Winter Recess in December/January, 3 personal days per year (prorated based on date of hire), and up to 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents who are primary care givers.
• Health and Welfare: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits, disability and life insurance programs, along with voluntary benefits. Most coverage begins as of your start date.
• Work/Life and Wellness: Child and elder/adult care resources including on campus childcare centers, Employee Assistance Program, and wellness programs related to stress management, nutrition, meditation, and more.
• Retirement: University-funded retirement plan with contributions from 5% to 15% of eligible compensation, based on age and earnings with full vesting after 3 years of service.
• Tuition Assistance Program: Competitive program including $40 per class at the Harvard Extension School and reduced tuition through other participating Harvard graduate schools.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Program that provides 75% to 90% reimbursement up to $5,250 per calendar year for eligible courses taken at other accredited institutions.
• Professional Development: Programs and classes at little or no cost, including through the Harvard Center for Workplace Development and LinkedIn Learning.
• Commuting and Transportation: Various commuter options handled through the Parking Office, including discounted parking, half-priced public transportation passes and pre-tax transit passes, biking benefits, and more.
• Harvard Facilities Access, Discounts and Perks: Access to Harvard athletic and fitness facilities, libraries, campus events, credit union, and more, as well as discounts to various types of services (legal, financial, etc.) and cultural and leisure activities throughout metro-Boston.

Work Format

Hybrid (partially on-site, partially remote)


Commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging
The work and well-being of the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society are profoundly strengthened by our differences in background, culture, experience, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, age, ability, and more. We actively seek and welcome applications from people of diverse backgrounds, including Black, Indigenous, Asian, Hispanic, and Latino/Latina/Latinx people; LGBTQIA+ people; non-binary people; women; people with disabilities; people at intersections of these identities; and people from and working across the spectrum of disciplines.

EEO Statement
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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