Vice President & Managing Director, Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus

Children's National Hospital is creating the first research and innovation campus in the U.S. that is specifically envisioned to revolutionize pediatric medicine. Slated to open in phases from early 2021 through 2025 and beyond, the Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus will be a unique new space for scientists, clinicians, entrepreneurs, and investors to advance research and develop innovations that improve and save the lives of children. Children’s National seeks an exceptional individual to lead this novel enterprise, to facilitate and steward partnerships that will propel its mission, and to generate resources to realize and expand the campus in synergy with surrounding developments in Washington DC’s innovation ecosystem.

The 12-acre Campus occupies a portion of the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) location, a 112-acre site in Northwest Washington, DC. The Campus, which is in a qualified Opportunity Zone, is strategically located at the center of a six-mile radius of leading research universities, academic medical centers, and federal partners including the NIH and the FDA. Children’s National Research Institute , the research, development, and commercialization arm of the hospital, is the primary institutional anchor of the development.

Reporting jointly to Children’s National’s Chief Academic Officer and its Chief Real Estate & Facilities Officer, the VP/Managing Director will lead and direct the physical development, and later strategic and operational management, of the Campus. Succeeding first at the scale of the Campus, the VP/Managing Director should aim to become a leader working at the level of regional innovation development involving public, private, and institutional interests and assets.

Children’s National seeks an entrepreneurial executive leader who understands how to work within a research environment but who first and foremost brings the business-development skills and experience needed to develop a research-based innovation district through collaboration, recruitment, and place-making. Candidates should bring 10-plus years of experience developing and/or operating an innovation district or related enterprise such as a research park or urban (re)development entity. Experience in an early-stage innovation district or research park is an asset, as is experience operating effectively in an urban milieu with awareness of local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and dynamics.

Children’s National seeks candidates who embrace and reflect broadly defined diversity. Important additional competencies, attributes, experiences, and credentials include:
  • A track record of innovation and entrepreneurial activity with a focus on gathering and deploying the resources needed to start and attract funders, investors, and strategic partners;
  • Knowledge of the broad biomedical research landscape and experience navigating and building business, government, and community relationships across this landscape;
  • Familiarity with real estate development and operations, preferably with institutional/non-profit organizations and ideally involving tax incentives and other programs relevant to urban redevelopment (tax-increment financing, opportunity zones, etc.);
  • A bachelor’s degree in a related discipline such as business administration, a basic or applied science, a medical field, or engineering (required); advanced degree preferred.

Compensation will be competitive and commensurate with both experience and achievement and will contain an incentive component tied to agreed-upon performance measures.

A full description of the role can be found here .

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Children’s National Hospital is an equal opportunity employer that evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, identity, or other characteristics protected by law.

Children's National has engaged Opus Partners to support the recruitment of this position. Craig Smith, Partner, and Katie Dean, Associate Partner, are leading the search along with Chris Stadler, Associate. Confidential inquiries, applications, and nominations should be submitted by email to Chris at chris.stadler@opuspartners.net .