General Responsibilities for All Board Members
- Participate in the development and oversight of policies to ensure the effective governance and fiscal health of the organization through attendance at scheduled Board meetings each year.
- Support the strategic plan and participate in strategic planning meetings.
- Represent the membership as ambassadors of the organization and the profession.
- Be familiar with the annual operating budget including the development of new programs and initiatives.
- Prepare written and/or verbal reports for Board meetings and interim reports as needed.
- Assist in mentoring incoming Board member at end of their term to ensure a smooth transition.
- Ensure smooth transition of committee Chairs and within key committees.
- Work in cooperation with other Board members and adhere to the Board Rules of Conduct.
- Be aware of opportunities to develop new revenue streams.
- Provide recommendations to the Leadership Development Committee.
- Submit travel expenses in a timely manner.
- Participate in annual performance evaluation of Headquarters and AUTM staff.
- Must be a team player and have excellent organization skills.
- Advise the Board of any changes in job, position or lifestyle that might negatively affect officer’s ability to serve AUTM.
- All Board members, except for the Office of the Chair, can be re-elected to one consecutive term.
Office of the Chair
Term: Three years (one-year term as Chair-Elect with automatic succession to one year terms as Chair and Immediate Past Chair)
Description:
Chair: The Chair shall serve as the official spokesperson for the AUTM Board. The Chair shall serve as official spokesperson for AUTM, as designated or delegated by the Chief Executive Officer. The Chair shall have the power to make, as directed by and subject to the approval of the Board, contracts for and in the name of AUTM. The Chair shall have the power to create ad hoc committees and task forces and appoint members thereof, and perform such other duties as are usually required by the Chair’s office or as may be delegated to the Chair. The Chair shall provide strategic leadership in all Board functions.
Chair-Elect: The Chair-Elect shall assume the office of the Chair at the conclusion of the Annual Meeting at which the incumbent Chair's term of office expires. The Chair-Elect shall assume the duties of the Chair in his/her absence or inability to act. Chair-elect is the primary supporter of the Chair and shall oversee the strategic activities of the association.
Immediate Past Chair: The Immediate Past Chair shall act in an ambassadorial role for the association. The Immediate Past Chair shall Chair the Leadership Development Committee and provide support and advice to and serve on committees and task forces as directed by the Chair.
Mission: Provide for a seamless Association leadership succession and foster Board development with a focus on issues of critical importance to the Association and, by doing so, optimize the talents and resources to address these issues. Coordinate, implement and monitor the Association’s strategic plan.
Office of the Chair Responsibilities:
- Oversee and guide Board in implementing its responsibilities to further AUTM’s goals.
- Monitor implementation of strategic plan and report to members annually on progress related to Vision, Mission and Goals.
- Build relationships with external and affiliated organizations and serve on their boards and committees as appropriate.
- Update strategic plan.
- Maintain and monitor relationship with Chief Executive Officer.
Chair’s Responsibilities:
- Serve as official spokesperson for AUTM Board or, as designated or delegated by the Chief Executive Officer, for AUTM.
- Serve as Chair of the Board of Directors, providing strategic and operational leadership in all its functions.
- Support Cabinet in implementing respective missions and achieving respective goals.
- Serve as Chair of the Executive Committee.
- Provide supervision and instructions for the Chief Executive Officer.
- Ex officio member of all committees.
- Other duties as assigned by the Board of Directors.
- Serve an ex officio role on the AUTM Foundation Board.
- Serve an ex officio role on the AUTM Foundation Audit Committee.
Chair-Elect’s Responsibilities:
- Support Cabinet in implementing respective missions and achieving respective goals.
- Review and increase personal understanding of Association operations and increase Board understanding accordingly.
- Serve as a member of the Executive Committee.
- Serve as official spokesperson for AUTM Board when Chair is unavailable, or, as designated or delegated by the Chief Executive Officer, for AUTM.
- Other duties as assigned by the Board of Directors.
Immediate Past Chair Responsibilities:
- Chair of Leadership Development Committee.
- Serve as a member of the Executive Committee.
- Support Cabinet in implementing their mission and achieving goals.
- Other duties as assigned by the Board of Directors.
Qualifications:
- Except in cases where the Board of Directors adjusts these qualifications in accordance with the Association Bylaws, must be a member in good standing and employed by an academic, teaching, governmental, non-profit research entity, or a related organization of such an entity established for the purpose of facilitating technology transfer, or an international counterpart thereof.
- Must be an experienced and recognized senior leader in academic technology transfer.
- Must be able to devote approximately 8 hours per week to AUTM activities for the three-year term of Chair-Elect/Chair/Immediate Past Chair.
- Must have the written support of his/her institution for the three-year term of Chair-Elect/Chair/Immediate Past Chair before accepting a nomination for the office of Chair-Elect.
- Must have strategic planning capabilities.
- During term as Chair, must be able to devote at least 15 percent of his/her time to AUTM activities, which includes travel to Regional Meetings, Professional Development Courses, Annual Meetings, Board meetings and other events in the United States and worldwide.
- Must be able to demonstrate a clear track record of leadership in effective and creative academic technology transfer/innovation management.
- A Chair-elect may be a former Chair (or President) of the Association, but may not be nominated for Chair-elect until s/he has been out of the Office of the Chair (or President) for at least four (4) years.
Preferences:
- 10+ years in technology transfer or similar role.
- Record of service to AUTM.
- Experience managing a team of 5+ Full Time Equivalents.
- Credible record of strong industry engagement and Intellectual Property expertise.
- RTTP or CLP credentials.
- Demonstrated excellence in communications, public policy, advocacy, program development, or thought leadership beyond institution (conferences, articles, expert witness, boards or committees at national level of other related organizations, etc.).
- Exposure to and/or interest in fundraising, strategic planning, public speaking.
Board of Directors
Position Descriptions and Qualifications
Term: Three years
Description: The role of the director is to act in the best interest of the association and to exercise the legal duties of stewardship. Directors are charged with representing the membership of the organization and acting in a manner that facilitates the strategic and general functioning of the Board.
Mission: The role of the Board is defined in the bylaws and includes: the responsibility to identify the strategic priorities of the organization, oversight of the progress of the association in areas of strategic priority, review and approval of the association’s major financial activities; review and recommendation of changes to association policies, and oversight of committee operations.
Director Responsibilities:
- Monitor implementation of strategic plan and as a Board report to members annually on progress related to Vision, Mission and Goals.
- Support the strategic plan and participate in strategic planning meetings.
- Participate in the review and oversight of policies to ensure the effective governance and fiscal health of the organization through attendance at scheduled Board meetings each year.
- Represent the membership as ambassadors of the organization and the profession.
- Build relationships with external and affiliated organizations and serve on their boards and committees as appropriate.
- Enhance AUTM’s public image, and promote the mission and vision of the association.
- Be familiar with the annual operating budget including the review and recommendation of new programs and initiatives.
- Work in cooperation with other Board members.
- Participate in annual performance evaluation of Headquarters and AUTM staff.
- Advise the Board of any changes in job, position or lifestyle that might negatively affect officer’s ability to serve AUTM.
Qualifications:
- Dedication & commitment to achieve the goals set in AUTM’s mission, bylaws and strategic plan.
- Ability to work as a team member, accept compromise and to support all decisions of the board.
- Willingness to disclose any potential or perceived conflicts of interest.
- Demonstrated skills in leadership, strategic planning & business acumen.
- Well-respected in the Technology Transfer profession.
- The resources, time and employer support to be engaged in the business of AUTM by attending meetings, accepting committee appointments, and contributing to Board efforts.
- 5+ years in role related to technology transfer (e.g. TTO staff; university-industry research partnerships; IP attorney; Venture Capital; entrepreneurship instructor, business development in a for-profit or non-profit organization, etc.).
Preference:
- Previous experience serving on an AUTM committee or similar activity.
- Demonstrated experience with board governance.
- Previous experience in advocacy.
- Entrepreneurial spirit or understanding of the finances of a business.