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VCU School of the Arts in Qatar
Director of Design Entrepreneurship
Position #FA3010

Director of Design Entrepreneurship. This key position is essential to advance the design profession in Qatar. A strong entrepreneurial business focus is necessary to build capacity within this young design industry. The individual in this position is responsible for providing educational programming and one-on-one mentoring for students and alumni to create and develop their independent design business ventures and support their applications for graduate study. The Director will focus on supporting students and alumni through the development of business models and planning, design management, contracts and documentation, working with vendors, accounting, client development, etc. The position will work closely with the VCUQatar Director of the Center for Research in Design to build models for student transition from university to the profession. To link directly with the current industry in Qatar, the position includes coordination of internship placements. The Director will develop and maintain contacts with commercial, industrial and governmental organizations, locally and in the Gulf region, related to development of positions and analysis of business opportunities in the design industry. The Director will regularly consult with faculty, staff, administrators, employers and government ministries regarding career development needs of alumni who are tracking to a more traditional corporate career.

Qualifications: Successful candidates should have a record of accomplishment in project administration/management; at least three years experience in business or design firm management; knowledge of market research and analysis, business operations, management, financial planning and growth projections; working knowledge of regulations, mandates, and current issues in business practice; excellent analytical, managerial, communication, and interpersonal skills; the ability to work effectively with a diverse group of administrators, faculty, staff, and students; the ability to work independently while organizing and prioritizing to meet deadlines; and preferably some experience in an institution of higher education. A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field is required. A master’s degree or equivalent experience is desirable. Some international experience preferred.

Benefits: The position offers competitive International salary and benefits including housing, tuition assistance for dependent children, an annual travel allowance to a home of record, and support for research.

VCU School of the Arts in Qatar (www.qatar.vcu.edu), the leading design school in the Middle East, is a four-year campus of Virginia Commonwealth University. Located in Doha, the capital city of Qatar, VCUQatar is affiliated with the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science, and Community Development (www.qf.edu.qa). VCU School of the Arts in Richmond, Virginia is ranked as the leading art and design program among all public universities in the US and maintains identical standards for VCUQ. Celebrating its 10th year of operation, VCUQ offers professional BFA degrees in Fashion Design, Graphic Design, and Interior Design for students from throughout the Gulf region, and over 30% international students. Plans are under way to initiate an MFA in Design, becoming the first Masters degree in the region. The School is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art & Design, The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and the Council for Interior Design Accreditation. The School has substantial involvement with the emerging design industries in Qatar and is a significant catalyst for that growth.

VCUQ benefits from a funding situation that allows it to be driven by innovative programmatic needs rather than typical fiscal constraints. Externally funded student and faculty research opportunities are expanding with the rapid development of Qatar, now among the wealthiest countries in the world based upon per capita GDP. (www.qf.org.qa)

The VCUQ Center for Research in Design has a contract for the design of Qatar military uniforms; is involved in the World Design Report with Icograda; is developing the proposal for the Qatar Design Zone; and is expanding with multiple project opportunities in collaboration with faculty and external partners. With an annual budget of $20 million, VCUQ’s full-time faculty and administrative staff of 75 (50% female), instruct an undergraduate student body of 180. The school maintains an enviable student/faculty ration of 5:1 with enrollment of 10 – 12 in most classes. Transition to coeducation began fall 2007 with an incoming freshman class of 40 female, 6 male. Housed in an 82,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility, the school has 42,000 square foot addition in development. VCUQ was the first campus established in Education City, a unique 2,500 acre campus community with facilities designed by leading architects for US universities. VCUQ has since been joined by Carnegie-Mellon University (Business and Computer Science), Cornell University’s Weill School of Medicine, Georgetown University (School of Foreign Service), and Texas A & M University (Engineering).

Qatar, where English is the standard second language, is perhaps the most liberal, hospitable and progressive of the Arabian Gulf countries. The population of Qatar is 900,000 – 150,000 Qatari, 4,000 US citizens, the remainder ex-patriates. Doha, with a population of 350,000, has all the conveniences generally found in a modern city, but it also maintains a traditional Arab flavor, evident in the old markets and the city’s Islamic Arab architecture. The US Embassy considers Qatar among the safest countries in the world for Americans.

Application Process:  Qualified applicants who have a record of achievement appropriate to VCU Qatar should submit two complete applications including: letters of interest with a resume, official transcripts, and the names of three references to: John DeMao, Associate Dean for Qatar, VCU School of the Arts, and Dr. Charles Bleick, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, VCU School of the Arts in Qatar, PO Box 8095, Doha, Qatar. Electronic submissions only sent simultaneously to: jdemao@vcu.edu and to cbleick@qatar.vcu.edu.

Review of applications will begin on January 16, 2008. Virginia Commonwealth University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. Women, minorities and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

For Additional Information:  John DeMao Phone: 804-828-6820 Fax: 824-828-6469 Web: www.vcu.edu/arts