Employment Type: Permanent Faculty

Vacancy ID: FAC0005484

Position Summary/Description:

Founded in 1985 by visionary entrepreneur and philanthropist Frank Hawkins Kenan, the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise (Institute) is the research, outreach, and strategic planning arm of the Kenan-Flagler Business School. The Institute and its affiliated centers convene leaders from the private sector, academic community, and government to build a greater understanding of how the business sector can work for the public good. The lnstitute’s mission is to develop and promote innovative, market-based solutions to vital economic issues. With the belief that private enterprise is the cornerstone of a prosperous and free society, the Institute fosters the entrepreneurial spirit to stimulate economic prosperity and improve the lives of people in North Carolina, across the country, and around the world.

The Research Assistant Professor, Research Associate Professor, or Research Professor (Economist) will serve in the role of Regional Economist for the Institute. In this capacity, they will help direct the lnstitute’s regional research activities related to its American Growth Project initiative and support efforts to translate regional economic and business data into actionable policy recommendations for broader societal impact. This includes producing economic and/or econometric analyses as well as related business research publications and products important to the Institute’s external reputation along with that of its affiliated centers.

The Research Assistant Professor, Research Associate Professor, or Research Professor (Economist) has the following core responsibilities and duties:

• provide strategic vision, delivery, and leadership on regional economic research and related policy initiatives at the Institute

• produce relevant and insightful thought leadership in the area of regional economic and public policy research

• ensure ongoing programmatic excellence, rigorous program evaluation, and consistent quality of regional research communications

• present regional economic policy and business insights to distinguished external audiences and assist in the translation and curation of academic research for various external stakeholders

• facilitate relationships that provide support for the Institute in order to achieve its strategic goals

The Research Assistant Professor, Research Associate Professor, or Research Professor (Economist) ultimately seeks to:

• impact and influence the economic and commercial decisions of critical business leaders and local, state, federal, and non-US policymakers

• steward scholarship in relevant academic fields

• achieve relevance of work to the full spectrum of external stakeholders

• become a widely known and trusted resource for objective regional economic policy information and the role of private-sector business in society

This position works very closely with and reports to a research faculty member serving as the chief economist for the Institute. The position also works closely with the Director of Research Services, the Faculty Research Director, the Director of External Affairs, the Executive Director of NCGrowth, and faculty at the Kenan-Flagler Business School.