Job Description

Posting number: 2026-01951

Department: Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation System

Job classification: ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT

Posting type: Open

Categories: Administration, Research, Higher Education

Summary

Title: Administrative Services Manager (Director of Aloha Intelligence Institute)

Position Number: 0096984T

Hiring Unit: Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation (OVPRI)

Location: UH System Sinclair Building

Date Posted: September 9, 2026

Closing Date: October 9, 2026

Band: D

Salary: salary schedules and placement information

Additional salary Information: Commensurate with education and experience

Full-Time/Part-Time: Full-Time

Temporary/Permanent: Temporary

Other Conditions: This position is annually renewable contingent upon satisfactory performance and/or availability of funding.

The Aloha Intelligence Institute is envisioned as a statewide, community-grounded artificial intelligence institute designed to serve the University of Hawai'i System and the people, agencies, businesses, and communities of Hawai'i through shared AI infrastructure, coordinated expertise, interdisciplinary applied research, responsible governance, workforce development, and an applied service model. The Institute is intended to operate as a UH systemwide hub for ethical, place-based, and human-centered AI that supports public benefit, community needs, environmental resilience, local innovation, and practical adoption across sectors.

Duties and Responsibilities

(NOTE: ** denotes Essential Functions)

• **Provides administrative oversight to the launch and initial operationalization of the Aloha Intelligence Institute as a statewide, community-grounded AI initiative, under the direction of the Vice President for Research and Innovation.
• **Responsible for implementing the establishment of the organizational and administrative framework for the Institute, including launch governance, advisory structures, working groups, affiliate pathways, and internal coordination mechanisms.
• **Oversees development of the Institute’s phased project pipeline, including early landscape scans, roadmap development, partner intake, pilot identification, and launch of selected applied projects.
• **Coordinates landscape scans and partner consultations to identify statewide opportunities, capacity gaps, responsible use cases, and priority domains for institute action.
• **Directs preparation of early roadmaps and implementation frameworks across domains such as education, health, climate and resilience, government services, culture and language, and business innovation as appropriate.
• **Coordinates the early design of shared institute cores and applied labs, including technical infrastructure, responsible AI governance, community partnerships, translation support, workforce pathways, evaluation support, and innovation/commercialization coordination.
• **Helps promote responsible, human-centered, place-based AI consistent with UH values and the Institute’s commitment to public benefit, fairness, transparency, cultural integrity, and community engagement.
• **Coordinates use of initial institute space, collaboration environments, and systemwide facilities that support research, teaching, prototyping, convening, and partner engagement.
• **Translates the Institute’s mission into executable initiatives that support applied research, service delivery, workforce development, and responsible AI capability-building across Hawai'i.
• **Builds and coordinates cross-campus, cross-disciplinary, and cross-sector collaborations involving UH campuses, system offices, state and county agencies, schools, community organizations, non-profits, cultural organizations, and industry partners.
• **Coordinates with UH academic units, community colleges, system offices, and external stakeholders to connect institute activities with internships, capstones, applied projects, workshops, and workforce pathways.
• **Works with faculty, technical personnel, students, and partners to stand up pilot-ready project pathways that move ideas into structured evaluation, prototyping, and testing.
• **Works with UH academic, policy, legal, cultural, and community experts to ensure appropriate treatment of Indigenous, cultural, environmental, health, agency, and community-sensitive data and knowledge.
• **Coordinates with relevant UH offices on operational requirements related to personnel, facilities, technology support, communications, contracts, agreements, and other startup matters consistent with University procedures.
• **Identifies opportunities to align the Institute with UH strategic priorities, federal and state opportunities, community needs, and innovation and commercialization pathways.
• **Ensures that projects are assessed not only for technical feasibility, but also for public benefit, fairness, sustainability, cultural integrity, community alignment, and responsible data use.
• Other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Professional Experience

• Possession of a baccalaureate degree in business, management, or a related field and seven (7) years of progressively responsible professional experience with responsibilities in leadership experience in a university, research institute, public-sector innovation environment, technology initiative, or similarly complex organization; or any equivalent combination of education and/or professional work experience which provides the required education, knowledge, skills and abilities as indicated.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Extensive knowledge of innovative and state-of-the-art principles, concepts, emerging theories, the current federal and state laws and associated rules, regulations and interpretations and systems associated with leadership experience in a university, research institute, public-sector innovation environment, technology initiative, or similarly complex organization.
• Demonstrated ability to develop short- and long-term plans of actions, understand problems from a broad perspective, use creative reasoning to discern broad underlying principles and issues when problem solving.
• Demonstrated written and verbal mastery in presenting ideas, theories, issues and models clearly and accurately using persuasion and negotiation to build consensus and cooperation and provide long-term direction and leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external organizations, groups and individuals.
• Demonstrated ability to operate a personal computer and apply word processing software.
• For supervisory work, demonstrated ability to lead subordinates, manage work priorities and projects, and manage employee relations.

SUPPLEMENTAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Demonstrated experience of a substantial record of managing complex initiatives, cross-functional teams, or partnerships at the intersection of AI and business or public-sector organizations.
• Demonstrated experience launching, building, or scaling a major initiative, center, institute, program, or cross-organizational effort.
• Demonstrated substantive knowledge of artificial intelligence to assess technical claims, recognize limitations and risks, lead interdisciplinary institute development, and build effective partnerships with government, industry, and community organizations.
• Demonstrated experience in strategic planning, program development, partnership-building, and implementation management.
• Demonstrated commitment to ethical, responsible, and community-informed approaches to innovation and technology deployment.
• Demonstrated ability to focus on artificial intelligence, data-driven decision-making, digital innovation, or technology-intensive enterprises.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s degree (MBA or equivalent) in business, management, or a related field, preferably with demonstrated focus on artificial intelligence, data-driven decision-making, digital innovation, or technology-intensive enterprises.
• Experience working in or with higher education systems, statewide initiatives, or multi-campus environments.
• Experience working with Hawai'i-based communities, agencies, cultural organizations, or public-sector partners.
• Experience in responsible AI, technology governance, data stewardship, digital policy, or community-engaged innovation.
• Experience developing external partnerships, affiliates, or collaborative program frameworks.
• Experience with interdisciplinary research development, applied innovation, commercialization pathways, or workforce development initiatives.
• Experience securing or positioning programs for external funding, public investment, philanthropy, or sponsored collaborations.
• Knowledge of issues related to Indigenous data governance, cultural stewardship, public benefit technology, or place-based innovation.

To Apply:

Select the "Apply" button in the top right corner of the screen; first-time NeoGov users will need to create an account. Please ensure your application includes the following materials:

• Cover Letter: A letter detailing your interest and how you meet both the minimum and desirable qualifications. All minimum qualifications must be met by the closing date to be considered.
• Resume/CV: A current professional resume or curriculum vitae.
• Professional References: The names, telephone numbers, and email addresses of three (3) professional references.
• Unofficial Transcripts: Copies of unofficial transcripts are required for the application, though official versions must be provided upon hire. Please note that copies of diplomas and academic summaries are not acceptable substitutes.
• Foreign Credential Evaluation: For degrees earned outside the U.S., you must provide a course-by-course analysis and equivalency statement from a NACES-member agency at your own expense.

Important Note: To protect your privacy, do not include any photos, Social Security Numbers, or dates of birth in your packet. Only the most recent application will be reviewed, and all submitted materials become the property of the University of Hawai’i. Please ensure all documents are complete and legible to be considered by the search committee. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Inquiries:

Chad Walton, Interim Vice President for Research and Innovation; cwalton@hawaii.edu

Examples of duties

The University of Hawai'i is an Equal Opportunity Institution and is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination in employment, including on the basis of veteran and disability status. For more information, visit: https://www.hawaii.edu/offices/eeo/policies/

Employment is contingent on satisfying employment eligibility verification requirements of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986; reference checks of previous employers; and for certain positions, criminal history record checks.

In accordance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, annual campus crime statistics for the University of Hawai'i may be viewed at: https://www.hawaii.edu/titleix/help/campus-security/, or a paper copy may be obtained upon request from the respective UH Campus Security or Administrative Services Office.

In accordance with Article 10 of the unit 08 collective bargaining agreement, bargaining unit members receive priority consideration for APT job vacancies. As a result, external or non BU 08 applicants may not be considered for some APT vacancies. BU 08 members with re-employment rights or priority status are responsible for informing the hiring unit of their status.

Accommodation Request: The University of Hawai'i complies with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the EEO coordinator directly. Determination on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. For further information, please refer to the following link: https://www.hawaii.edu/offices/eeo/accommodation-request/