Suggestions wanted

[secundem_artem]

I don't want to out myself so there may not be a lot of information here for forumites to work with but here goes....

Artem U is facing some serious financial headwinds and the C suite is moving rapidly to act before we start seeing water coming in over the sides of the boat.  Good for them.

One such action has me in the potential (nothing official just yet) position to lead something the C suite has proposed that (I am told) also has significant financial benefits to dear old alma mater.  It has been suggested to me that I am potentially in a strong place to negotiate for things that I may find personally beneficial.

I can imagine these may include things like course releases, protected research time, research funds, teaching assistants, or salary or gawd knows what else.

My problem is that I don't know what I want and if I did, I'm probably not the best at negotiation.  I've heard it said that the first person that brings up money (or Hitler) usually loses the argument, so I'm not sure how to proceed here.

As noted above, nothing is official, but from what I know, things will move quickly so I may not have time to think long and hard about this.  I may have to move quickly.

So, oh wise ones, what would you do?

[spork]

I don't understand. Administrators at your current employer are offering you a position that is different than the one you have now?

[ciao_yall]

Start by thinking about what you will need to make the program successful and ask for that.

Find out what similar/comparable roles have in terms of title, extra pay, etc and ask for that.

You don't lose the battle if you bring up money first. Just frame it in terms of the market. "According to my research, a Director of Graduate Studies in Basket Weaving earns $X and this is funded by the additional tuition dollars the program brings in."

[AJ_Katz]

Punt the ball.  Don't commit to anything.  Let them know you're very interested and outline how this aligns with your long-term vision and interest in making an impact for the greater good, and that you would welcome an offer for such an opportunity.  You could mention all of the options you noted above as possible options of interest to you, but that you'd have to wait to know the best choice only once an offer is on the table. 

Good luck!

[secundem_artem]

I don't understand. Administrators at your current employer are offering you a position that is different than the one you have now?

In case this helps....

We have a chance to develop an external relationship with a big player in the clog dancing space.  Somebody needs to lead that effort and it sounds like it may be me. 

[Hegemony]

Be sure you are compensated sufficiently so that if the whole thing goes south, you are happy with what you got out of it.

For instance, I was offered a role with our Study Abroad program, to build a new facet of the program. There's a lot of turnover in our Study Abroad program, because new directors keep getting hired who do big sweeps and replace all the old people. So I suspected that might well happen again. I was offered reasonable (not incredibly generous, but reasonable) salary for it, but it would be a lot of work. So I proposed that I could do a site study to see how the new facet would work at a specific place, and I suggested that I should go to [very desirable overseas location] for a week to study the possibilities. Paid for by them, of course. They agreed and I spent a great week in a great location, and learned a lot, and also had a great time. Then just as I came back and was setting up the program, a new director got hired, all the other initiatives were disassembled, and I was unhired. (I just went back to my old full-time faculty job, as was always the plan.) So that would have been an aggravating episode, except that I expect it might happen so I didn't have my hopes set on the new initiative, plus I spent a fascinating week in a dream location.

So figure out what you want — get something they won't be able to take away. A big research fund? A big course release? What would make you happiest? Ask for that.

[spork]

Punt the ball.  Don't commit to anything.  Let them know you're very interested and outline how this aligns with your long-term vision and interest in making an impact for the greater good, and that you would welcome an offer for such an opportunity.  You could mention all of the options you noted above as possible options of interest to you, but that you'd have to wait to know the best choice only once an offer is on the table. 

Good luck!

This. And also what Hegemony said.

Act enthusiastic and use buzzwords like "transformative," "stakeholders," "deliverable," and "thought leadership." If the institutional advancement office wants you to join a lobster dinner with the potential cash cow, clear your schedule. If serious money is at stake, you'll be the dog and pony show, expected to smile agreeably and praise the donor's beneficence. That's all.

How close are you to retirement? If more than a few years, you should be looking for jobs elsewhere.