Ensure the role doesn't allow much in the way of status, money, power or any other form of personal gain.
Running a big, important research project which will shape decisions about what to do with a large number of people? There's no way to keep money, status, and power away from that.
I have just received a survey questionnaire regarding future directions in EU (European Union) research funding, and thought it would be interesting to see how LessWrong would answer the main question:
Imagine that EU funding is available for one ambitious, visionary project extending beyond 2020.