Assistant Director, Leadership & Society Initiative

Department
 

Graham Leadership & Society Initiatives

About the Department
 

The Graham School offers a variety of continuing education programming to adult learners, including the MLA, Basic Program, travel study, and Open Enrollment courses.

Job Summary
 

The University of Chicago is in the process of launching an exciting, new effort - the Leadership & Society Initiative (LSI). LSI is a yearlong, cohort-based program supporting distinguished individuals at or nearing retirement to transition from their longstanding careers toward purposeful next chapters of leadership for society. The initiative has a two-part mission, to help individuals live more meaningful, connected, and fulfilling lives; and to help society by equipping these individuals with the frameworks, pathways, and community to drive significant, positive societal impact. LSI is seeking an Assistant Director to support this ambitious new program.  Reporting to the Director of the Leadership & Society Initiative (LSI), the Assistant Director (AD) will join the founding team of this initiative, and be responsible for key administrative duties to deliver an exceptional Fellowship experience. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who is passionate about advancing social, economic, and environmental causes, and interested in expanding their experience in multi-stakeholder coordination and large-scale program design, implementation, and evaluation.  
This position manages academic, research, clinical or administrative programs.

Responsibilities

• Supports the Director in the development and launch of LSI, including managing program planning and designing key aspects of the cohort experience. 
• Manages all aspects of cohort-based programming and experiential learning, including interfacing with faculty and collaborators and tracking related expenses. 
• Plans and executes events for LSI, its Fellows and future program alumni, including symposiums, workshops, info sessions, and cultural outings. 
• Oversees the enrollment process for Fellows in audited courses across the University, including securing faculty approvals for audits, guiding Fellows on their audit selections, and liaising with department administrators.
• Writes and produces resource guides, instructions, and newsletters for LSI Fellows.
• Partners in program innovation and continuous improvement, incorporating feedback from initial cohorts to strengthen future program offerings.
• Supports the Director in designing and implementing new projects on an as-needed basis.
• Helps manage outreach for this new program by building new relationships and leveraging Graham’s existing networks to recruit outstanding individuals to apply to join LSI’s inaugural cohort.
• Prepares marketing and recruitment material, and makes presentations to prospective candidates and stakeholders. 
• Helps manage the candidate pipeline and full student experience, from prospect to enrollment to program alumni. 
• Responds to candidate inquiries as needed. 
• Utilizes existing communications platforms – including Wordpress, MailChimp, and Slate CRM – to organize, disseminate, and track performance of outreach campaigns. 
• Uses in-depth knowledge and experience to administer the delivery of services to program participants and/or beneficiaries such as communicating with programs sponsors and academic advising for undergraduate students.
• Has a deep understanding when interacting with faculty, researchers and staff for committee work or information.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications
 

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

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Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

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Certifications:

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 Preferred Qualifications  
 
Education:

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Advanced degree. 

 
Experience:

• Two to five years project management and/or customer service experience.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Familiarity with website content management platforms, CRM software, and/or design software a plus.

Preferred Competencies

• Strong project management and interpersonal skills. Previous customer service experience a plus.
• Manage multiple workstreams simultaneously and engage multiple stakeholder groups – Fellows, faculty, external partners – in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience building partnerships and running events. 
• Comfort with public speaking. 
• Interest in student advising and curriculum administration.
• An entrepreneurial mindset.
• Exceptional oral and written communication.
• A deep passion for the Graham School’s mission of lifelong learning and to the University of Chicago’s commitment to deep inquiry and the rigorous pursuit of knowledge.
• A strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Work well with others in a highly collaborative environment.
• Work independently and prioritize competing tasks. 

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter (required)
• References Contact Information (3)(required)

When applying, the document(s) MUST  be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family
 

Administration & Management

Role Impact
 

Individual Contributor

FLSA Status
 

Exempt

Pay Frequency
 

Monthly

Scheduled Weekly Hours
 

37.5

Benefits Eligible
 

Yes

Drug Test Required
 

No

Health Screen Required
 

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
 

No

Posting Statement
 

Employees must comply with the University’s COVID-19 vaccination requirements. More information about the requirements can be found on the University of Chicago Vaccination GoForward .
The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

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