PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Duke University:

Duke University was created in 1924 through an indenture of trust by James Buchanan Duke. Today, Duke is regarded as one of America’s leading research universities. Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke is positioned in the heart of the Research Triangle, which is ranked annually as one of the best places in the country to work and live. Duke has more than 15,000 students who study and conduct research in its 10 undergraduate, graduate and professional schools. With about 40,000 employees, Duke is the third largest private employer in North Carolina, and it now has international programs in more than 150 countries.

The Program Director collaborates with the Director and Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies DUS & ADUS), Director of the Honors Program, Director of Duke Financial Economics (DFE), Director of Graduate Studies (DGS), and the Directors of Masters Studies (DGS) to ensure the delivery of economics courses and academic programs in the Department of Economics, serving one of the largest majors at Duke and some of the largest graduate programs in Arts & Sciences. The position is responsible for providing administrative direction to academic programming in Economics, coordinating operations of the undergraduate and graduate programs while supervising staff in EcoTeach, the instructional arm of the Department of Economics. Works within the framework of the EcoTeach mission to support graduate and undergraduate education in economics at Duke University. The position reports to the Director of EcoTeach and the Administrative Manager.

Work Performed

Program Administration (55%)

Coordinate and participate in meetings with faculty members to determine objectives of the program and/or center and to identify internal (operational) and external (endowment and gift) resources available to meet those objectives. 

Develop and implement operational policies, protocols, and procedures surrounding Economics Department course offerings.

• Develop, plan, and coordinate course scheduling, in collaboration with faculty directors of teaching programs. Prepare and submit schedule to the University Registrar’s office, in consultation with the Director of Ecoteach, noting areas lacking appropriate courses.
• Manage new and special topics course requests. Review, update and submit edits for course listings in Undergrad and Graduate Bulletins as needed. Ensure pre-requisite listings for courses are consistent with current requirements.
• Notify faculty of scheduled teaching assignments each semester. Manage and submit any requests for schedule or room changes.
• Manage TA assignment process.
• Assist the EcoTeach director in creating and administering curricular and program assessment, including teacher course evaluation and analysis for graduate and undergraduate courses; quantitative and quality assessment of the Honors Program; maintaining statistics on the undergraduate and graduate programs; and development of new assessment protocols as needed.

Coordinate arrangements for special programs such as speaker series, alumni events, and the annual departmental graduation ceremony to include inviting appropriate speakers or other participants, arranging schedules, facilities, and publicity and ensuring necessary financial arrangements.

• Direct various personnel actions including, but not limited to, hiring, performance appraisals, promotions, transfers and vacation schedules of EcoTeach staff members to include supervision and coordination of the work of EcoTeach staff to meet Department objectives, reviewing completed work for adherence to instructions or correctness, including the Graduate Program Coordinator, the Assistant to the Director of Undergraduate Studies, and multiple work-study students.
• Hire and train new EcoTeach staff maintaining processes to ensure smooth transitions during staff changeovers. Implement team building activities to foster a collaborative work environment with the EcoTeach office. Participate as requested in any hiring efforts for the department.
• Plan and coordinate other short- and long-range promotion/publicity projects and reports related to both undergraduate and graduate programs to include:
  • Alumni relations
  • Recruitment development
  • Program newsletters
  • External organizations
  • Other programs as assigned
• Manage and periodically upgrade internal undergraduate and graduate student database records, serving as liaison with SISS and Trinity Technology Services.
• Track progress of students towards major and minor degrees, certifying graduation requirements for Arts & Sciences. Notify students of degree progress and missing econ requirements required for graduation.
• Work with IT team to develop and implement information sharing processes that protect confidentiality while facilitating necessary information flow between department administrators, faculty and students to keep decentralized processes functioning smoothly.
• Manage content of EcoTeach website pages, including updates and postings of EcoTeach events to the departmental website and hallway LCD monitors; and collaborate with Department communications specialist to publicize EcoTeach activities and initiatives.
• Coordinate Department representation at Blue Devil Days and Major Fairs.

Budget Responsibilities (25%)

• Coordinate the compilation of and prepare operational and financial reports and analyses setting forth progress, adverse trends and appropriate recommendations or conclusions.
• Control and maintain financial records and program-related budgets. Inform appropriate faculty directors and staff of financial state of various projects, including:
  • Operating & Visiting/ Substitute Instruction Budget of approximately $150,000
  • Undergraduate teaching assistant budget of $130,000
  • Oversight of Graduate Programs budgets in excess of $2 million
  • Endowment income budget of approximately $300,000
  • Other program related expenses and funding
• Assist and advise academic program Directors and Administrative Manager of budgetary and related problems; prepare for approval initial budgetary recommendations by considering past requirements and expenditures and present program plans
• Review and approve all EcoTeach-funded student payroll forms
• Manage bi-weekly and exempt time reporting and approvals for EcoTeach students and staff.

Service to Students (15%)

• Provide course and academic career advice to students and oversee the development of mechanisms to make such advice generally accessible. Oversee the implementation of bi- annual academic advising, in coordination with Undergraduate Program Assistant.
• Coordinate administrative support for the Honors Program and Undergraduate Research Initiative and the newly formed DEAL (Duke Economic Analytics Lab).
• Maintain and provide timely information on core and elective offerings in all teaching programs.
• Oversee special events hosted by Economics Student Union, annual Undergraduate Research Poster Session, and the Distinguished Johnson Lecture Series, in collaboration with EcoTeach staff.
• Develop new systems to increase visibility and accessibility of research opportunities for undergraduates.
• Convey undergraduate and graduate student needs to Economics faculty and appropriate University Officials and develop alternative solutions that appropriately balance costs and benefits.

Collaborating with colleagues within and outside the Economics Department (5%)

Maintain liaison with other programs, offices and departments at Duke to coordinate program business and to accomplish program objectives; interface with external organizations as appropriate to ensure cooperative efforts are enhanced and available resources are utilized. The position works closely with the Department of Economics Administrative Manager and IT Staff, the University Registrar’s office, and administrative staff of joint and concurrent degree partners.

Perform other related duties incidental to the work described herein.

Preferred Skills

• Ability to provide guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting standards and monitoring performance.
• Skills using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions to problems.

Minimum Qualifications

Education

Work requires communications, analytical and organizational skills generally acquired through completion of a bachelor's degree program.

Experience

Work requires the ability to plan and administer programs and direct OR ANY OTHER EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE. program activities within a specific functional area, generally acquired through four years of related experience.

Job Code: 00001435 PROGRAM DIR
Job Level: 13

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