The Senior Director will provide leadership, management, and coordination of planning efforts for a national center dedicated to prison education research, leadership, and praxis at the University of Utah. The Center will serve as a national model and hub by leveraging the resources of a public research-intensive institution to address inequities caused by mass incarceration. The Center will serve as a resource for our communities, state, region, and nation through innovative and applied research, leadership, programming, and technical assistance.

Reporting to and working alongside Director and Associate Dean for Communities Engagement and Access with Undergraduate Studies, Erin L. Castro, PhD, the Senior Director will be responsible for strategizing, managing, and providing vision for the launch and sustainability of the Center. They will join an energetic group of researchers, scholars, and practitioners seeking to expand prison higher education empirical evidence and quality. Applicants should have extensive knowledge of, experience with, and commitment to prison higher education and advanced experience with and familiarity with education research.

Identifying and supporting incarcerated student outcomes, a population routinely excluded from quality higher education and workforce pathways, fuel the mission of the Center. During the 18 months of planning, we expect to accomplish a linear series of preparation steps, including: a research and programming agenda; full staffing plan; short- and long-term budget and business plan; fundraising plan and prospect list; support commitments from various campus areas and leaders; full advisory board; and mission, vision, and values statements.

This is a grant-funded position and continuation is based upon performance and availability of funds.

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Pay Rate Range: $80,000/yr. - $110,000/yr.

Type: Benefited Staff

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The University of Utah

The University of Utah is the flagship institution of higher learning in the state. The University is classified by the Carnegie Foundation among the 131 research universities with the “highest research activity” in the nation and is a member of the Association of American Universities ( AAU ). You can view Fast Facts about the University here (https://www.obia.utah.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2021/02/Fast-Facts-2020.pdf) .

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Responsibilities

The Senior Director is a highly visible position and will be responsible for the following:

• Collaborate with Director in developing the mission, vision, and values for the Center
• Collaborate with Director in designing a research agenda for the Center and identifying appropriate funding sources to support the research
• Support the Director in developing a sustainable plan for the Center, including the development and oversight of an organizational budget and other financial management
• Support the Director in the development of an organizational chart and supervision of key staff; work to identify potential target hires and future growth
• Oversee all aspects of grant management, including interpreting guidelines, communicating with sponsors and partners, developing proposal budgets, writing non-technical proposal components, editing and formatting proposal documents, providing strategic advice to increase competitiveness, and assuring compliance with applicable proposal requirements and post-award compliance
• Lead the development and planning for organizational branding, PR, and fundraising
• Develop strong working knowledge of the University of Utah systems and processes, particularly those related to grants and contracts
• Lead efforts in identifying applicable grant opportunities to support mission of the Center

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Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s Degree or equivalent experience (One year of education is equivalent to two years of experience).
• Four years of related experience

Applicants must demonstrate the potential ability to perform the essential functions of the job as outlined in the position description.

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Preferences

The Director will bring many of the following qualifications, professional experiences, and personal attributes:

• A demonstrated commitment to educational equity and a clear and sophisticated understanding of the relationship among systemic oppression, opportunity, and access to quality higher education in the United States for systems-impacted people
• Master’s or PhD degree in education, social sciences, humanities, or related field
• Knowledge of and experience with higher education research, including quantitative, qualitative, and mixed/multiple methods paradigms used in social science research; awareness of the ethical challenges in the prison higher education research space; advanced familiarity with emergent prison higher education scholarship
• Familiarity with systems of incarceration and punishment
• Strong interpersonal skills and effective in relationship-building
• Successful experiences with community organizing
• Outstanding communication (written, verbal, presentation, etc.) and interpersonal skills
• Demonstrated ability to analyze information and write for multiple audiences
• Exceptionally self-motivated
• Ability to manage multiple competing priorities under tight deadlines
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Ability to analyze problems and take initiative and responsibility to solve problems
• Proficiency with information technology, including Microsoft Office, Google Drive/G Suite, online databases and search engines (academic and public), and web-based LMS
• Knowledge of online discovery and retrieval systems and general principles related to the organization of information (tagging, dictionaries, glossaries, etc.)
• Experience with managing financial operations, grant writing, grant reporting, and grant cycles
• Experience advocating for and working with incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people, and those with criminal histories
• Ability to work well with individuals across age, race, ethnicity, language, socioeconomic status, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, incarceration experience, education attainment, and related identities
• Demonstrated experience leading and/or managing large-scale research projects and conducting applied social science and/or educational research
• Available to work some nights and weekends, and to travel, as required

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Special Instructions Summary

The following documents are required: Cover letter, Resume or CV, the names and contact information of two references who can speak to professional qualifications.

• Cover letter addressing the following (no more than 2 pages): Desire for the position, relevant qualifications, and approaches to planning for the Center.
• Resume or CV.
• The names and contact information for two references who can speak to professional qualifications.

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Additional Information

The University of Utah values candidates who have experience working in settings with students from diverse backgrounds and possess a strong commitment to improving access to higher education for historically underrepresented students.

Individuals from historically underrepresented groups, such as minorities, women, qualified persons with disabilities and protected veterans are encouraged to apply. Veterans’ preference is extended to qualified applicants, upon request and consistent with University policy and Utah state law. Upon request, reasonable accommodations in the application process will be provided to individuals with disabilities.

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To inquire about this posting, email: employment@utah.edu or call 801-581-2300.

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