Assistant Dean for Postdoctoral Affairs

University of Notre Dame • Notre Dame, IN

3h • Onsite

About The Position

The University of Notre Dame Graduate School is seeking a highly motivated, collaborative, and process-minded Assistant Dean to lead the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs. The role advances the University’s efforts to provide exceptional training and support to postdoctoral scholars and reports to the Graduate School Associate Dean for Professional Development.

The Assistant Dean directs office operations, oversees and helps administer appointments for postdoctoral scholars and non-faculty research positions, and works with Human Resources, General Counsel, International Student & Scholar Affairs, hiring departments, colleges, and campus units to improve workflows and partnerships. The position supervises the Program Coordinator and manages program communications.

The role provides strategic leadership for campus activities involving postdoctoral scholars, including coordinating a campus-wide working group, supporting an advisory committee, assisting University leaders with policy development, and helping scholars resolve administrative challenges. It also designs and facilitates professional development, leadership, and ethics programming; coordinates events and initiatives; and directs data collection, analysis, and reporting to inform decisions and measure program effectiveness. The Assistant Dean assesses existing processes, benchmarks peer institutions, and develops initiatives in response to college and program needs.

Requirements

• Ph.D., J.D., or Ed.D.
• 3–4 years of experience as a postdoctoral scholar or working with postdoctoral scholars.
• Strong leadership skills.
• Strong relationship-building skills.
• Strong facilitation skills.
• Strong written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strategic planning skills.
• Managerial experience.
• Problem-solving skills.
• Analytical skills.
• Project management skills.
• Experience facilitating training sessions or other large-group meetings.

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of OnBase, Banner, Personnel Actions, or Interfolio.

Responsibilities

• Direct the operations of the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs.
• Oversee and help administer appointment processes for postdoctoral scholars and non-faculty research positions.
• Collaborate with Human Resources, General Counsel, International Student & Scholar Affairs, and hiring departments to optimize workflows.
• Manage program communications, including newsletters and web updates.
• Supervise the Program Coordinator and guide day-to-day work and key deliverables.
• Partner with colleges and campus units to streamline administrative support and strengthen institutional partnerships.
• Provide strategic leadership for campus activities involving postdoctoral scholars.
• Coordinate the campus-wide Postdoctoral Scholar Working Group.
• Launch and support an advisory committee for postdoctoral scholars.
• Assist University leaders in developing policy regarding postdoctoral scholars.
• Assist postdoctoral scholars in resolving administrative challenges.
• Design, manage, and facilitate professional development, leadership, and ethics programming in collaboration with Graduate School stakeholders.
• Coordinate the Annual Notre Dame Postdoc Spotlight competition.
• Partner with colleges and campus units to deliver coordinated programming for postdoctoral scholars.
• Develop and present new professional development initiatives.
• Co-host the annual scholars’ holiday reception.
• Direct data collection, analysis, and reporting to guide strategic decisions and measure program efficacy.
• Administer entrance and exit surveys.
• Manage collection of the Postdoctoral Scholar Annual Report and report resulting data to stakeholders.
• Conduct ad hoc reporting and analysis.
• Assess and modify existing activities and processes as needed, benchmark other universities, and develop initiatives in response to college and program needs.
• Engage with regional and national working groups and research and incorporate peer-institution best practices.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree