Director, Honors Program

University of Florida•Gainesville, FL

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director provides strategic vision and leadership for the academic, co-curricular, administrative, and operational dimensions of the UF Honors Program. Working collaboratively with faculty, staff, students, university leaders, colleges, academic departments, and external partners, the Director will advance a shared vision for a nationally distinctive honors experience. The next Director will inherit a program with compelling assets: a nationally recognized advising model; innovative honors courses; signature experiential learning opportunities; a highly engaged student community; partnerships across a comprehensive research university; and a philosophy built around Opportunity, Community, and Challenge. The Director will have the opportunity to bring these strengths together around a bold, cohesive strategy that defines what honors education can mean at a large, comprehensive, research-intensive institution. This leader will be expected not simply to administer an established program, but to imagine what comes next. The UF Honors Program is a dynamic academic community for highly motivated and intellectually curious undergraduate students. Through innovative coursework, interdisciplinary learning, leadership development, service, experiential opportunities, and close engagement with faculty and peers, Honors complements students’ academic majors while encouraging them to explore complex questions and pursue ambitious goals. At the center of that experience are three interconnected pillars. Opportunity - Honors opens doors to deeper engagement with the university and to personalized pathways for academic, professional, and personal growth. Students have access to distinctive courses, experiential learning, research and internship opportunities, faculty connections, leadership experiences, fellowship opportunities, early registration privileges, and priority housing in Honors Village. Community - Within a university of tens of thousands of students, Honors creates a smaller and highly supportive intellectual community. Students build relationships with peers, advisors, and faculty across academic disciplines and interests, developing connections that can extend well beyond their undergraduate experience. The program intentionally emphasizes collaboration rather than competition. Challenge - UF views Honors not simply as recognition for past accomplishment, but as an invitation to continued growth. Through rigorous academics, leadership, intellectual exploration, personal development, and experiences beyond the traditional classroom, students are encouraged to stretch themselves, redefine success, and discover new possibilities.

Requirements

Hold a terminal degree, Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate.
Bring at least 10 years of faculty experience.
Sustained achievement in teaching, scholarly or creative activity, and professional engagement within their discipline.

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated administrative experience in higher education.
A deep commitment to undergraduate education and an understanding of the academic, developmental, and experiential needs of high-achieving students.
The ability to articulate and execute a compelling strategic vision for the future of honors education.
A record of innovation in honors education, undergraduate student success, experiential learning, or related areas.
Demonstrated administrative experience overseeing academic programs, operations, policies, resources, and budgets within a complex higher education environment, with the ability to align operational decision with programmatic priorities and institutional goals.
Successful experience supervising, developing, and inspiring employees while creating a positive and high-performing workplace.
The ability to build meaningful partnerships across colleges, academic units, and administrative functions and with external stakeholders, including cultivating relationships that support fundraising and resource development opportunities aligned with programmatic priorities.
Knowledge of national trends, emerging practices, and opportunities in honors education.
A commitment to meaningful assessment, evidence-informed decision-making, and continuous improvement.
Outstanding communication, relationship-building, and consensus-building skills, with the judgement and organizational acumen to navigate a large, complex research university.
A strong commitment to creating an environment in which students from varied backgrounds can thrive and achieve their full potential.
Energized by the possibility of working with outstanding students and talented colleagues to shape the future of honors education at a leading public research university.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic vision and leadership for the academic, co-curricular, administrative, and operational dimensions of the UF Honors Program.
Advance a shared vision for a nationally distinctive honors experience.
Bring program strengths together around a bold, cohesive strategy that defines what honors education can mean at a large, comprehensive, research-intensive institution.
Imagine what comes next in honors education.
Oversee academic programs, operations, policies, resources, and budgets within a complex higher education environment.
Supervise, develop, and inspire employees while creating a positive and high-performing workplace.
Build meaningful partnerships across colleges, academic units, and administrative functions and with external stakeholders.
Cultivate relationships that support fundraising and resource development opportunities aligned with programmatic priorities.
Engage in meaningful assessment, evidence-informed decision-making, and continuous improvement.