Director of Access and Engagement - College of Education, Health, & Human Sciences - UTK

University of Tennessee•Knoxville, TN

12h•Onsite

About The Position

Reporting to the Dean of the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, the Director of Access and Engagement will serve as the college's chief subject matter expert on access and engagement and will develop and execute a college-wide plan to increase access and engagement for faculty, staff, and students; that is, this individual will develop strategies, initiatives and protocols to aid the college in its goal of supporting and retaining faculty, staff, and students. This person will also lead, design, and sustain a major university–community partnership centered on a purpose-built community in a nearby neighborhood. This community-centered role will build and steward a long-term, multi-agency partnership—one that responds directly to the priorities identified by residents and local organizations. The Director will serve on the dean’s leadership team and advise on work related to access and community engagement.

Requirements

Education: Master’s Degree (fields may include education, public health, social work, public administration, counseling, nonprofit management, community development, or related)
Experience: Experience supervising others
Experience working effectively within diverse communities, particularly those with histories of underinvestment or marginalization.
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: Knowledge of higher education, particularly about access to higher education and retention of students, staff, and faculty
Proven ability to work effectively within diverse communities, particularly those with histories of underinvestment or marginalization.
Strong skills in collaboration, communication, facilitation, and conflict resolution.
Commitment to equity, community-defined priorities, and ethical engagement practices.
Ability to design, implement, and assess programs and initiatives.
Strong project management skills

Nice To Haves

Education: Doctoral Degree
Experience: Demonstrated experience in community engagement, nonprofit leadership, community organizing, or coalition-building.
Experience coordinating multi-agency partnerships or cross-sector collaborations.
Experience working with purpose-built communities or place-based initiatives.
Experience with grant writing, fundraising, and resource mobilization.
Experience teaching at the university level.
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: Knowledge of housing, public health, education, or other human-services sectors.
Familiarity with community-engaged research, participatory methods, or evaluation frameworks.

Responsibilities

Lead Community Partnership Efforts - This community-centered role will build and steward a long-term, multi-agency partnership—one that responds directly to the priorities identified by residents and local organizations.
Design, lead, and sustain a major university–community partnership centered on a purpose-built community in a nearby neighborhood.
Identifies potential solutions to the priorities of residents / local organizations, and involves these stakeholders in selection of optimal resolutions.
Serve as the primary liaison between the university, the purpose-built community, and partnering agencies (e.g., nonprofits, schools, housing organizations, health providers).
Design and build a partnership model focused on sustainability, trust, equity, and capacity-building.
Ensure that community members feel meaningfully connected to the university and that the partnership provides genuine benefit for residents.
Place student interns within the community, in collaboration with partner agencies.
Grant Writing: Seek and secure grant funding to support the work of the community
Collaborate with faculty on research projects, following engaged scholarship standards
Lead College-Wide Access and Engagement Plan: Work with faculty and staff to develop a college-wide plan to include coaching and mentoring of students, staff, and/or faculty
Plan engagement activities for the purpose of developing a sense of belonging, with the goal of retaining students, staff, and/or faculty
Work across the college to develop large- and small-scale professional development and education programs for faculty, students, and/or staff
Supervise Staff and Oversee Budget: This position will manage and provide guidance and direction for staff of three, including the Coordinator of Access and Engagement, an Administrative Assistant, and a Faculty Fellow. This position is responsible for creating and managing the office budget, in accordance with state guidelines.
College Leadership, Data Collection, and Program Evaluation Participate in College and University Leadership: This person will attend university and college level meetings that support the work of Access and Engagement; implement initiatives extending from these meetings, and communicating across groups, as needed
Data Collection, Analysis, and Evaluation Survey, analyze, interpret feedback information, and prepare and submit reports (e.g., Impact Summary, annual report, student programs).
Collaborate with other college leaders on data gathering efforts to develop academic and performance statistics for the university that are accurate, relevant, and measure the effectiveness and efficiency of the programs and services offered through the Access and Engagement work.
Identify and implement changes to programs as needed, to ensure outcomes align with strategic objectives.