Institutional Innovation Program Director

University of Notre Dame • Notre Dame, IN

3d

About The Position

The Institutional Innovation Program Director (IIPD) serves the campus community and Notre Dame's mission by empowering cross-functional teams to assess complex problems, design practical solutions, and implement them at scale across the institution. The IIPD partners with executive officers and University leaders on enterprise-level risks and opportunities, as well as with Notre Dame's colleges, schools, and divisions, to implement improvements in areas such as service delivery, process design, organizational structure, automation, and shared services. These engagements range from targeted college, school, or divisional efforts to institutionally significant initiatives that cross the University and take shape through organizational evaluations, process improvement projects, and other special projects. The IIPD leads the work using Institutional Innovation's Assess-Design-Implement model, drawing on facilitation, analysis, stakeholder engagement, and change-management skills to advance validated solutions with institutional impact. Success in this role depends on maintaining strong relationships, building momentum and buy-in, and staying unconditionally constructive.

Requirements

• Bachelors Degree required plus 5-6 years of experience
• Strategic thinker who enjoys solving complex, ambiguous problems
• Proven ability to lead and influence teams, drive change, and guide colleagues across a variety of levels
• Demonstrated commitment to advancing excellence and driving improvement, with a genuine willingness to embrace and drive change
• Strong project management, analytical, and decision-making skills, including comfort with analytical reports and numerical analysis
• Strong facilitation skills, with the ability to guide diverse groups toward shared solutions
• Ability to improve processes and steward University resources thoughtfully while elevating service quality
• Quick learner, able to absorb and apply new knowledge efficiently
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills, adaptable to audiences across all levels and areas of the organization
• Strong interpersonal skills and a collaborative, team-first approach, including sound judgment in complex situations and flexibility to contribute wherever needed
• A constituent- and University-oriented focus
• Genuine interest in, and growing knowledge of, the University's academic and administrative functions

Nice To Haves

• Masters Degree preferred

Responsibilities

• Lead complex, cross-functional engagements from scoping through sustainable implementation, often serving as the primary point of contact for senior campus partners and executive sponsors
• Design and facilitate stakeholder interviews, workshops, and design sessions that surface root causes, generate options, and build consensus around solutions
• Conduct rigorous analysis — including internal/external benchmarking, process mapping, and data synthesis — to inform recommendations
• Develop clear deliverables (assessment reports, business cases, implementation plans, and communications materials) tailored to diverse audiences
• Apply change management principles to build buy-in, mitigate resistance, and sustain adoption of new processes, structures, or systems
• Manage scope, timeline, and risk across concurrent engagements, escalating issues and trade-offs as needed
• Coach and mentor project team members and campus partners in problem-solving, facilitation, and process improvement methods
• Contribute to the continued development of Institutional Innovation's methods, tools, and team capabilities

Benefits

• The University of Notre Dame is more than a workplace! We are a vibrant, mission-driven community where every employee is valued and supported. Rooted in a tradition of excellence and inspired by our Catholic character, Notre Dame is committed to fostering an environment of care that nurtures the whole person—mind, body, and spirit. Here, you will find a deep sense of belonging, a culture that prioritizes well-being, and the opportunity to grow your career while being a force for good in the world. Whether contributing to world-class research, shaping the student experience, or supporting the University’s mission in other ways, you will be part of a dedicated team working to make a meaningful impact on campus and beyond. At Notre Dame, your work matters, and so do you!

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior