Regional Network Program Director, Silicon Valley

University of Notre Dame•Notre Dame, IN

4d•$169,000

About The Position

Are you interested in joining a highly collaborative, talented team at an exciting time in the history of Notre Dame? Do you want to help advance a major strategic priority for the University focused on applied and virtue ethics, including AI ethics and the love ethic? Are you motivated to build from the ground up high impact programs that assist corporate, faith communities, non-profits, and education leaders tackle ethically complex issues? Do you want to lead a Network-building campaign that will elevate Notre Dame’s impact and reputation in AI ethics? If so, please apply to be the Regional Network Program Director, Silicon Valley for the Notre Dame Ethics Initiative (ND-EI) and the Institute for Ethics and the Common Good (ECG). Emerging from the University’s Strategic Framework, ND-EI is a collaborative cross-campus initiative to establish Notre Dame as a premier university for research in ethics, offering superb training for future generations of ethicists and ethical leaders and directing all of our efforts toward guiding and strengthening public understanding of the most significant ethical issues of our time. The Institute for Ethics and the Common Good is the administrative flagship of the Ethics Initiative and serves as the primary home for interdisciplinary groups of faculty fellows, researchers, non-profit and faith leaders, postdocs, graduate students, and undergraduate scholars studying questions that engage complex ethical challenges of our time and affect our ability to lead valuable, meaningful lives. Over the next five years the ECG will execute three major grants: one from IBM to advance technology ethics, one from the John Templeton Foundation focused on love and its role in social transformation, and one from the Lilly Endowment Inc., to forward and expand DELTA, a faith-based ethical framework which seeks to shape a Christian-inspired vision of humanity in an AI-driven world. The DELTA grant is the largest private grant in Notre Dame’s history.The Institute for Ethics and the Common Good seeks a Regional Network Program Director (RNPD) to design, lead, and sustain Notre Dame and ECG’s strategy to build a vibrant hub and network of educators, technologists, faith-based leaders, young adults, and public audiences within Silicon Valley and across key locations on the West Coast. This requires sophisticated and experienced strategic leadership for advancing the DELTA framework, moving well beyond implementation toward shaping its long-term vision and impact. The position is responsible for formulating program strategies, developing policies, and leading multi-year planning that aligns DELTA’s ethical principles with institutional priorities in light of emerging trends, opportunities, and challenges arising within the Silicon Valley eco-system. By setting direction, identifying opportunities for growth and influence, and guiding cross-functional collaboration, the role ensures that the DELTA framework evolves as a coherent, sustainable, and mission-driven network with lasting relevance and reach.The DELTA Network will be built into an active coalition of educators, faith leaders, technologists, and emerging adults committed to shaping a Christian-inspired vision of humanity in an AI-driven world—and using it to guide their lives and communities. DELTA is an acronym for the ethical framework which animates the projects of this network—Dignity, Embodiment, Love, Transcendence, and Agency as a vital, human-centered infrastructure that helps people discern an appropriate relationship with artificial intelligence. The RNS drives and manages multi-pronged efforts of the ECG in the Bay Area and throughout the West Coast region in this endeavor by creating and leading regular convenings, events, workshops, trainings, and resource dissemination related to DELTA. S/he represents Notre Dame in regional/national discussions related to DELTA, sets and oversees policy direction for the Network in the region, exercising senior leadership in defining, directing, and elevating influential conversations that shape societal and ecclesial understanding of what it means to be human in the age of AI. This role is ideal for a candidate who has built and stewarded professional or mission-driven networks and has led high-touch, field-defining convenings—from intimate salons to large, multi-stakeholder conferences—serving as both relationship architect and public-facing host.This is a five-year limited-term, full-time, position. The RNPD must reside in Silicon Valley or the surrounding area. As an exempt employee, there will be occasions in which work activities outside of the typical workday are required. Steady travel is required of this role, including regular trips to ND’s campus in South Bend.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree (4 years)
5 to 6 years experience
Fluency in technology and its relationship with (and impact on) human beings
Advanced degree or equivalent professional experience (5-7 years)
Demonstrated experience providing strategic leadership, including responsibility for setting direction, developing long-term plans, and guiding complex initiatives or programs with multiple stakeholders.
Experience influencing senior leaders and external partners, with the ability to shape agendas, align diverse interests, and drive decision-making across institutional and regional contexts.
Significant experience in both relationship-driven network building and the planning and execution of complex, multi-stakeholder events or convenings.
Highly relational, strong interpersonal, communication, and facilitation skills across diverse audiences, including faith communities.
Able to manage a fast-paced environment with the temperament and skill to be agile, adaptable, and pivot quickly if needed.
Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
Projects a sophisticated, wise presence and the ability to represent a leading academic institution with credibility and warmth.
Strong self-starter with the ability to work independently, manage time effectively, and take initiative.
Collaborative and team-oriented are also a must.
Willingness and ability to travel regularly within the West Coast region, conduct quarterly trips to Notre Dame’s main campus, and travel nationally and internationally as needed.
High tolerance for and high productivity in a remote work setting.
Must reside in Silicon Valley or the surrounding area.
RESUME & COVER LETTER ARE REQUIRED to be considered for this position.
Please complete these questions to be considered for this position: SparkHire Questions - Regional Director Silicon Valley

Responsibilities

Assist in the development of resources specific to three communities of practice–1.) for educators (K-12, plus university level); 2.) for pastoral leaders; and 3.) for the general public.
Promote, manage, and disseminate DELTA-related resources, tools, and educational materials to regional audiences.
Track resource usage, assess and gather feedback from communities of practice to inform the continued development, improvement, and application of the DELTA framework.
Develop and lead a regional convenings strategy that advances AI ethics and human flourishing by intentionally shaping discourse, building durable relationships, and generating outcomes that extend beyond individual events.
Convenings may include invitation-only salons and workshops (15–30 participants) as well as large-scale conferences and public forums (200+ participants), with strategic curation of speakers, audiences, themes, and partnerships to maximize influence and impact.
Conceive, design, and provide senior leadership for an annual flagship convening that sets the regional and national agenda on DELTA and AI, attracts nationally recognized speakers and cross-sector participants, engages public and media audiences, and strengthens Notre Dame’s reputation as a leading voice in AI ethics.
Identify, frame, and elevate priority themes—including the dignity of work and the dignity of learning—as focal points for the DELTA network, guiding research, programming, and public engagement to shape public understanding and contribute meaningfully to the common good.
Provide strategic oversight for signature regional events, working in close collaboration with ECG staff, Notre Dame faculty, and network partners to ensure alignment with institutional priorities, intellectual rigor, and long-term program goals.
Design and guide engagement strategies for young adults, developing accessible, compelling programming and curricula that address their lived contexts and ethical questions about AI, and that cultivate the next generation of leaders informed by the DELTA framework.
Identify, curate, and advance high-impact public engagement opportunities for the ECG Faculty Director and other ECG leaders, strategically positioning them in podcasts, interviews, panel discussions, publications, and digital platforms to expand DELTA’s visibility and influence in public discourse.
Design and lead a comprehensive regional engagement strategy that builds, grows, and sustains a diverse network of 200+ active stakeholders—including educators, technologists, faith leaders, young adults, parents, and community partners—advancing the DELTA framework across the region.
Set the strategic direction for long-term relationship development with stakeholders across Silicon Valley and the West Coast, serving as a senior ambassador for the University of Notre Dame and ECG and as a principal connector between regional partners and the University.
Represent Notre Dame and ECG with executive-level credibility in professional, academic, faith-based, and public forums, shaping narratives and positioning the Institute as a leading voice at the intersection of faith, ethics, and emerging technologies.
Provide strategic oversight and leadership for collaborative initiatives, working closely with collaborators, grant recipients, and emerging partners to design, align, and advance high-impact projects that support regional and institutional priorities.
Identify, evaluate, and cultivate emerging leaders, institutional partners, and strategic opportunities aligned with the DELTA framework and the Institute’s mission, informing long-term planning, investment, and program development.
Collaborate closely with ECG colleagues and Notre Dame partners to align regional engagement with Institute priorities.
Manage budget for regional operations, including activities, events, etc..
Maintain regular communication with Institute leadership regarding regional activities, budgetary matters, opportunities, and outcomes.
Travel to campus on a quarterly basis, and to other locations to ensure and deepen network alignment.
Assist DELTA Director, and other ECG/University colleagues in fulfilling the reporting requirements of the Lilly grant.