Director, Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy

The University of Arizona 

Search for the Director, Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy 

Tucson, Arizona 

The Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy, a leading, university-wide interdisciplinary research institute at the University of Arizona, seeks an experienced and visionary leader and scholar to serve as the next Director. Representing a steadfast partnership between the University of Arizona and the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation (Udall Foundation), the Udall Center bridges disciplines, viewpoints, and geography to positively impact applied public policy and Indigenous governance in the local community and around the globe. The Center’s environmental efforts, which date back to the Center’s beginning, encompass the importance of institutions, information flows, and public participation in decision making, as well as the need to be nimble as new issues arise. The Center is also home to the Native Nations Institute, a renowned and crucial resource on Indigenous Peoples governance and policy and a resource for Native nations as they realize their own political, economic, and community objectives. 

The interdisciplinary and collaborative research at the Center is being done within the context of the University of Arizona (UArizona), one of the nation’s leading public universities with a distinguished history of academic excellence, research innovation, and a student-centered approach. As Arizona’s land-grant university, UArizona strives to transform the lives of its students and solve the biggest challenges facing the state of Arizona, the United States, and the world. A member of the Association of American Universities, UArizona is ranked in the Top 20 in research expenditures by the National Science Foundation of all universities nationwide. Aligning with the university’s core value of a diverse and inclusive community, it is an institutional responsibility to recognize and acknowledge that UArizona sits on the original homelands of the O’otham and Yaqui peoples who have stewarded its land since time immemorial.

The next Director of the Udall Center will join the Center and the University of Arizona at a critical moment in its history and will play an important role in its continued success. The Center is already known among tribal communities as a valuable, singular, and necessary resource, but is poised to have an increased impact in the global community through heightened visibility, increased extramural funding, and a compelling strategic vision that takes into account the intersectionality of the Center’s work. The multitude of ideas and profound collaborations housed at the Udall Center position it to become a key player in dealing with some of the greatest issues facing our society today, such as renewable energy, food security, public health, and gender equality. The next Director will continue to build upon the Center’s robust history and unique focus and lead the Center through its next iteration of growth, greater distinction, and increased impact. To be successful, the Director will need to address the following opportunities and challenges: 

• Further enhance and elevate the Center’s visibility and impact at the University and across the globe
• Continue to develop relationships and leverage the full capacity of the University of Arizona campus
• Foster and deepen a strong sense of community, equity, and inclusion within the Udall Center 
• Expand and diversify financial resources to allow the Udall Center to fulfill its many ambitions
• Strengthen and grow the bonds between the Udall Center and local, tribal, national, and international partners, especially with the Udall Foundation 

The Udall Center has retained Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to assist in this search. Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. For more details, including the full position profile and to submit inquiries, nominations, and referrals, please see the Isaacson, Miller website for the search: www.imsearch.com/7964. CV’s with cover letters, a statement on diversity, and a list of five professional references can be submitted directly to the University of Arizona at https://arizona.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/4/home/requisition/4938?c=arizona. Electronic submission of materials is required. For full consideration, please submit materials by August 15, 2021. 

Julie Filizetti and Jaime Morgen 

Isaacson, Miller

1000 Sansome Street, Suite 300

San Francisco, CA  94111

Phone: 415.655.4900

At the University of Arizona, we value our inclusive climate because we know that diversity in experiences and perspectives is vital to advancing innovation, critical thinking, solving complex problems, and creating an inclusive academic community. As an Hispanic-serving institution and a Native American/Alaska Native-serving institution, we translate these values into action by seeking individuals who have experience and expertise working with diverse students, colleagues, and constituencies. Because we seek a workforce with a wide range of perspectives and experiences, we provide equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or genetic information. As an Employer of National Service, we also welcome alumni of AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and other national service programs and others who will help us advance our Inclusive Excellence initiative aimed at creating a university that values student, staff and faculty engagement in addressing issues of diversity and inclusiveness.