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Program Director, Center of the American West

Employer
University of Colorado Boulder
Location
Colorado, United States
Salary
Salary Not Specified
Date posted
Jun 21, 2021


Job Summary
We invite applications for Program Director for the Center of the American West The individual we select will play the lead role in managing our programs, projects, and staff. More often than not, this position permits its occupant to conclude the day with the statement, “Never a dull moment,” having had abundant opportunities to bring out the better angels of human nature, even when those angels are initially keeping a low profile. The mission of the Center rests on a combination of vision with steady practicality, and the Program Director is the orchestrator of that combination, particularly through close tending of the budget. Working closely with the Faculty Director, the Program Director crafts and implements plans to deliver quality programs to the public and also to fulfill the commitments supported by a major grant from Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. In line with the Center’s slogan of “turning hindsight into foresight,” the Program Director works to anticipate challenges on the horizon, collaborating with the Faculty Director to steer clear of missteps and mishaps.
The University of Colorado Boulder is committed to building a culturally diverse community of faculty, staff, and students dedicated to contributing to an inclusive campus environment. We are an Equal Opportunity employer, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

Part external relations and part academic unit, the Center occupies a unique space on the CU Boulder campus. The Center of the American West takes as its mission the creation of forums for the respectful exchange of ideas and perspectives in the pursuit of solutions to the region's difficulties. The Center believes that an understanding of the historical origins of the West's problems, an emphasis on the common interests of all parties, and a dose of good humor are essential to constructive public discussion. The Center accomplishes these goals through a range of research and projects, through the Center’s academic programming including an interdisciplinary certificate program, and through numerous events featuring high profile guests such as accomplished public servants, authors, filmmakers, and public intellectuals.

The Center of the American West is one of the region's most creative and innovative organizations in addressing such crucial issues as immigration, Native American sovereignty, fire policy, and land, water, and energy use.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

Budget :

The Program Director has primary responsibility for managing the budget and financial activities of the Center, including being able to anticipate potential challenges and head them off. Activities include but are not limited to:

  • preparing clear and intelligible budget information;
  • preparing Journal Entries, Payroll Expense Transfers, CU Fund liquidations, and all other fiscal tasks;
  • preparing annual budget reports for the review and information of the Board of Directors and for those providing funding for the Center of the American West;
  • managing and monitoring fundraising activities, including cultivating and maintaining donor relations, and tracking donor cultivation and giving;
  • writing grant proposals;
  • preparing grant reports and tracking all grant spending to ensure it stays within budget;
  • managing operating costs, including staffing, to ensure that the Center runs at maximum efficiency;
  • tracking and making arrangements for shortfalls in the Center's numerous accounts, including managing the Endowed Chair funding and all other endowments in a manner that is consistent with donor intent.


Staff Personnel Management and Supervision

The Program Director shall serve as the operations manager for the Center and Chief of Staff with primary responsibility for supervising staff, including:

  • the Administrative Assistant III,
  • Professional Research Assistant,
  • Research Associates,
  • Marketing and Communications III
  • Events and Administrative Assistant,
  • And student and temporary employees.


This position is responsible for hiring decisions, training, leave approval, performance management, evaluations, and disciplinary actions involving employees. It also organizes the daily activities of the work unit by prioritizing and monitoring workflow.

Program Management

The Program Director manages and directs all of the Center’s programs, including, but not limited to:

  • maintain ties with members of the Board of Directors, Faculty Council, and important Center affiliates beyond the University to carry out the Center’s mission;
  • collaborate with the Faculty Director to develop and maintain programs for the Center, including conferences, public events, receptions, celebrations, and workshops;
  • make arrangements for special events programming, including budgeting, venue selection, event production, catering, travel, PowerPoint production, etc.
  • communicate regularly with the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Center’s Board of Directors as well as with the Executive Committee;


In addition, the Program Director oversees the undergraduate Certificate Program and all student-related programming hosted by the Center, including, but not limited to, oversight of the Internship Program, oversight of the Hoffman Scholars Program, oversight of all student gatherings, and management of all teaching assistants for the Director's classes as well as overseeing possible Teacher Institutes.

Outreach

In addition to the Faculty Director, the Program Director serves as the public face of the unit, often giving public presentations about the program with varied audiences including:

  • faculty (including, in a manner that is not University custom and thus requires continual reaffirmation, instructors and adjuncts),
  • administrators in the chain of command,
  • donors,
  • board members (emeriti, current, and future recruits),
  • Mellon Foundation officers and staff,
  • reporters and journalists,
  • elected and appointed public officials,
  • tribal folks,
  • leaders and staff of nonprofits,
  • key figures in industries and enterprises related to Center projects,
  • Western Studies scholars at other universities and colleges,
  • writers and public intellectuals, in a wide range of Western locales,
  • K-12 educators,
  • publishers,
  • large public audiences,
  • and the many citizens who feel a sense of ownership of and participation in the Center.


As part of this, the Program Director, in partnership with the Marketing and Communications III position, oversees all marketing and public relations aspects of the Center. The Program Director will also work with the Marketing and Communications III position and the rest of the staff to explore new avenues for distributing the Center's intellectual content, and in the process, will seek to develop new audiences for that content, including, but not limited to, younger audiences.

Written Projects

The Program Director shall have primary responsibility for supervising the preparation of written Center reports and books and ensure that publications meet timelines and project completion dates. The Program Director will also take part in writing aspects of these, including, but not limited to, scripts for television programs, reports, and fact sheets. The Program Director will also take an active role in editorial oversight of the Center's publications and other Center intellectual content including proofreading and editorial commentary.

Andrew W. Mellon Grant Oversight

The Program Director will be responsible for oversight of the Center’s Andrew W. Mellon Foundation-funded program in Applied History. This includes working with the Marketing and Communications Specialist III, the Events and Administrative Assistant, and the Faculty Director, and the rest of the Center staff to coordinate outreach and marketing efforts to recruit participants for the program. Upon receipt of applications, the Program Director will play a key role in the selection process, and then provide oversight for coordination of each component of the program, from the Skills Repurposing Weekends, to the Summer Workshop. This position provides guidance on the creation of deadlines, the design of the application, and contributes to the development of the curriculum for each component of the program. This position is also responsible for leading the annual reporting processes for this grant.

What We Can Offer

The salary range is $60,000 - $65,000.

Benefits

The University of Colorado offers excellent benefits , including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO Pass. The University of Colorado Boulder is one of the largest employers in Boulder County and offers an inspiring higher education environment. Learn more about the University of Colorado Boulder .

What We Require
  • A Bachelor’s Degree in public administration, business, related humanities field, environmental studies, or other related field.
  • 1-2 years of progressively responsible nonprofit or higher education leadership experience.


What You Will Need
  • Excellent customer service.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills.
  • Strong analytical, problem-solving, and interpersonal problem-solving skills.
  • High degree of integrity and ability to maintain confidentiality.
  • Ability to work effectively in a working environment with multiple interruptions.
  • Ability to establish and maintain positive and cooperative working relationships.
  • Ability to work independently and as a member of a team.
  • Organizational skills and ability to manage multiple complex priorities.
  • Proficiency using Microsoft Suite, Word, and Excel.
  • Demonstrated ability to proactively analyze issues in such a way as to foresee possible problems or concerns that may arise and to develop possible solutions and initiate related action with little close supervision.


What We Would Like You To Have
  • A Master’s degree in public administration, business, related humanities field, environmental studies, or other related field.
  • Special knowledge in western or environmental studies, or a certificate in leadership.
  • Experience with fundraising and event management in a nonprofit setting is preferred.
  • 2+ years of progressively responsible nonprofit or higher education leadership experience.


Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials:
  1. A current resume.
  2. A cover letter that specifically tells us how your background and experience align with the requirements, qualifications, and responsibilities of the position.

We may request references at a later time.

Please apply by July 11, 2021 for consideration.

Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, please apply through CU Boulder Jobs.

Posting Contact Information

Posting Contact Name: Boulder Campus Human Resources

Posting Contact Email: recruiting@colorado.edu


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