Director of Strategy and Partnerships

Chatham University

Director of Strategy and Partnerships

The Falk School of Sustainability & Environment at Chatham University has an immediate opening for a Director of Strategy and Partnerships. The Director will be a bridge-builder who can create and coordinate programs that bring the Falk School's undergraduate and graduate students together with community groups, advocacy organizations, and businesses to solve real-world problems that advance climate justice and global Sustainability Goals.

This is not a typical partnerships position focused largely on fundraising, although cultivating funders and writing grants will be part of the work. To be successful, you do not need to have a long history of working in higher education settings. But you should have experience creating dynamic partnerships that involve education or training. Bring your passion for people and the planet.

This newly created position will add to Chatham's mission "to prepare students to build lives of purpose, value and fulfilling work...by preparing graduates to be informed and engaged citizens in their communities; to recognize and respect the diversity of culture, identity, and opinion; and to live sustainably." Building on this mission, Chatham is committed to creating a supportive and inclusive learning, living and working environment for all members of the campus community. Learn more at: www.chatham.edu .

The recruitment of this position will be guided by a 'search advocate' whose role is to support cultivating a diverse candidate pool and an inclusive approach to interviewing and selection that helps Chatham foster a diverse community of faculty, staff, and students.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Working with the Dean and other University stakeholders, the Director will develop and execute strategies for fostering partnerships among the Falk School, community/civil society organizations, other academic institutions, and private sector actors to advance the Falk School's joint academic and social mission.
• The Director will collaborate with FSSE academic program leaders and faculty and work closely with other administrative units of the Eden Hall Campus to develop external partnerships that link experiential learning, community engagement, and workforce development in ways that advance diverse and inclusive career pathways in sustainability within the Pittsburgh area and beyond.
• In collaboration with the Advancement Department and the Dean, the Director will investigate and pursue potential grant opportunities to support these strategies and partnerships.
• The Director will lead the implementation of high-priority partnership projects that cut across Falk School departments and/or are anchored in the assets of the Eden Hall Campus.
• In implementing these projects, the Director will manage budgets, grant deliverables, implementation plans, and partnership coordination.
• The Director will provide leadership, develop strategies, and serve as a liaison with faculty and other administrative units of the Falk School & Eden Hall Campus to enhance strong connections among academic programs, elements of Eden Hall's 'learning laboratory' (farm, aquaculture, buildings & facilities), and student experience with a goal of improving student recruitment & retention, including developing policies & procedures that enhance collaboration.
• The Director will track progress, utilize institutional data, gather additional data, and develop approaches to continuously improve the administrative systems and processes of the Falk School & Eden Hall.

Qualifications:

• Master's degree in education, administration, or sustainability or related fields with 8 years of experience in education administration, organizational strategy development, workforce training partnerships, and related fields. A doctorate or terminal professional degree can substitute for experience.
• Four years within the higher education field or in collaboration with academic partners, with increasing responsibility in the area of partnership and/or co-curricular development and fostering collaboration across diverse stakeholder groups.
• Experience with experiential learning initiatives and partnerships tied to higher education degree-conferring programs, non-degree workforce development programs, or community-level collaborations focused on skills development.
• Experience successfully managing complex projects with multiple funding sources and various partners, including managing budgets & grants, and developing and overseeing project implementation plans is required.

Founded in 1869, Chatham University has an enrollment of over 2,200 students across over 60 undergraduate and graduate programs in our areas of excellence: sustainability & health, the arts & sciences, and business & communications. Chatham has consistently been named a College of Distinction and a "Best College" by U.S. News & World Report, and--as the alma mater of environmental icon, Rachel Carson (Class of '29)--is perennially ranked as one of the greenest colleges in the United States by Sierra Magazine and the Princeton Review.

Chatham consists of the School of Health Sciences; the Falk School of Sustainability & Environment; the School of Arts, Science and Business; and the School for Continuing & Professional Studies.

Located in Pittsburgh, PA--one of the country's most livable cities and great college towns--Chatham is spread across three distinct locations: the historic arboretum, Shadyside Campus; Chatham Eastside in the fast-growing East End; and Eden Hall Campus, one of the world's most sustainable campuses.

For a complete job description and to apply visit:

www.chatham.edu/careers

Follow the instructions to complete the application process.

To ensure full consideration, please submit a cover letter addressing the qualifications of the position, professional resume, and contact information for three professional references.

Chatham University offers a competitive salary, an excellent benefits package, including tuition remission for qualified personnel, and a generous retirement plan.

Chatham University is an Equal Opportunity Employer with a strong commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity. Women, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and members of other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Chatham University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, or national origin.

Full Job Description