Executive Director Center for Community Based Learning

About Occidental College

Founded in 1887, Occidental is a nationally recognized, private college of the liberal arts and sciences, dedicated to providing a gifted and diverse group of students with a total educational experience of the highest quality -- one that prepares them for leadership in an increasingly complex, interdependent and pluralistic world.

What makes Occidental special? An intellectually rigorous academic environment. Small classroom settings where students collaborate with professors and their peers while pursuing or discovering their passion. A beautiful residential campus that offers students hands-on engagement with the cultural and intellectual resources of Los Angeles. A community open to stimulating conversation and divergent points of view. Some 2,100 students from 46 states and 28 countries choose from 41 majors and minors and participate in one the country’s top undergraduate research programs. Oxy students routinely win top awards and fellowships; its first Rhodes Scholar was named in 1907. Dedicated to excellence and equity, Occidental also is one of the country’s most economically diverse campuses, according to the New York Times. Some 71 percent of Oxy students receive some form of financial aid; 20 percent are Pell Grant recipients; and 19 percent are the first in their family to attend college

Title: Executive Director Center for Community Based Learning

Department: Dean of Faculty's Office

Duration: Indefinite

Application Priority Deadline: March 10, 2023. The position will be open until filled.

Job Summary

The Executive Director of the Center for Community Based Learning (CCBL) provides overall strategic direction and leadership for community-based learning, teaching, and research aligned with the College’s mission and its community-engaged principles of social justice, reciprocity, power sharing, and reflexive and ongoing learning.

The CCBL Executive Director provides leadership and oversight of programs, staff, and projects for implementing community-based learning and research across academic departments and disciplines. The Executive Director leads program planning, budget monitoring, and assessment and evaluation while building relationships with faculty, students, and community partners for community-based teaching, learning, and scholarship. The Executive Director works closely with the CCBL Faculty Committee to build capacity and leadership of faculty, staff, and students to expand and deepen community-based learning and research across campus.

In addition, the Executive Director interfaces with and works collaboratively with other community-engaged centers on campus, including the College’s nascent center for LA engagement, the campus-wide center supporting the Oxy community in its engagement with/in the global city of Los Angeles to ensure intellectual and professional development inside and outside the classroom.

The CCBL Executive Director reports to the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Dean of the College.

Job Duties

1. Overall strategic leadership of the Center for Community Based Learning (CCBL)

With support of the Faculty Committee for the Center for Community Based Learning, provide leadership and strategic direction for the CCBL to implement just and reciprocal community-based learning, teaching, and research throughout the College.

• Cultivate and maintain the CCBL portfolio of innovative and inclusive teaching and learning programming and partnerships for faculty and students
• Serve as a critical thought partner and pedagogical specialist, providing support for faculty learning and utilization of pedagogies for social change, social justice-infused methods, and other forms of engaged teaching and learning.
• In collaboration with faculty, lead and oversee community-engaged research activities including initiating and/or facilitating academic-community partnerships using participatory approaches.
• Develop curricular and workshop materials for faculty and staff to prepare students for community-based research project proposals, IRB submission, and work related to publication and presentation at academic conferences.
• Provide leadership with local, regional, and national networks such as Imagining America, Project Pericles, and other professional networks in the field.
• Serve as campus resource and conduit for best practices and expertise in community-based learning pedagogy and programming.

Teaching and Curriculum Development

• Work with faculty to develop curricular initiatives and community-engaged courses.
• Work with faculty to develop students' capacity to engage in community-based learning and research (CBLR), e.g. through the Education in Action (EIA) program
• Teach CBLR and co-teach CBLR courses with faculty, upon request and/or as needed and as part of the CCBL mission. Such courses would contribute to the potential for curricular requirements and/or development of CBLR accreditation (e.g. a certificate program).

Research, Assessment, and Data Management

• Evaluate and analyze the efficacy of CBLR in the academic program
• Collect data for proposals, report writing, and program assessment.
• Work with individuals across departments on assessment bridging academic and co-curricular engagement practices.

Management and staff supervision

• Budget oversight and management to ensure compliance with established limits and policies.
• Develop and manage a staffing model to improve support for community-based learning across the College, which may include collaboration with other campus entities
• Oversee student-centered programs including the Education-in-Action program and work with faculty to identify student EIA facilitators and provide ongoing support for student leadership in community-based teaching

Campus Leadership and Collaboration

• Lead and support partnerships directly contributing to the academic mission of the College.
• Liaise and work collaboratively with the Center for Research and Scholarship (CRS) and Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE), Academic Commons including Special Collections, and other community-engaged units to provide leadership on campus and deepen the College’s impact of community-engaged learning and scholarship.
• Work with Sponsored Research Office and Institutional Advancement to identify and apply for extramural funding.
• Work with Faculty to develop language and practices for community-engaged faculty hires; participate in faculty searches.
• Represent CCBL in the Academic Affairs Leadership Forum and other Director level initiatives.
• Work with college marketing staff and Admissions Office to elevate visibility and impact of the CCBL. This includes coordinating the production and maintenance of the CCBL website, social media, and other publicity.

Minimum Qualifications

• • Master’s degree required with over five years of experience working with faculty and students in community-engaged curriculum and teaching
  • Contributor to and/or producer of scholarship in a relevant field
  • Experience in college level teaching
  • Knowledge of and experience with college administrative systems and assessment practices
  • Experience in program/project development and management, and staff supervision
  • Experience working with non-profit entities, governmental, and industry partners
  • Demonstrated experience with building relationships and partnerships within and across multiple cultures.
  • Able to develop and lead workshops and presentations.
  • Excellent writing and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• • Ph.D. or terminal degree in related field
  • Experience in community organizing, labor organizing, or education related organizing
  • Knowledge of and experience working in Los Angeles

EXPECTED HIRING RANGE: $90,000 - $100,000/yr

If you are offered this position at Occidental College, your final base salary compensation will be determined based on factors such as skills, education, experience, and/or geographic location. In addition to those factors, Occidental complies with applicable pay equity laws and considers internal equity among current employees when developing the final offer. Please keep in mind that the range mentioned above is the base salary range for the role. Hiring at the maximum of the range would not be typical in order to allow for future and continued salary growth. We also offer a generous compensation and benefits package.

Advertised: 22 Feb 2023 Pacific Standard Time
Applications close: