Assistant Provost of Faculty Affairs, Development, and Diversity

Job Title: Assistant Provost of Faculty Affairs, Development, and Diversity

Department: Office of the Provost

Reports To: Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs

Status: Exempt

Palo Alto University (PAU), a private, non-profit university, founded in 1975 and located in the heart of Northern California’s Silicon Valley, is a community grounded in values of social justice, dedicated to addressing pressing and emerging issues in the fields of psychology and counseling that meet the needs of today’s diverse society. The students at PAU reflect the diversity of the region, are engaged in their education, and committed to improving the lives of others. The University sees diversity in its staff and faculty as very important to serving its diverse student body (or synonymous with inclusive excellence).  PAU offers undergraduate and graduate programs with online, hybrid and residential options. PAU has an engaged faculty who make significant contributions to their fields and prepare future leaders who make a difference in the lives of individuals and communities.  When you put all of this together, PAU creates a legacy of confident, competent, and compassionate professionals who are at the forefront of psychology and counseling and who move ahead in life by moving lives ahead. 

Position Description

The Office of the Provost seeks an experienced academic to serve as the Assistant Provost for Faculty Affairs, Development, and Diversity. The assistant provost will join the Provost’s Office as an integral member who will have the opportunity to shape the composition and experience of the faculty at Palo Alto University. The assistant provost is a visible leader both internally and externally, and in addition to advising the Provost on all matters relating to faculty, the position carries the following broad areas of responsibility:

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

Faculty Affairs and Policy

• Overseeing the processing of faculty actions (e.g., faculty appointments, promotions, tenure, sabbatical and leave requests), including chairing the university-level promotion and tenure committee;
• Overseeing faculty appeals processes related to promotion and tenure decisions and to decisions related to misconduct, and assisting with the resolution of faculty grievances; 
• Managing the scheduled periodic reviews of department chairs;
• Maintaining the Faculty Handbook and advising the department chairs on interpretation and application of University policies related to faculty. 

 Faculty Development

• Leading and promoting professional development, leadership development, and mentoring opportunities for faculty;
• Oversee faculty request and management of research and travel funds
• Working with the Center for Educational Excellence, and other partners, to develop and deliver orientations for faculty, as well as orientations and retreats for departments;
• Implementing programs to recognize and honor faculty. 

 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

• Leading efforts to promote diversity and inclusion of the faculty, including overseeing targeted efforts to diversify PAU’s faculty, and supporting programs and initiatives that advance the University’s diversity goals;
• Coordinating the development and delivery of information and resources to aid in faculty recruitment and retention efforts and encourage fair and robust search processes;
• Collaborating with the PAU’s Center for Educational Excellence to promote diversity in the curriculum and inclusion in the classroom. 

 Teaching Excellence

• Working closely with the University Center for Educational Excellence to advance educational excellence across a wide range of initiatives, including support for new instructors, online courses, educational technologies, workshops, and events;
• Collaborating with the University Center for Education Excellence to promote and support educational innovation. 

 Other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• A Ph.D. or other terminal degree in an academic discipline from a regionally accredited college or university. 
• A record of teaching and scholarship sufficient to earn the rank of associate professor or full professor in one of the disciplines at the university. 
• Evidence of excellence in teaching in higher education
• Experience in faculty development, such as mentoring, peer review, or service as a department chair.
• Experience in diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, policies, or research.
• Excellent management, collaboration, communication, and leadership skills.
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills, including the means to address issues clearly and in non-confrontational and non-polarizing ways to a range of diverse audiences.  

Minimum Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:

• Demonstrated leadership skills and ability to influence and motivate constituencies which could span multiple organizational boundaries.
• Demonstrated excellent planning, organizational and analytical skills.
• Demonstrated ability to make sound business decisions using good business judgment and innovative and creative problem-solving.
• Demonstrated ability to manage financial, organizational and staff resources.
• Demonstrated ability to write handbooks, guides, web pages and other communication or training materials suitable for a faculty audience
• Excellent interpersonal, listening and communications skills with the ability to cultivate professional relationships and empathy with faculty members.
• Subject matter expertise related to faculty development, diversity and engagement, including familiarity with research on faculty development and engagement of underrepresented groups within the academy.
• Flexibility to undertake tasks necessary to implement programs from beginning to end, including high level strategy, as well as tactical hands-on event coordination and administration.
• The successful candidate will have capabilities in the areas of managing complexity, decision quality, interpersonal savvy, communicating effectively, and managing conflict. 

Application Procedures:

Please submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and the contact information for three professional references. PAU is committed to providing an educational environment that supports a diverse, equitable and inclusive population. In your cover letter, please include information on how your background and experience has prepared you to be in an environment that holds equity and inclusion core to its mission and values.