Associate Director - Gephardt Institute for Civic & Community Engagement - 50192

Washington University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status.

This position is full-time and works approximately 37.5 hours per week. Night and weekend work is often required

This position is in the Gephardt Institute for Civic & Community Engagement.  This position is for the Danforth Campus.

The ability to travel to on- and off-campus locations for meetings and events is required.  This position involves remote work during alternate operations. 

POSITION SUMMARY:  

The Associate Director serves as chief of staff at the Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement, working closely with the Director to advance the institute’s mission.  This position oversees institute operations to ensure high quality programs, services, and communications for all campus and community stakeholders; effective design, implementation, and evaluation of institute strategies; efficient administrative processes; and sound building operations.  The Associate Director serves as a central resource for all institute staff, leads strategic initiatives, and supports the institute’s development and stewardship efforts. 

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Oversee Institute Operations:

• Supervise staff who are central to institute operations, including but not limited to marketing/communications, strategy/evaluation, and administration/accounting.   
• Ensure efficient and smooth operations, such as systems, procedures, policies, workflows, internal and external communications, event protocol, building operations, customer service, and risk management. Routinely create, assess, and strengthen operations through the identification and implementation of new approaches, technology solutions, feedback loops, best practices, and professional development.
• Serve as an essential resource to all institute staff as a thought partner, consultant, and advocate as they conceptualize, operationalize, plan, strategize, problem-solve, evaluate, and reflect on their efforts. This involves entering and exiting projects as needs arise; conveying the vision of the Director; identifying resources; navigating relationships and conflicts; supporting the development of written project plans, proposals, and reports; and providing leadership to staff in the absence of the Director.
• Oversee the Gephardt Student Internship Program, comprised of 10-20 undergraduate interns and graduate student fellows, with attention to recruitment, selection, onboarding, training, professional development, reporting, and donor stewardship.  Identify and evaluate institute needs for interns/fellows, support their staff supervisors, and ensure the integration and success of interns/fellows.

2. Lead Strategic Projects and Initiatives:

• Oversee strategic initiatives and special projects, such as the development of new partnerships and programs; creation and implementation of special events; coordination and response to emergent issues and opportunities; and professional staff search and onboarding processes.
• Develop and manage the Student Advisory Council.  Oversee coordinated management of other current and anticipated advisory councils: National Advisory Council, Community Advisory Council, Academic Engagement Advisory Council, and Alumni Committee.
• Partner with Alumni Relations to coordinate WashU Engage, the nationwide alumni civic engagement initiative.
• Assist the Director and relevant staff with development and stewardship efforts, with specific attention to development communications, funding proposals, stewardship reports, and major events.

3. Serve on the Gephardt Institute’s Senior Leadership Team:

• Serve on the Director’s senior leadership team to strategize across all institute functions, including faculty and academic engagement; civic engagement education; community engagement; and evaluation and strategy. 
• Cultivate and sustain key relationships and partnerships with university units including Student Affairs, interdisciplinary centers and institutes, Academy for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Government & Community Relations, Campus Y, Advancement, Shared Business Services, Human Resources, Facilities, and General Counsel.
• Represent the institute at external and internal meetings, committees, special events, and other functions as assigned by the Director. 
• Contribute to initiatives, meetings, and events of the Gephardt Institute, including donor cultivation and stewardship, developing strategy and vision for initiatives, planning processes, special projects, and special events. 
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Master’s degree.
• Eight or more years of full-time professional experience in higher education, the non-profit sector, and/or related sectors, with progressive management and leadership responsibility.
• Demonstrated experience and passion for civic engagement, community engagement, civic learning, community development, community partnerships, social change, and/or related areas.
• Demonstrated understanding of the undergraduate and/or graduate student experience.

• Professional administrative/management experience in higher education, preferably at Washington University in St. Louis.
• Twelve or more years of professional experience, which may include doctoral level training and/or relevant professional experience.
• Substantive experience supervising professional staff, managing others, and leading teams.
• Demonstrated experience and track record of success in managing operations, developing and continuously improving systems and procedures, leading organizational change, and translating visions into plans.
• Professional experience with the engagement and education of undergraduate and/or graduate students, particularly with students from underrepresented or marginalized populations. 
• Demonstrated understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Excellent organizational, analytical, problem-solving, and project management skills. Strong time management, attention to detail, ability to manage multiple priorities, and ability to forecast and plan work across teams, while maintaining a landscape view of priorities, values, and vision.
• Energy, vision, initiative, creativity, empathy, humility, tolerance for ambiguity, ability to embrace and navigate change, sound judgment, diplomacy, tact, and sense of humor.
• Strong supervision and relationship management skills, with capacity to lead or guide others; function collaboratively in a team-based environment; dialogue across difference; and handle challenging internal and external dilemmas or support others through them.
• Strong ability and enthusiasm for developing, communicating, and managing systems, procedures, projects, and programs.
• Demonstrated sensitivity, knowledge, and skills for working with issues of power, privilege, identity, racial equity, and cultural humility; and for equipping students, faculty, and staff for responsible engagement with marginalized communities and complex community issues.
• Exceptional writing and editing skills with strong attention to both detail and nuance.
• Enthusiasm and ability to work in and provide leadership for a dynamic environment with multiple functions, audiences, and priorities.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to collaborate and build relationships with a racially, culturally, and socioeconomically diverse range of stakeholders, including faculty, staff, students, community partners, alumni, donors, prospective donors, and executive-level administrators and external advisors.
• Demonstrated ability to lead from a middle management position.
• Demonstrated skills in supporting budget allocation and resource management.
• Ability and willingness to work evening and weekend hours both on-campus and off-campus in service to the institute’s mission. 

The hiring range for this position is $60,801 - $90,000 annually.

About the Gephardt Institute

The Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement’s mission is to foster a vibrant culture of civic engagement across Washington University, realized by engaged citizens, scholarship, and partnerships that advance the collective good.  Through both academic and co-curricular initiatives, the institute educates students for lifelong engaged citizenship, catalyzes partnerships that respond to community needs and priorities, and infuses civic engagement throughout the Washington University experience.

As a university-wide interdisciplinary initiative, the Gephardt Institute reports serves all academic schools, university departments, undergraduate students, and graduate students, reporting to the Executive Vice Chancellor for Civic Affairs and Strategic Planning with dotted line reporting to the Provost.  The institute is non-partisan and proactively seeks to support and include diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and ideologies, with a strong attention to equity.  

The Gephardt Institute team is comprised of individuals who are mission-driven, values-focused, dynamic, collaborative, visionary, and passionate about the role of civic engagement in a thriving democracy. The institute upholds the values of inquiry, empathy, collaboration, integrity, equity, and action.  The staff focuses on four primary audiences: undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, community organizations in the St. Louis region, and alumni and donors. 

Since the institute’s founding in 2005 by Congressman Dick Gephardt, the professional staff size has grown from two to thirteen, with eight or more part-time, short-term, and adjunct positions and 10-20 paid interns/fellows from undergraduate and graduate programs.  The institute recently relocated to the historic Stix House as its sole occupant.  The institute offers a broad range of programs and services to the Washington University community and to partners in the St. Louis region, such as the Civic Scholars Program; support for faculty teaching Community Engaged Courses; Engage Democracy; new student engagement; and Civic Engagement Fund grants for community partnerships.

To learn more about the Gephardt Institute, please visit http://gephardtinstitute.wustl.edu. The institute’s final draft of the strategic plan will be provided to candidates who are invited to interview.

This position is eligible for full-time benefits.  Please click the following link to view a summary of benefits:  https://wustl.box.com/s/8wkhs25yssf0775x9d6nd6vqa7obpth7.

Please attach a copy of your most current signed performance evaluation (completed within the last 18 months) to your online account.  If you have not received a performance evaluation, you may provide two current signed letters of recommendation (written within the last 18 months), preferably to include one letter from either a current or recent former supervisor.   To attach these documents, go to:  My Career Tools, Add Attachment, Attachment Type – Performance Reviews or Letters of Recommendation.

Please submit a resume and cover letter with your application.  Applications without cover letters and/or resumes will not be reviewed.  Cover letters that reflect your specific interest and qualifications for this position are strongly encouraged.

All external candidates receiving an offer for employment will be required to submit to pre-employment screening for this position. Current employees applying for a new position within the university may be subject to this requirement. The screenings will include a criminal background check and, as applicable for the position, other background checks, drug screen, employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.