Careers @ MSU

The Office for Faculty and Academic Staff Affairs (FASA) Assistant Director of Academic Leadership Development is a key member of the leadership team and is expected to be an enterprise-wide strategic thinker who works collaboratively with leaders across the institution.

The Assistant Director is a strategic leader and partner responsible for driving the academic leadership development strategy, programming, and resource planning that aligns with and supports the university’s mission and objectives. The Assistant Director collaborates closely with university academic administrators and executive managers, department chairs/school directors, faculty and academic staff to determine career and leadership program development needs. Additionally, the role involves conceptualizing, developing, promoting, and presenting effective leadership development programs.

Job Duties and Percentages:

The responsibilities of this position have been identified in the priority areas below:

• Research, Design, Development, and Implementation of Programs – 50%
• Presenting Content and Facilitating Sessions – 20%
• Strategy – 15%
• Leadership – 15%

Duties and Responsibilities:

Leadership Program Strategy and Design: 

• Designs, implements, and continuously improves academic leadership development programs (e.g., leadership institutes, fellowships, cohort programs, and workshops).
• Aligns programming with institutional priorities, emerging higher education trends, and leadership competency frameworks.
• Integrates leadership development across the academic lifecycle, from early career exploration to senior leadership preparation.
• Participates in long range and strategic planning for university-wide academic and executive leadership development.
• Serves as a liaison to and consults with university academic administrators and executive managers, department chairs/school directors, faculty and academic staff to determine leadership development needs.
• Participates in budget strategy related to academic leadership programming.

 Program Management and Delivery:

• Directs and manages signature leadership initiatives (e.g., Academic Leadership Fellows, New Administrator Orientation, leadership workshop series).
• Facilitates and presents at leadership development programs, including seminars, workshops, consultations and services, learning communities.
• Coordinates and oversees management of materials for all in-person and online programming, including web-based resources and training materials.  
• Oversees program logistics, timelines, budgets, and participant experience.
• Researches, identifies, recruits and oversees program presenters/consultants.
• Prepares and negotiates contracts with program presenters/ consultants.
• Interviews, hires, trains, directs and evaluates leadership consultants.
• Ensures programs reflect best practices in adult learning, cohort-based development, and experiential learning (e.g., mentoring, shadowing, applied projects).

Leadership Pipeline Development

• Builds and sustains pathways that identify, prepare, and support future academic leaders.
• Partners with colleges and units to identify emerging leaders and align development opportunities with institutional needs.
• Strengthens mentoring and sponsorship models to support leadership readiness.

Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement

• Collaborates with campus partners (e.g., Human Resources, President’s Office, Office for Institutional Excellence and Impact, Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation, and academic units).
• Engages senior leaders (deans, chairs, vice provosts) as program contributors, mentors, and facilitators.
• Represents FASA in institutional conversations related to leadership development and strategy, in consultation with FASA leadership.

Communication and Outreach

• Promotes leadership development opportunities across the university.
• Develops clear, compelling communications to engage faculty and academic staff in leadership pathways.
• Maintains program materials, resources, and digital presence in coordination with the Provost’s Office Communications team.
• Determines target audiences and develops and implements strategic marketing plans and promotional communications, in coordination with the Provost’s Office Communications team, for leadership development programs.

Assessment and Continuous Improvement

• Develops and implements assessment strategies to evaluate program effectiveness and impact.
• Uses data and participant feedback to inform program enhancements and demonstrate value.
• Prepares reports and briefings for senior leadership on program outcomes and leadership pipeline development.
• Conducts ongoing needs assessments, program reviews and evaluations, and participates in grant writing and research projects on leadership development.  
• Uses aligned metrics and national benchmarks to evaluate development needs and program effectiveness.

This position reports to the Vice Provost and Associate Vice President for Faculty and Academic Staff Affairs and works in close partnership with colleagues across FASA and the Provost’s Office.

Hybrid Position Information: This position will be expected to maintain a regular schedule working on campus a minimum of 3 days per week.