| Detailed Description: |
This is a full-time temporary, benefit-based position with an anticipated end date of May 31, 2029. The appointment is renewable at the discretion of the University and dependent upon performance and continued funding.
The University of San Diego, School of Leadership and Education Sciences (SOLES), in partnership with the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, hosts the long-established Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement. The Community Engagement Classification serves as the leading framework for higher education community engagement work and is widely used to establish benchmarks and criteria for effectively institutionalizing community engagement across diverse institutional contexts. The classification serves as a national method for recognizing exceptional institutionalization of community engagement.
Reporting to the Assistant Dean for Assessment and Accreditation/Executive Director, the Associate Director of Community Engagement Classification Operations serves as the primary operational and programmatic lead for the University of San Diego’s role as the institutional host of the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification. This position provides day-to-day coordination and management of activities associated with the classification, ensuring a high-quality, equitable, and impactful national framework that supports institutional learning and recognition in community engagement.
The Associate Director is responsible for managing complex, multi-stakeholder processes, including communications, applicant support, technical assistance, reviewer recruitment and training, convenings, resource development and continuous improvement of the classification framework and review process, while coordinating closely with the Assistant Dean/Executive Director and Dean of SOLES on strategic priorities and external engagement.
This role requires a highly organized, strategic, and collaborative leader who thrives in a dynamic environment and brings a strong understanding of higher education, community engagement, and large-scale initiative management.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Classification Operations and Program Management
- The Associate Director leads the day-to-day administration of the Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement, ensuring effective execution of all operational components across the classification cycle. This includes managing timelines and workflows to support institutional participation; overseeing application processes and guidance materials; and coordinating National Advisory Committee and other key meetings. The Associate Director oversees the GivePulse platform and the university CRM system.
- Working in close partnership with the Executive Director, the Director helps translate strategic priorities into operational plans and ensures seamless implementation. The Associate Director maintains detailed oversight of logistics, documentation, and internal systems that sustain the classification.
Communication, Outreach, Customer Service, and Applicant/Classified Institution Support
- The Associate Director develops and executes a comprehensive communications strategy to build awareness, drive engagement, and ensure successful participation in the classification. This includes managing communications with prospective and current applicants, responding to inquiries, and supporting the creation of clear, accessible guidance materials.
- In partnership with the Executive Director, the Associate Director supports the design and facilitation of webinars, workshops, communities of practice, and informational sessions. The Associate Director ensures consistent messaging and high-quality engagement while maintaining website content and communication channels. This role ensures high levels of responsiveness, clarity, and customer service for institutions across diverse contexts.
Review Process Management and Field Engagement
- The Associate Director oversees the full lifecycle of the application review process, including recruitment, selection, and onboarding of reviewers and consultants. This includes designing and implementing reviewer training, managing evaluation workflows, and ensuring alignment with established standards and criteria.
- The Associate Director works in collaboration with the Executive Director to ensure a fair, equitable, and transparent peer-review system and coordinates the preparation and distribution of institutional feedback. The Associate Director also engages scholars and practitioners in the field to inform ongoing refinement of the classification.
Events, Convenings, and Field-Building Activities
- The Associate Director plans and executes a range of events and convenings, including virtual and in-person gatherings, to build community, share knowledge, and advance the field of community engagement in higher education. This includes coordinating logistics, developing agendas, managing speakers and participants, and ensuring alignment with broader strategic goals. The Associate Director ensures the successful execution of these events while supporting broader field-building and network development efforts.
Framework Development, Research, and Continuous Improvement
- In partnership with the Executive Director and key stakeholders, the Associate Director supports the ongoing refinement and evolution of the Community Engagement Classification framework and application. This includes gathering and synthesizing feedback from applicants, reviewers, and partners; contributing to revisions of indicators, definitions, and guidance materials; and ensuring the framework remains relevant, inclusive, and responsive to the field. The Associate Director supports associated research activities, benchmarking, and documentation efforts that inform future classification cycles and contribute to the broader knowledge base of the field.
External Relations, Partnerships, Revenue Generation and Fundraising, and Sustainability
- The Associate Director serves as a liaison between the host institution and the Carnegie Elective Classification central office, the Carnegie Foundation, and key partners, including national organizations, the National Advisory Committee (NAC), higher education associations, and external vendors.
- Working closely with the Executive Director and Dean, the Associate Director supports partnership development, fundraising and resource development, institutional recruitment efforts, and activities that contribute to the classification's financial sustainability, including revenue-generating initiatives such as convenings, training offerings, and related programming. The Associate Director represents the classification in meetings, presentations, and professional settings as appropriate and is expected to travel to conferences, events, and campuses.
- The Associate Director will support the Executive Director and Dean in developing a Center that will carry the work beyond the classification host cycle. The center will be designed to serve as a national and global hub for advancing community engagement as a defining feature of higher education’s public mission, providing technical assistance, capacity-building, and thought leadership to colleges and universities seeking to authentically align their work with the communities they serve.
Data Management, Reporting, and Administrative Oversight
- The Associate Director oversees data tracking, reporting, and documentation related to classification activities, including applicant participation, review outcomes, feedback reports, and program metrics. This includes preparing reports, briefing materials, and summaries to support internal decision-making and external communication. The Associate Director may also work with graduate students and other campus researchers to disseminate research findings based on application data and the state of the field.
- The Associate Director may also support budgeting, contract management, and supervision of staff, consultants, or student employees contributing to the initiative, ensuring alignment with broader strategic and operational goals.
Background check: Successful completion of a pre-employment background check.
Degree Verification Requirement: Persons offered employment in this position will be required to provide official education transcripts for degree verification purposes.
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| Job Requirements: |
Minimum Qualifications:
- Masters Degree in higher education, public administration, nonprofit management, or a related field.
- Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in program management, preferably within higher education or a related sector.
- Demonstrated experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives with strong attention to detail and organizational systems.
- Experience designing and facilitating events, workshops, webinars, and/or training programs.
- Very strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to develop clear executive-level communications and materials.
- Proven ability to build and maintain relationships across diverse constituencies, including institutional leaders, faculty, and external partners.
- Experience coordinating review, evaluation, or assessment processes (e.g., accreditation, grant review, or similar).
- Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
- Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and community engagement in higher education contexts.
Preferred Qualifications:
- PhD or EdD in higher education, public administration, nonprofit management, or a related field.
- Six or more years of experience as described above.
- Experience with the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification or similar frameworks.
- Familiarity with GivePulse
- Experience supervising staff or leading teams.
- Familiarity with data systems, reporting tools, and project management platforms.
- Experience supporting national initiatives, networks, or field-building efforts.
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