Assistant Director, FAN Leadership Programs

Department

Provost Faculty Advancement Network Leadership Programs

About the Department

The Ivy+ Faculty Advancement Network (FAN) is a consortium of 13 national research universities seeking collaborations of consequence to advance diversity and inclusion in the American professoriate. The Office of the Provost at the University of Chicago is the administrative host of the consortium. Visit www.facultyadvancementnetwork.org for details about FAN.

Job Summary

The Assistant Director, FAN Leadership programs is a part-time position reporting to the Executive Director, who in turn reports to the Vice Provost for Diversity and to the chairs of FAN’s Steering Committee.

The Assistant Director serves a key role in coordinating, implementing, and measuring the impact of the Ivy+ Mellon Leadership (IML) Fellows program, a FAN initiative supported by the Mellon Foundation until March 31, 2026. The Assistant Director will lead all aspects of the IML Fellowship experience, including mentor coordination, curriculum oversight, participant support, marketing and communication efforts, speaker management, and program assessment. This Mellon Foundation initiative includes one three-day in-person event annually and several small, virtual meetings requiring the presence of this role.

The Assistant Director also manages FAN’s Institute on Inquiry, Equity & Leadership in the Academic Department. The Institute consists annually of two three-day in-person events and five three-hour virtual events requiring the presence of this role. The Assistant Director will coordinate leadership development content, both online and in-classroom, during the 2024-25 and 2025-26 academic years. The Assistant Director will also resolve day-to-day operational challenges and share responsibility with the Executive Director for implementing administrative policies and procedures for FAN.

Responsibilities

Implementing multi-modal programs of equity-minded leadership development

• Design learning opportunities via a variety of delivery modalities (i.e., in-person classroom, webinars, asynchronous learning courses, training videos, etc.) for leadership development content tailored for research university faculty and administrators.

• Implement instructionally-sound learning solutions, industry standards, and innovative methods to improve the experience of adult learners participating in workshops, seminars, and retreats.

• Serve as a point of contact for event logistics ranging from catering to lodging through the coordination of multiple stakeholders and the host institution.

• Facilitate both in-classroom and online programs and meetings, including speaking in-person and on-screen before a live audience.

• Evaluate, analyze, and report on the effectiveness and impact of FAN programs, ensuring the tools to measure impact are efficient.

Creating and managing content and communication in accordance with Ivy+ standards

• Manage the Institute’s Canvas learning management system (LMS), in collaboration with FAN’s partner eCornell.

• Manage marketing and communication activities for the Institute and FAN, including website maintenance, social media, and email marketing, ensuring opportunities are promoted to Institute Fellows and alumni across the consortium and beyond.

• Draft and coordinate correspondence and other updates to be distributed to FAN stakeholder groups.

• Follow FAN and Ivy+ standards through all Fellowship and Institute materials and contribute to a digital library of program resources.

Managing logistics, operations, schedules, financial reporting, etc.

• Inform and execute the operational aspects of the Ivy+ Mellon Leadership Fellowship and the Institute, as well as meetings of FAN’s Steering Committee.

• Coordinate logistics (e.g., event materials, travel arrangements, payment processing) for FAN subject matter experts, consultants, and Fellows.

• Schedule and organize meetings, including assistance in setting up conferences and/or FAN Steering Committee meetings.

• Assist in establishing office procedures and resolving day-to-day operational needs.

• Work with the University of Chicago’s Diversity + Inclusion team in the Office of the Provost to manage related financial transactions including service payments, procurement, invoicing, et cetera.

• Assist Executive Director with the development and management of budgets for projects and programs.

• Provide Executive Director with regular reports for both programmatic and financial activity.

Acquiring and leveraging expertise that advances organizational and programmatic goals

• Research and stay abreast of current trends related to FAN’s mission, including but not limited to diversity and inclusion in the professoriate; the development of equity-minded leadership among the faculty; and decision and implementation science in the academy.

• Track media coverage of major trends in higher education in reports issued by the major higher education professional associations.

Serving the needs of FAN member representatives

• Create and maintain strong working relationships between FAN, Institute Fellows and alumni/ae/a, and representatives of the consortium’s 13 members.

• Maintain a network of resources within and beyond FAN to identify and secure subject-matter experts for consortium-wide and member-based programming.

• Serve as a resource within the consortium and function as a key liaison with internal and external constituencies.

• Manage and/or support special projects and other duties, as assigned.

• Administer the delivery of services to program participants and/or beneficiaries.

• Analyze program budgets and make budgetary recommendations.

• Has moderate/high levels of interactions with faculty, researchers and staff.

• Perform other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Advanced degree, preferably in higher education, adult development, or related field.

Experience:

• Working in a higher education setting.

• Working with (a) underrepresented groups in higher education and (b) the culture and issues of access, diversity, inclusion, equity, and multiculturalism.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Demonstrated proficiency (i.e., experience in the 'advanced' menus) in some or all of the below applications:

  • Microsoft Teams, Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.

  • Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides.

  • A project management application such as Wrike, Zoho, Microsoft Planner, etc.

  • Canvas or an equivalent learning management system.

• Additional experience with digital copy-editing, image, and video editing strongly preferred (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite).

Preferred Competencies

• This role requires a high level of relational leadership and operational command, and therefore, evidence of effectivenes.

• Working skillfully with a broad range of senior- or executive-level constituents.

• Implementing programs designed to make an organization more diverse, inclusive, and just.

• Supporting management- or senior-level adult learners in their professional development.

• Solving problems with creativity, foresight, and good judgment.

• Maintaining discretion and confidentiality.

• Exercising diplomacy and cross-cultural communication skills.

• Ability to work collaboratively within a 'dotted-line' team, including providing and responding well to constructive feedback.

• Ability to work independently on multiple projects simultaneously, to set priorities, and to meet deadlines.

Working Conditions

• The University of Chicago is FAN’s host institution and FAN’s Executive Director works remotely from Massachusetts. Therefore, although the University is registered in the following states/locations: California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin, the most preferred candidate will be willing to work on location at the University’s Hyde Park campus or, if remotely, in the Boston Metro area. Some travel is required to the meeting locations of in-person events approximately four times per year.

Application Documents

• Resume (required)

• Cover Letter (required)

• References (required)

Job Family

Administration & Management

Role Impact

Individual Contributor

Scheduled Weekly Hours

20

Drug Test Required
 

No

Health Screen Required
 

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
 

No

Pay Rate Type

Hourly

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FLSA Status

Non-Exempt

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Pay Range

$33.65 - $36.06

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement
 

The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

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