Assistant Director for Curricular Initiatives

Assistant Director for Curricular Initiatives (5258C) #89618

At the University of California, Berkeley , we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom, and belonging makes it a special place for students, faculty, and staff, who are among the most talented and accomplished anywhere, including Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, and Mac Arthur Fellows. Since our founding in 1868, we have been an engine for innovation - driving intellectual, economic, and social progress that benefits California, the U.S., and beyond.

Together, we change the world.

At Berkeley, the best careers are built on a foundation of continuous learning and growth . We actively support professional development by providing all full-time staff employees with at least 80 hours of paid time per year and provide space for supportive colleague communities via numerous employee resource groups.

The College of Letters & Science (L&S) is the largest college on the Berkeley campus. It houses half of Berkeley's senate faculty and is home to nearly 24,000 students, including over 60% of all undergraduates on campus. L&S has five divisions (Arts & Humanities, Biological Sciences, Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Social Sciences, Undergraduate Studies Division), 38 academic departments, 57 undergraduate majors, 66 undergraduate minors, 8 master's degree programs, and 42 PhD programs.

Situated within the Undergraduate Division, the Curricular Initiatives Office, together with the Office of Undergraduate Research & Scholarships, forms the College of Letters & Science's Academic Engagement Unit. Renowned for flagship programs, such as Big Ideas courses, Freshmen & Sophomore Seminars, and On the Same Page, the Curricular Initiatives Office develops programming that responds to evolving campus needs for both high-impact learning experiences and multidisciplinary connections across the college.

Crucial to this work is a deep understanding of UC Berkeley's intellectual landscape and its administrative structures, including faculty governance, academic policy, course management, breadth requirements, and major pathways. The central purpose of the office is to find flexible solutions to challenges that cannot be solved solely through divisional or departmental initiatives, and it therefore strives to maintain active partnerships with faculty and units across L&S to identify gaps, break down silos, and develop innovative solutions.

The Assistant Director for Curricular Initiatives provides day-to-day operational leadership and analytical support for an array of important programs, including First-Year Pathways, Big Ideas Courses, Freshmen & Sophomore Seminars, and On The Same Page. This position leverages expert knowledge of curriculum design, program assessment, high-impact practices, mentorship, and academic policy to expand and improve student and faculty experience across this portfolio.

The Assistant Director plays a consultative role in the administration and evaluation of the College of Letters & Science's Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF L&S), the Undergraduate Research Apprentice Program (URAP), and Rose Hills Summer Scholarships. This position advances strategic initiatives emerging from decanal mandates, coordinating with communications experts and policy and data analysts to undertake outreach, convene advisory committees, and collect data.

The Assistant Director for Curricular Initiatives works closely with colleagues in the Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarships to ensure the integration of scaffolding learning, pedagogical best practices, and design assessments to demonstrate impact. Additionally, this…