Dialogues Support Manager

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The University of Colorado Boulder encourages applications for two managers for the Dialogues Program
. In collaboration and partnership, the managers provide shared leadership for comprehensive campus dialogue initiatives that cultivate critical leadership competencies to engage difference, build trust across boundaries, and activate learning and change. Dialogues is grounded in intergroup dialogue theory and critical dialogic praxis, emphasizing dialogue as reflexive, interpersonal, pedagogical, and an organizational practice. Aligned with CU Boulder’s application of the shared equity leadership framework (Kezar at al.,

2021), the program furthers campus environments where everyone matters and all can thrive through reflective inquiry, relational accountability, and commitment to sustained institutional transformation.

Specific functions include designing, facilitating, and assessing dialogue-focused experiences, learning and organizational change initiatives across academic and administrative support units of the university to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion. Drawing upon both organizational development and critical pedagogy, managers will build and lead a university-wide approach to dialogue-based leadership development; train; coach leaders and facilitators in intergroup and critical dialogue methods; and partner with campus units to use dialogue as a tool for equity-minded organizational learning and cultural transformation.

These positions focus on cultivating critical competencies necessary for university managers and leaders to engage in important, sustained dialogue that advances organizational learning and transformation. Rather than centering on foundational or introductory topics – such as terminology, implicit bias, or microaggressions – common to one-time or a la carte trainings, this work emphasizes a developmental continuum that supports individuals and teams in building long-term and sustainable dialogic capacity.

Programming will be structured in phases to promote both individual and organizational growth:

• Foundational Phase – Introduction to Dialogue
• Applied Phase – Train-the-Trainer Engagements
• Sustaining Phase – Professional Learning Communities

These positions will establish relationships and work closely with existing services within and outside of Leadership Support and Programming (e.g., Human Resources, the Center for Teaching and Learning) to complement the current landscape of training for CU Boulder.

Incumbents will apply the work done by the University of Southern California’s Pullias Center (i.e., shared equity leadership, change leadership) and intergroup dialogue theory, to operationalizing a method for dialogue that combines critical consciousness with action to challenge oppression and promote social change (i.e., critical dialogic praxis). We anticipate a range of competency models and frameworks (e.g., NASPA/ACPA Professional Competencies, Leadership Reconsidered, Multicultural Organizational Development) will also be useful to develop transformational higher education leaders at every level of the institution who are capable of creating and supporting campus environments where everyone matters and all can thrive.

This work addresses the personal, collective, structures and systems-work needed to activate and sustain institutional change and transformation. This requires delivering courses, working with small groups to practice applying new knowledge, developing toolkits, providing feedback, assessing outcomes, and evaluating processes.

Ideal candidates for this role will demonstrate skill for developing leaders and working in large complex organizations. They should have deep knowledge of higher education disparities, cultural competencies, and research with direct experience delivering and assessing trainings related to the following thematic areas: intergroup dialogue and critical dialogic praxis; human-centered leadership; employee development; cultivating capacity for successful environmental change; and building foundational, liberatory leadership.

Successful candidates will be able to speak directly to these competencies in their cover letter, application materials, and interviews.

Leadership Support and Programming team values align with the shared equity leadership model. Examples of these values include transparency, vulnerability, accountability, mutuality, modesty, love and care, courage, and creativity and innovation. We expect the incumbent(s) to demonstrate these values in varied work activities (e.g., advising colleagues and senior leadership; facilitating training and development workshops; interacting with fellow team members, constituents in the CU Boulder campus community, and members of local, regional, and national communities).

CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing…