Director, Center Community-Engaged Learning

About the Job

The Director of CCEL provides strategic, administrative, and programmatic leadership for curricular community‑engaged learning (CEL). Reporting to the Vice Provost for Public Engagement, the Director is responsible for advancing high‑quality, high‑impact CEL across the curriculum, stewarding a network of community partnerships, leading staff and managing operations, and representing CCEL within university‑wide and national engaged‑learning communities. The CCEL Director collaborates with units across the Twin Cities campus as well as the other four system campus engagement leaders on CEL‑related initiatives such as course attributes and campus engagement plans.

The Director also maintains a strong on‑campus presence and engages in in‑person meetings and networking events with local and surrounding communities.

Key responsibilities include expanding the scale of CEL courses, building reciprocal community partnerships, implementing engagement‑management platforms, and pursuing strategies to build department‑level community partnerships for CEL. The role requires a visionary and collaborative leader to shape the next chapter of community engagement at a major research university committed to its land‑grant mission.

• Strategic and Programmatic Leadership (50%)
  • Establish strategic direction, goals, and a 5‑year plan for CCEL aligned with institutional vision.
  • Develop infrastructure and academic support for designing, implementing, and assessing high‑quality CEL courses across modalities.
  • Ensure compliance with university policies for partnerships, MOUs, equity, Title IX, and related regulations.
  • Cultivate partnership with National Student Exchange for off‑campus study opportunities.
  • Explore pathways to advance engaged learning and career readiness aligned with the Elevate Extraordinary 2030 roadmap.
  • Collaborate with the Office for Public Engagement to pilot and implement the Give Pulse academic module.
  • Expand co‑curricular offerings through the Peer Advising Program and network of partners.
  • Network with local, state, and national engagement professionals to inform campus initiatives.
• Partnership Development (20%)
  • Serve as lead administrator and contact for CEL on the Twin Cities campus.
  • Expand and steward a diverse portfolio of community partnerships for integration with university courses.
  • Coordinate partner onboarding, support, and recognition, including awards and annual gatherings.
  • Build relationships with internal campus partners and participate in campus engagement planning.
• Administration and Management (20%)
  • Manage professional and student staff, conduct performance reviews, and mentor career development.
  • Set priorities with staff for existing and new programs based on stakeholder needs.
  • Manage CCEL’s budget, operations, and strategic planning in alignment with university priorities.
  • Foster an inclusive, collaborative, and continuously improving culture.
  • Act as a thought partner to the Vice Provost on strategy, policy, and advocacy.
  • Oversee campus‑wide communications plan and website related to CEL.
• Evaluation and Continuous Improvement (10%)
  • Develop and implement procedures to monitor campus CEL efforts.
  • Create ongoing assessment and evaluation practices aligned with higher‑education best practices.
  • Contribute to and present internal and external reports on CEL.

• BA/BS in education, public affairs, community development, nonprofit management, or related field plus 10 years of related experience, or Master’s degree in a related field plus 8 years of related experience.
• Progressive leadership experience in community‑engaged learning, service learning, higher‑education administration, or community‑university partnership work.
• Demonstrated expertise in faculty development and support for community‑engaged pedagogy.
• Experience building and sustaining reciprocal partnerships with community organizations.
• Strong commitment to equity, inclusion, and community‑centered practice.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams and manage organizational operations.
• Valid driver’s license or other local transportation means.

• Master’s degree.
• Excellen…