Director, Intentional Design

• Lead the design, development, and implementation of new IDEA initiatives

• Shape ACLS’s next phase of work broadening perspectives in American academia and supporting under-invested scholarly communities

• Manage and mentor a high-performing team of seven staff

• Cultivate new partnerships in philanthropy and academia

• Design and lead initiatives with meaningful impact for scholars, learned societies, higher-education institutions, and thought leaders

• Oversee the IDEA budget and operations

• Coordinate activities with Communications, Development, Finance, and other ACLS units

• Work with the President and Chief Development Officer to secure funding

• Maintain relationships with foundation partners and funders

• Propose and conduct travel for relationship cultivation

• Represent IDEA to the ACLS Board, constituencies, funders, and other groups

• Author or co-author reports

• Speak in external settings and present at selected convenings and conferences

• PhD in the humanities or social sciences
• At least 6 years of management/administrative experience, such as department or program chair, center director, associate dean, dean, or comparable nonprofit responsibility
• Expertise in academic policy and culture, including hiring and tenure processes, undergraduate and/or graduate education reform, academic leadership cultivation, and diversity initiatives
• Experience fundraising from philanthropic foundations or individual donors
• Demonstrated commitment to collaboration, relationship-building, diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Ability to multitask and prioritize long-term projects and short-term assignments in a deadline-driven environment
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Analytical and creative problem-solving capacity
• Understanding of the relationship between strategy and operations and respect for operational expertise
• Willingness to adapt to nonprofit office norms
• Ability to take initiative, respond nimbly, and maintain adaptive leadership in a fast-changing policy and funding landscape
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Word and Excel
• Must live within commuting distance of New York City
• Some travel required
• Must secure at least three years of unpaid leave, with possibility of leave renewal, if serving faculty
• Experience with relational databases such as Microsoft Dynamics CRM preferred
• Experience with Mellon Mays programs a plus
• Experience with grants management a plus

Demonstrates expertise in academic policy and culture, with a strong focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Proven ability to lead teams, manage budgets, and cultivate partnerships in philanthropy and academia while effectively communicating and presenting to diverse audiences.

• PhD In Humanities Or Social Sciences
• Management/Administrative Experience
• Fundraising From Philanthropic Foundations
• Expertise In Academic Policy And Culture
• Proficiency In Microsoft Office

• Budget Management
• Grants Management
• Relationship Cultivation
• Report Writing
• Project Management

• Interpersonal Skills
• Analytical Problem-Solving
• Creative Problem-Solving
• Collaboration
• Adaptability

• Diversity Initiatives
• Higher-Education Institutions
• Philanthropy
• ACLS
• Mellon Mays Programs

• Microsoft Office
• Microsoft Dynamics CRM