Associate Director for Latin American & Caribbean Partnerships

Position Overview

Penn State Global seeks an Associate Director for Latin American & Caribbean (LAC) Partnerships to join our Global Partnerships team. The Associate Director serves as the point person to coordinate and promote engagement of Penn State faculty, staff, and students with existing and potential partners in LAC. Duties focus on utilizing existing collaboration processes within Penn State as well as creating new collaborative initiatives.

Efforts should be grounded in Penn State Global's Strategic Plan. The position plays a key role in support of the University’s foundation of global engagement through efforts to establish a global network of partnerships that enables the University to pursue its mission worldwide.

• Manage and grow existing relationships with institutional-level partners in the LAC region
• Serve as lead contact for faculty and staff interested in engagement with existing and potential institutional partners in LAC
• Spur collaboration in teaching, research, and service that support partnership development in LAC through networking, workshops, grant identification, and other activities
• Function as liaison and conduit for requests and ideas between the institutional partner and the Penn State community
• Promote and facilitate joint research and education programs with LAC partners and Penn State counterparts
• Establish and conduct regular communications with partner institutions
• Work with counterparts at regional partners to conduct events such as workshops, webinars, and meetings at Penn State, at the partner‑institution or at third‑party locations
• Coordinate logistical and administrative support for partner representatives visiting Penn State
• Maintain records of partnership activities and expenditures and prepare reports for internal or external audiences
• Coordinate with the marketing and communications departments on news items such as partnership updates, events, achievements, and other stories of interest
• Provide written and visual content for websites, text reports, and other media

Some after‑hours or weekend work may be necessary to fulfill these functions. Occasional U.S. domestic and international travel is required and presupposes experience traveling in the LAC region. Penn State Global values a diversity of perspectives and backgrounds as an essential component of our being relevant in a globally connected environment. Our goal is a collaborative, respectful, and mutually supportive workplace.

Applicants must have high levels of interpersonal skills such as written and verbal communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking. They must be digitally literate, including the use of personal software, management of remote meetings, and data visualization tools. They must have a fundamental knowledge of international higher education. In addition to proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, experience working with database software is advantageous.

• Master’s degree in a relevant field and four or more years of relevant experience
• Knowledge of Latin America and Caribbean higher education systems
• Familiarity with one or more of the regional higher education systems
• Working experience in international education or international research in LAC or with LAC institutions
• Advanced project management experience
• Spent a significant time in Latin America and the Caribbean for education or work
• Regional language skill such as Spanish and/or Portuguese

Successful candidates will thrive in an international, intercultural, and diverse environment. Applicants should be familiar with Penn State’s vision of global citizenship that involves using global and intercultural skills to enhance the well‑being of the overall community. The position involves engaging with partners at University Park, other Penn State campuses, and across widespread areas and time zones. Therefore, partial remote work options and flexible work schedules will be considered.

Bachelor’s Degree; 3+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. No…