Jun 24, 2019
Full time
Description The Faculty Development Program Officer has direct responsibility for administering and managing multiple grant-funded non-scholarship programs in the Research, Evaluation, and Faculty Development Department including, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Faculty Career Enhancement Program, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Master’s Fellowship Program, the Nyswander and Blanchard Faculty Fellowship Programs, the Mellon Building Sustainability Grant Faculty Fellowship, and Delta Gamma. In addition, the Faculty Development Program Officer will coordinate pathways for dissemination of TCU faculty research including the supervision of the annual Tribal College & University Research Journal, coordination of the annual TCU Faculty Research Convening and Intensive Writing Retreat, and administering the Faculty Professional Development grants and supervising the administration of the Andrew W. Mellon Graduate Hours Program. Finally, the Faculty Development officer will develop and lead processes to engage Tribal College faculty to assist the College Fund in our capacity to develop additional opportunities for TCU faculty including the establishment of a first-ever Tribal College and University Faculty Advisory Group.
The continued growth and development of tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) create a need for support in areas other than student scholarships. These areas most often include building infrastructure and intellectual capital within the TCUs. In line with the College Fund’s Mission, this position provides for the administration of faculty fellowship programs that support increasing the institutional capacity of TCUs.
The very nature of this position requires a strong belief in and support for education in Native communities and an in-depth understanding of the role faculty at Tribal Colleges and Universities hold in this arena. In order to recruit, administer, and provide ongoing support for TCU faculty programs, the incumbent must assist candidates and subsequently the recipients of the various awards. This often includes helping the potential candidates understand the importance of completing the fellowship requirements within the term of the fellowship and understanding the time commitment involved so that the leaders of the participating TCU may grant appropriate release time to the recipient. The incumbent must provide support and assistance (where appropriate) to the fellowship recipients during those times when completion of the program’s requirements is challenging. An individual, who has excellent program management skills, exceptional relationship development and maintenance skills, is familiar with the multiple responsibilities faculty hold at institutions of higher education, and is also cognizant of and has engaged in academic research and the demands of writing and completing a Ph.D. dissertation or other graduate degrees can best achieve this. Familiarity of TCUs and the American Indian communities they serve is helpful.
This position also requires a high level of interpersonal contacts with a variety of program stakeholders. The incumbent will develop and foster relationships with their team; members of the College Fund; administration and staff of the TCUs; past, present and potential future fellows; and donors.
Essential Job Functions 1. Ensures that each faculty fellowship program has a sufficient pool of qualified applicants to support a competitive award process.
a. Identify, contact and recruit qualified applicants for all faculty fellowships; b. Ensure applications submitted are complete, meet the program requirements and are ready for review by the published due dates; c. Manage all aspects of the fellowship selection process, including follow-up communication with all awardees and candidates who have applied.
2. Develops and implements activities necessary to achieve programs’ objectives.
a. Provides ongoing support to fellows and TCUs in order that fellowship objectives are successfully met; b. Organizes annual meetings to orient fellows to program objectives, facilitate progress in the writing of dissertations or theses, and develop knowledge of research methodologies and issues facing TCUs; c. Monitors and manages programs’ budgets and ensures programs’ objectives are met within budget constraints; d. Disburses fellowship payments so as to maximally support fellows and reward progress; e. Develops and manages timelines to meet established programs’ objectives, assuring that milestones are reached, and reporting is on time; f. Creates comprehensive and timely reports for donors that demonstrate outcomes and the impact of grants; g. Assures program documentation is organized, timely, accurate, and accessible to all who may need it, including the fundraising, accounting, and management teams; h. Identifies mentors, expert consultants, and external evaluators to support fellows and provide program assessment; i. Develops contracts needed to meet programs’ objectives; j. Manages relationships with all individuals and organizations related to designated grant programs.
3. Monitors progress throughout the programs’ processes and, if necessary, recommends and implements appropriate corrective actions.
a. Continually seeks feedback from Fellows, TCU administration, and external program evaluators (for programs that require an external evaluator); b. Disseminates information about program administration and progress for fundraising and public education purposes; c. Documents and communicates program achievements and challenges; d. Intervenes when needed to keep fellows on track to completion of requirements.
4. Assists in the development of future and ongoing program grants based on the needs of the College Fund, the tribal colleges and the objectives of the donors.
5. Coordinates annual avenues for TCU Faculty research dissemination including the publication of the Tribal College & University Research Journal, the Annual TCU Faculty Research Convening, the annual Intensive Writing Retreat, and administering Faculty Professional Development grants.
Job Requirements Competencies • Knowledge of doctoral or other graduate degree attainment processes; • Experience with grant writing and reporting; • Program evaluation; • Incumbent must be able to work independently to design, plan and implement activities associated with grants received; • Excellent computer and internet research skills; • Demonstrated experience with grant budget management and timelines; • Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail; • Demonstrated writing skills; • Good presentation and interpersonal communication skills; • Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain positive professional relationships with various constituents related to programs; • Familiarity with tribal colleges and American Indian culture, education and communities; • Knowledge of various research methodologies and process for publishing research findings • Be cognizant of Journal writing formats and publishing processes • Coordination and scheduling of research-oriented activities/events
Qualifications • Doctorate degree (ABD accepted) • 2 years of experience with grant budget management and timelines • Experience working as a faculty member at an institution of higher education • Experience with academic research and dissemination (publication and presentation) processes • Solid understanding of either qualitative or quantitative methodologies • Experience in higher education working with faculty members, or • Master’s degree considered with 5 years of experience with grant budget management and timelines, and experience in higher education working with faculty members and teaching experience
Work Environment and Physical Activities • Professional office environment • Ability to lift twenty pounds • Ability to work under tight deadlines and on multiple projects simultaneously, with minimum supervision • Travel will be necessary to tribal colleges, events, conferences, etc.
Note: The intent is not to provide an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with this position. Incumbent may perform other duties as assigned.