Executive Director, Program for Leadership and Character in the College
Executive Director, Program for Leadership and Character in the College
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Job Description
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Job Description Summary
The Program for Leadership and Character at Wake Forest University seeks a highlevel leader to be Executive Director of Leadership and Character in the College. This strategically minded senior leader will help lead an innovative dynamic and valuesdriven program that inspires educates and empowers leaders of character to serve humanity and is at the forefront of a national movement to educate character in U.S. colleges and universities. The Executive Director will serve as a member of the senior leadership team and work closely with the Senior Executive Director to develop and oversee the Programs strategic plan manage key Program staff and initiatives in the undergraduate College and steward the Programs resources and opportunities to advance its core mission integrate key functions across the team and extend its impact at Wake Forest and across higher education. The Executive Director will develop a strategic vision for advancing the Programs mission especially in the undergraduate College; hire and manage key staff; oversee special projects and ensure successful completion of core initiatives; build and sustain a culture of creative collaboration among the team; communicate the Programs values vision and initiatives to a variety of audiences; and direct important aspects of program development management and communication. The ideal candidate will have a capacity for strategic thinking; a passion for management practices that support staff development; a commitment to fostering collaborative teams and encouraging organizational improvement; and an ability to communicate complexity with clarity and care. The ideal candidate will be also purposedriven with a genuine enthusiasm for the mission of the Program and a desire to make a positive impact at Wake Forest and in higher education. They will be caring reliable humble diligent and detailoriented with the capacity to exercise wise judgment write clearly and persuasively and build meaningful relationships and collaborative cultures. Familiarity with higher education is required.Wake Forest University is a private coeducational institution dedicated to academic excellence in liberal arts graduate and professional education. Located in WinstonSalem NC (The City of Arts and Innovation) the University has a deep institutional commitment to public service and engagement with the world as indicated by the motto Pro Humanitate (for humanity) which encourages students to develop the qualities of human character needed to serve humanity. With the aim to educate the whole person the University has established an innovative Program for Leadership and Character that designs creative liberal artsbased programming to help students develop the virtues of character needed to lead in an increasingly complex world. The Program is based on cuttingedge academic research on leadership and character including research conducted by Wake Forest faculty who are leading experts on the study of character. The Program has received major gifts from individual donors and grants from major foundations to develop leaders of character at Wake Forest and beyond including through the Educating Character Initiative a national effort funded by $43 million from the Lilly Endowment to support other colleges and universities who wish to educate character in their contexts. The Program is increasingly seen as a national and international leader on issues of character in higher education.
Please submit 1) a cover letter explaining your interest in the position your experience managing staff and/or building organizational cultures and your commitment to leadership and character; 2) a rsum or curriculum vitae; and 3) contact information for three professional references (at least one of whom must be a current or former supervisor). If you wish you may also submit 4) an (optional) link to a shared folder with relevant supplemental materials (such as a writing sample program description syllabus past strategic plan video recording etc.). The position will remain open until it is filled but applications received by June 1 2025 will receive priority consideration. This position will be inperson at Wake Forests campus in WinstonSalem NC.
Job Description
Essential Functions:
- Provides highlevel strategic leadership including working with the senior leadership team to develop and implement a strategic plan; identifying clarifying and achieving strategic goals; and empowering team members to accomplish these goals.
- Leads strategic initiatives and projects and provides program oversight in collaboration and consultation with relevant staff especially in the College.
- Works with the senior leadership team to integrate the Programs intellectual vision and strategic functions across the Programs three teams in the College Professional Schools and Educating Character Initiative.
- Manages key Program staff including the Director of Communications; Director of Programming in the College; Director of Leadership and Character in Academic Civic and Religious Life; Senior Research Scholar in the College; and Executive Assistant.
- Builds and sustains a culture of collaboration creativity and support among the team and with relevant partners.
- Works with staff to plan effective and constructive team meetings retreats and workshops and to provide professional development opportunities that strengthen the team and support individual growth.
- Works with the senior leadership team and the Senior Director of Program Administration to develop budgets and spending plans that maintain alignment between the Programs expenditures and its strategic goals.
- Assists with grantwriting and fundraising to support the Programs mission.
- Drafts and/or edits strategic communications including annual reports newsletters speeches and other highlevel internal and external communications.
- Develops coordinates and sustains strategic internal and external partnerships that advance the goals of leadership and character education at Wake Forest and beyond.
- Serves as an ambassador for the Program including meeting with highlevel campus leaders and partners and representing the Program at relevant conferences meetings and events.
- Advises the Senior Executive Director on important decisions.
- Collaborates with the research team and senior leadership team to support iterative program evaluation to ensure the Program meets key goals continuously improves and is accountable to funders partners and stakeholders.
- Performs other duties as needed.
Required Education Knowledge Skills Abilities:
- Masters degree in a relevant field and/or the equivalent level of experience managing teams programs or strategic initiatives especially in a higher education or nonprofit setting.
- Highlevel capacity for strategic leadership and experience developing implementing and assessing a strategic plan.
- Extensive experience managing and mentoring staff and helping teams to develop collaborative cultures and practices that support individual growth and organizational flourishing.
- Excellent writing and communication skills in all formats: emails public presentations grant reports memos oneonone meetings etc.
- Excellent organizational and interpersonal skills.
- Detailoriented with the ability to develop coordinate and execute careful comprehensive and complex plans.
- An ability to effectively manage multiple priorities programs and projects at once.
- A deep commitment to supporting the professional and personal development of staff.
- Genuine enthusiasm for the mission of the Program for Leadership and Character and a willingness to learn more about leadership and character development.
- Good character a strong work ethic and high emotional and relational intelligence.
- Familiarity with best practices in leadership and organizational management.
- Demonstrated ability to:
- Work independently with minimal supervision.
- Think strategically and make thoughtful compassionate and courageous decisions.
- Solve problems creatively.
- Set priorities and effectively manage time and resources.
- Be a constructive compassionate and cooperative leader of a team.
- Navigate complex relational dynamics with a variety of stakeholders.
- Positively influences colleagues and develop collaborative relationships with a wide range of people.
- Manage conflict in healthy and constructive ways.
- Openness to feedback and a commitment to personal and professional growth.
- Ability to represent the Program and the University in a professional manner.
- Ability to travel and work occasional weekend or evening hours as needed.
Preferred Education Knowledge Skills Abilities:
- Ph.D. J.D. M.B.A. or terminal degree in your field.
- Knowledge of character and character education.
- Advanced study in organizational leadership or management.
- Certification or training in project and/or staff management.
Accountabilities:
- Reports to the Senior Executive Director of the Program for Leadership and Character.
- Responsible for own work.
- Supervisory responsibilities.
Physical Requirements:
- Sedentary work primarily involves sitting/standing; communicating with others to exchange information; repeating motions that may include the wrists hands and/or fingers; and assessing the accuracy neatness and thoroughness of the work assigned.
Environmental Conditions:
- No environmental conditions.
Additional Job Description
Time Type Requirement
Full timeNote to Applicant:
This position profile identifies the key responsibilities and expectations for performance. It cannot encompass all specific job tasks that an employee may be required to perform. Employees are required to follow any other jobrelated instructions and perform jobrelated duties as may be reasonably assigned by his/her supervisor.
In order to provide a safe and productive learning and living community Wake Forest University conducts background investigations and drug screens for all final staff candidates being considered for employment.
Equal Opportunity Statement
The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all qualified candidates to apply without regard to race color religion national origin sex age sexual orientation gender identity and expression genetic information disability and military or veteran status.
Accommodations for Applicants
If you are an individual with a disability and need an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process please contact or (336).
Required Experience:
Director
Employment Type
Full-Time
