Department: Educ Research Programs
Salary/Grade: EXS/9

Job Summary:

The Baxter Center for Science Education at Northwestern University seeks a highly motivated, experienced, and talented individual to manage a collaborative team and direct a set of science education programs and school-university-industry partnership work in Chicago and Lake County area communities.

The Baxter Center for Science Education is a collaborative partnership between Lindblom Math & Science Academy, Round Lake Area Schools, the Office of Community Education Partnerships (OCEP) at Northwestern University, and Baxter International Foundation. The Baxter Center centers partnership work and educator professional development programs, focused on the specific needs of communities in Chicago and the greater region, to promote student success and equity in STEM education and career pathways. Through these mechanisms, the Baxter Center seeks to increase: 1) access, opportunity, engagement, and empowerment of youth in STEM-primarily youth from communities traditionally underrepresented in STEM, and 2) representation of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in STEM fields and leadership roles. The Baxter Center is looking for a Director who prioritizes equity in education and embodies the Center's values of respecting and elevating the expertise, autonomy, and challenges of educators.

The Baxter Center Director will collaboratively develop, oversee, and evaluate the Baxter Center's suite of programs, partnerships, and staff. This includes providing strategic, responsive direction and thought leadership for the Baxter Center in the short and long term; nurturing and strategically developing equitable partnerships with school, university, industry, and community partners; enhancing the Baxter Center's evaluation metrics and systems; and seeking resources to ensure the success of the Baxter Center. We especially seek a colleague with experience in strategic planning and navigating multiple organizational cultures (schools and districts, universities, corporations). Interested but not sure if this is you? Please apply! All applicants will be considered.

The initial term for this position is 1 year, contingent upon funding and performance.

Specific Responsibilities:

Administration & Strategic Planning

• Leads development and implementation of the Baxter Center's strategic plan - a comprehensive, visionary strategy designed to continually improve programs and build internal/external engagement.
• Oversees day-to-day operations of the Baxter Center and its programs and events; provides guidance and support to staff in the creation of program components.
• Operationalizes goals and objectives for the Baxter Center, ensuring that needed resources are created or obtained.
• Oversees documentation of agreements between NU and partner institutions, ensuring that agreements are complete and reviewed by all necessary NU officials.
• Participates in developing IT strategy and infrastructure to meet the mission and needs of the Baxter Center.

Budgets & Financial

• Ensures that the Baxter Center meets associated expense goals.
• Partners with Principal Investigator (PI) to plan and manage a complex budget that funds the Baxter Center's strategic mission, including financial sustainability and enhancement models.
• Oversees all financial activities including transactions, analysis, and reporting.

Communication, Outreach, & Recruitment

• Builds and maintains collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders to increase the Baxter Center's profile, reputation, visibility and support, and to continue to innovate and enhance programs.
• Creates plans to drive awareness of the Baxter Center in appropriate markets.
• Directs the Baxter Center's marketing/branding efforts.
• Oversees management of the Baxter Center website and other communications.

Evaluation

• Oversees development and implementation of evaluation processes, quantitative and qualitative measurements that ensure that program benchmarks are successfully attained and communicated in a timely and efficient manner.
• Manages evaluation processes; recommends and implements changes for enhancement; and monitors effectiveness through follow-up evaluation.
• Assesses programming and recommends changes that will innovate and invigorate programs, including cutting-edge developments in the field and changes to better meet external partners' needs in order to achieve goals.

Events & Program Development

• Oversees the ongoing development and refinement of the Baxter Center's current and future offerings, in consultation with subject matter experts and partners.
• Provides leadership for planning, scheduling, delivering, and maintaining events and programs to sustain quality instruction in all educational activity.
• Collaborates with internal/external partners to ensure that events are implemented and meet or exceed planned goals.

Grants & Contracts

• Partners with Principal Investigator (PI) to prepare grant proposals and reports.
• Partners with NU development office and PI to identify and seek program funding from diverse sources.
• Prepares results for use in grant documents and potential dissemination through presentations, technical reports, etc.

Human Resources & Supervision

• Determines and implements organizational structures to align with the Baxter Center's strategic mission.
• Manages implementation of human resource programs, policies, procedures, and talent management lifecycle and related mentoring and training.
• Oversees recruitment and selection processes, Performance Excellence plans for each employee, and merit increase processes.
• Manages and provides consultation regarding complex performance problems and issues, administers leaves, approves timesheets, and oversees completion of annual staff Conflict of Interest surveys.
• Interprets HR policy to maximize the effectiveness of HR administration to meet strategic plan objectives.
• Supervises 4 staff, providing support and defining roles and responsibilities to ensure the timely, quality completion of work.
• May supervise work study students or support staff in their supervision of students.

Regulatory Compliance

• Oversees development and implementation of processes and procedures for all safety, security, and compliance programs.
• Ensures compliance with all applicable federal, state, local, and NU laws, regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Oversees creation and/or implementation of associated training as needed.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications: (Education, experience, and any other certifications or clearances)

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree; OR appropriate combination of education and experience.
• 3-5 years of program/project administration or other relevant experience.
• Prior experience designing and leading community education programs and/or partnerships that prioritize equity and leverage the diverse expertise of school, university, industry, community, and/or other education stakeholders.
• Prior experience managing diverse teams.

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

• Strong ability to build and sustain relationships with internal and external collaborators.
• Commitment to taking an asset-based approach with all collaborators.
• Ability to think and act strategically and tactically, and manage multiple programs and priorities, in a fast-paced work environment.
• Commitment to and skill in collaborative vision-setting and consensus-building.
• Ability to manage team dynamics and work as an effective team member as well as independently.
• Excellent written and oral communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to adapt quickly to new situations and improvise solutions to new challenges.
• Willingness to travel locally using personal transportation.

Preferred Qualifications: (Education and experience)

• Prior experience in program evaluation and communicating impact to diverse audiences.
• Prior K-12 classroom or other relevant teaching experience, and/or experience developing and facilitating professional learning with educators.
• Prior experience developing and managing grants.

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Familiarity with corporate partnerships and corporate engagement in universities.
• Knowledge of best practices for education outreach.
• Knowledge of the Next Generation Science Standards and current curricular and pedagogical efforts in science education.
• Spanish language proficiency.

Target hiring range for this position will be between $85,000-$100,000 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Benefits:
At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more! Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern strongly recommends COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters for people who can obtain them as a critical tool for minimizing severe illness. More information can be found on the COVID-19 and Campus Updates webpage.

The Northwestern campus sits on the traditional homelands of the people of the Council of Three Fires, the Ojibwe, Potawatomi, and Odawa as well as the Menominee, Miami and Ho-Chunk nations. We acknowledge and honor the original people of the land upon which Northwestern University stands, and the Native people who remain on this land today.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Click for information on EEO is the Law.

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