Director of Access and Engagement - College of Education, Health Human Sciences - UTK

Overview

Reporting to the Dean of the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, the Director of Access and Engagement will serve as the college's chief subject matter expert on access and engagement. The role includes developing and executing a college-wide plan to increase access and engagement for faculty, staff, and students, and leading a major university–community partnership centered on a purpose-built community in a nearby neighborhood.

The partnership will be long-term, multi-agency, and responsive to the priorities identified by residents and local organizations. The Director will serve on the dean’s leadership team and advise on work related to access and community engagement.

• Lead Community Partnership Efforts:
  Design, lead, and sustain a major university–community partnership centered on a purpose-built community in a nearby neighborhood; identify solutions to residents’ and local organizations’ priorities and involve stakeholders in selecting optimal resolutions; act as the primary liaison among the university, the community, and partnering agencies (e.g., nonprofits, schools, housing organizations, health providers); design a partnership model focused on sustainability, trust, equity, and capacity-building;
  
  ensure community members feel meaningfully connected to the university and that the partnership provides genuine benefit for residents; place student interns within the community in collaboration with partner agencies.
• Grant Writing:
  Seek and secure grant funding to support the work of the community; collaborate with faculty on research projects following engaged scholarship standards.
• Lead College-Wide Access And Engagement Plan:
  Work with faculty and staff to develop a college-wide plan including coaching and mentoring of students, staff, and/or faculty; plan engagement activities to develop a sense of belonging aimed at retaining students, staff, and/or faculty; develop large- and small-scale professional development and education programs for faculty, students, and/or staff.
• Supervise Staff And Oversee Budget:
  Manage and provide guidance for a team of three (Coordinator of Access and Engagement, Administrative Assistant, and Faculty Fellow); create and manage the office budget in accordance with state guidelines.
• College Leadership, Data Collection, and Program Evaluation:
  Participate in college and university leadership meetings, implement initiatives from these meetings, and communicate across groups as needed; collect and analyze data, prepare reports (e.g., Impact Summary, annual report, student programs); collaborate with college leaders on data gathering to produce academic and performance statistics; identify and implement program changes to align outcomes with strategic objectives.

• Education:
  
  Master’s Degree (fields may include education, public health, social work, public administration, counseling, nonprofit management, community development, or related)
• Experience:
  
  Experience supervising others; experience working effectively within diverse communities, particularly those with histories of under investment or marginalization
• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
  Knowledge of higher education access and retention; ability to work effectively within diverse communities; strong collaboration, communication, facilitation, and conflict resolution skills; commitment to equity and ethical engagement; ability to design, implement, and assess programs; strong project management skills

• Education:
  
  Doctoral Degree
• Experience:
  
  Demonstrated experience in community engagement, nonprofit leadership, community organizing, or coalition-building; experience coordinating multi-agency partnerships or cross-sector collaborations; experience working with purpose-built communities or place-based initiatives; experience with grant writing, fundraising, and resource mobilization; university-level teaching
• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
  Knowledge of housing, public health, education, or other human-services sectors; familiarity with community-engaged research, participatory methods, or evaluation frameworks

• Loca…