Associate Director

About the role

The Associate Director, under general direction, assists the Director in all aspects of the National Security Leadership Program's operations and maintains responsibility for major functional areas of the program. Provides leadership in strategic planning, budget oversight, program administration, stakeholder engagement, compliance, and operational effectiveness to support program goals and University objectives. This position is funded from grant and/or contract funding, which is renewed through provisions of the grantor of the contract. Therefore, this position is contingent upon continuation of funding from these grants and/or contracts, as well as satisfactory job performance.

Responsibilities

• Leadership and Strategic Planning (40%): Leads strategic planning efforts for assigned functional areas and assists the Director in developing and implementing program-wide strategic initiatives; serves as a member of the program leadership team and provides recommendations regarding strategic priorities, opportunities, and operational improvements; establishes performance goals, measures, and outcomes to evaluate the effectiveness and success of program activities; oversees coordination and implementation of program initiatives, ensuring alignment with departmental, school, and University missions; identifies emerging trends, opportunities, and challenges relevant to national security leadership and develops recommendations to support program objectives; leads special projects and initiatives as assigned by the Director.
• Budget and Financial Oversight (20%): Responsible for budget preparation, monitoring, and expense control for assigned program areas; assists the Director with budget planning, forecasting, and resource allocation decisions; develops financial and operational reports, analyses, and assessments to support strategic decision-making; monitors program expenditures and ensure appropriate stewardship of available resources; assists with funding opportunities, proposal development, and program sustainability efforts as needed.
• Program Operations and Stakeholder Relations (20%): Facilitates relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including governmental, academic, industry, and community partners; coordinates communication and collaboration efforts among program participants, faculty, staff, and external partners; supports outreach and engagement activities that advance program goals and visibility; represents the Director and program interests in meetings and collaborative initiatives as delegated; coordinates with University stakeholders regarding issues impacting program initiatives and partnerships.
• Staff Supervision and Policy Implementation (10%): Assists in developing, implementing, and maintaining operational policies and procedures; supervises professional staff, support personnel, student employees, and/or project teams as assigned; provides leadership, guidance, coaching, and performance management for assigned personnel; coordinates activities and resources to support efficient and effective program operations.
• Compliance and Reporting (10%): Ensures compliance with University, System, state, federal, sponsor, and program requirements; develops and maintains reports related to program operations, activities, and outcomes; serves on University, division, departmental, and external committees as assigned; represents the program and department with university constituents, governmental agencies, professional associations, and external partners.

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience: Eight years of related experience.
• Licenses and Certifications: None required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in business, public administration, public policy, project management, national security studies, or a related field.
• Experience leading strategic initiatives or complex programs.
• Experience managing budgets and operational resources.
• Experience working with governmental, higher education, or external stakeholder partnerships.

Skills

• Ability to multitask and work cooperatively with others.
• Knowledge of word