Institutional Innovation Program Director

Job Description

Advancing the goals of the University and Institutional Research, Innovation, and Strategy (IRIS), the Institutional Innovation Program Director (IIPD) serves the campus community and Notre Dame's mission by empowering cross-functional teams to assess complex problems, design practical solutions, and implement them at scale across the institution.

How The Work Gets Done

Institutional Innovation engagements are built around a core Assess-Design-Implement model, bookended by a scoping pre-phase that sets the work up for success and a transition into a sustainable solution.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead complex, cross-functional engagements from scoping through sustainable implementation, often serving as the primary point of contact for senior campus partners and executive sponsors
• Lead stakeholder interviews, workshops, and design sessions that surface root causes, generate options, and build consensus around solutions
• Conduct rigorous analysis — including internal/external benchmarking, process mapping, and data synthesis — to inform recommendations
• Develop clear deliverables (assessment reports, business cases, implementation plans, and communications materials) tailored to diverse audiences
• Apply change management principles to build buy-in, mitigate resistance, and sustain adoption of new processes, structures, or systems
• Coach and mentor project team members and campus partners in problem-solving, facilitation, and process improvement methods
• Contribute to the continued development of Institutional Innovation's methods, tools, and team capabilities

Working Relationships

The Program Director reports to the Executive Director of Institutional Innovation & Institutional Strategy and works alongside other Institutional Innovation Program Directors as part of a collaborative team. The role regularly partners with executive officers, deans, vice presidents, and staff and faculty leaders across Notre Dame's colleges, schools, and divisions, and coordinates closely with the other teams within Institutional Research, Innovation, and Strategy — Institutional Research and Institutional Strategy — to ensure aligned, mission-driven support for the University.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelors Degree required plus 5-6 years of experience
• Masters Degree preferred
• Leadership & Change Management: Strategic thinker who enjoys solving complex, ambiguous problems
• Proven ability to lead and influence teams, drive change, and guide colleagues across a variety of levels
• Demonstrated commitment to advancing excellence and driving improvement, with a genuine willingness to embrace and drive change
• Project Management & Problem Solving: Strong project management, analytical, and decision-making skills, including comfort with analytical reports and numerical analysis
• Strong facilitation skills, with the ability to guide diverse groups toward shared solutions
• Ability to improve processes and steward University resources thoughtfully while elevating service quality
• Quick learner, able to absorb and apply new knowledge efficiently
• Communication & Relationship Building: Outstanding oral and written communication skills, adaptable to audiences across all levels and areas of the organization
• Strong interpersonal skills and a collaborative, team-first approach, including sound judgment in complex situations and flexibility to contribute wherever needed
• University & Constituent Focus: A constituent- and University-oriented focus
• Genuine interest in, and growing knowledge of, the University's academic and administrative functions

Additional Information

Application Deadline to Apply: August 2, 2026
Hiring Pay Range: Commensurate with experience