Assistant Director, International Educational Studies Center

Mission:

At VCU, we Make it Real through learning, research, creativity, service and discovery - the hallmarks of the VCU experience. A premier, urban, public research university nationally recognized as one of the best employers for diversity, VCU is a great place to work. It’s a place of opportunity, where your success is supported and your career can thrive. VCU offers employees a generous leave package, career paths for advancement, competitive pay, and an opportunity to do mission-driven work. The VCU School of Education's Human Resources (SOEHR) Department is committed to creating a positive, diverse and inclusive environment for faculty, staff and students.

Summary:

VCU’s School of Education (SOE) seeks an Assistant Director for the International Educational Studies Center (IESC) with strong organizational and administrative skills, strong interpersonal and communication skills, and a strong practice of inclusive excellence who embraces diversity, equity and inclusion and will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. At VCU, we believe different perspectives and expertise enhance possibilities and solutions. This philosophy drives our recruitment process, so we welcome applicants with diverse experiences and backgrounds, who will contribute to an already diverse community of faculty, staff, and students.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assist the Director in the development and implementation of the strategic plan.
• Strategize and prioritize the center’s long-term goals with short-term objectives that align with the SOE strategic planning.
• Assume Director’s responsibilities when the director is not available.
• Develop and manage international partnership programs that are academically and culturally focused leading to long-term goals of the center, SOE, and university.
• Collaborate with SOE faculty, GEO staff, and other VCU units to develop study abroad, study away, as well as student programming for SOE students to learn in the global context.
• Outreach and regularly communicate to international partners, students, and communities.
• Collect and analyze data as it pertains to partner exchange programs and international academic initiatives.
• Develop and implement strategic international partner visit schedules and meetings, including co-sponsored conferences.
• Support the SOE faculty and students in developing educational exchange programs in collaboration with international partners.
• Develop and maintain a database for SOE international initiatives including SOE international partnerships, international research/teaching projects, international alumni, visiting scholars, current international students, etc.
• Develop reports for the center and regularly update SOE faculty and students with policies for supporting international students and scholars.
• Develop and/or identify measures for documenting impacts of international projects.
• Collaborate with GEO and SOE faculty in supporting visiting scholars in the identified areas of focus.
• Supervise center Graduate Assistant and international student workers on center related projects and activities.
• Other duties as assigned.

Typical duties:

The IESC Assistant Director is responsible for strategic planning, innovative problem solving, and assisting the director of IESC in developing and implementing creative strategies for prioritizing the center’s mission to carry out SOE international initiatives that align with the university quest. To meet the goals of developing innovative and effective international partnerships, recruiting and supporting international students and scholars with new talents and strategies, and expanding and strengthening our connection with the world through increased visibility with our nationally recognized academic and cultural resources, we need a strategic leader. We are recruiting a leader who has a vision for the future of our school and university in the global context, who is equipped with reflective and constructive skills in promoting the diverse cultures through Education Beyond Borders, and who has established proactive approaches to program development and implementation to ensure mutual successes of all partners.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
• Established leadership skills in strategic planning and critical thinking
• Skills in taking initiatives in carrying out established goals and objectives
• Strong dispositions and work ethics in all aspects
• Demonstrated experiences and practices in fostering and advancing a diverse, inclusive and equitable work environment and team particularly for those from historically marginalized and underrepresented minority populations
• Strong professional knowledge and skills in international collaboration and partnerships
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to summarize and synthesize data to inform multiple stakeholders
• Strong organizational skills with proven ability to multitask and direct multiple on-going projects in a fast-paced environment
• Strong teamwork skills in collaborating with international partners as well as university units and SOE faculty and students
• Strong and creative problem-solving skills in assisting students and faculty in advancing the unit’s mission
• Availability to work an occasional evening and/or weekend
• Ability and willingness to travel occasionally

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s or terminal degree
• Education background in international education, intercultural education, or related fields
• Experience in strategic planning development and implementation
• Experience in developing internationalized and globally focused post-secondary curriculum
• Intercultural and global competence assessment expertise
• Experience in managing academic and/or cultural programs
• Experience in developing and leading study abroad programs outside of the U.S.
• Event planning experience
• Bilingual/Multilingual with proficient verbal and written communication skills

Required: Cover Letter, Resume, and Diversity Statement