What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Access and Engagement - College of Education, Health, & Human Sciences - UTK position at University of Tennessee, Knoxville?
Job Description
The Director will lead the development and implementation of strategies, initiatives, and protocols that support the college’s goal to enhance access, engagement, and retention for all CEHHS faculty, staff, and students. Collaborating closely with departments, offices, and units across the college, this position will integrate access and engagement plans tailored to their specific programs. The Director will be a key member of the college’s leadership and will participate in all leadership bodies, including, but not limited to, the CEHHS Administrative Council and College Leadership Team. Working together on data gathering efforts, they will develop academic and performance statistics for the university that are accurate, relevant, and measure the effectiveness and efficiency of the programs and services offered through the Access and Engagement work.
Additionally, the Director will work in partnership with the Office of Community Engagement and Partnerships (OCEP) to align internal efforts with community engagement initiatives on and off campus. Part of the role will help build and maintain strategic relationships with community partners and identify opportunities for collaboration.
This position supervises a team of four, including a faculty fellow, a coordinator, and an administrative associate. The Director will provide leadership to ensure the team’s activities align with the mission of the office, the college’s vision for access and engagement, and the University of Tennessee’s Land Grant Mission.
Lastly, this role will require flexibility as it may involve working evenings, weekends, and occasional overnight travel.
Responsibilities
Lead College-Wide Access and Engagement Plan:
Required Qualifications
Preferred Qualifications
To express interest, please submit an application with the noted below attachments. To be assured of full consideration, completed applications with all requested materials should be submitted.
CEHHS consists of seven departments: Counseling, Human Development and Family Science; Educational Leadership and Policy Studies; Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sports Studies; Nutrition; Public Health; Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Management; and Theory and Practice in Teacher Education. The college has approximately 3,100 undergraduate majors, and approximately 900 graduate students. CEHHS offers undergraduate and graduate programs that prepare future educators, health professionals, and service industry leaders to enhance the quality of life for others. We also provide numerous community-based collaborations and initiatives that help to empower people locally and all over the world.
The vision of CEHHS emphasizes the college’s role within a flagship, land-grant, Research 1 institution. The focus of this vision is on quality and impact in all we do. The College offers outstanding programs that position graduates for the workforce and citizenry. The faculty research focuses on making a difference in education, health, and the service industry. The College also has a mission to make a direct positive impact on the local and regional community through partnerships and service. CEHHS’ growth is aligned with UT’s and the last two years have seen the college achieve record enrollment, student retention rates, and research expenditures.
About Us
Additional Information on all postings provided by UTK
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has shaped leaders, changemakers, and innovative thinkers since its founding in 1794. The university is home to more than 38,000 students and 10,000 statewide employees—the Volunteers—who uphold the university’s tradition of lighting the way for others through leadership and service.
UT Knoxville offers over 900 programs of study across 14 degree-granting colleges and schools. As Tennessee’s flagship land-grant university, its footprint spans the entire state. The university holds the highest Carnegie classification for research activity and has deep partnerships with industry leaders and the US Department of Energy’s largest multidisciplinary laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
The Knoxville campus serves and recruits for UT Knoxville, including the Institute of Agriculture and the Space Institute, as well as the UT Institute of Public Service.
UT Knoxville considers its employees its number one asset. With values that focus on work-life balance, compensation, and innovation leadership, all Vols are supported to advance professionally. Employees have access to career development and coaching, continued education, and an extensive list of development and training possibilities. The Volunteer employee experience implements structures and practices to attract and retain top-tier talent, fostering a strong staff community and supporting a culture of involvement and engagement for everyone.
The university holds a strong commitment to its land-grant mission of learning and engagement, with a tradition of service and leadership that carries that Volunteer spirit throughout the state and around the world. It has been ranked nationally as “Best Employer for New Graduates,” “One of America’s Best Large Employers,” and “Best Workplace for Women,” and has been designated as “Best Place for Working Parents” by Forbes Magazine.
Apply today and join the Tennessee Volunteer community!
The Director will lead the development and implementation of strategies, initiatives, and protocols that support the college’s goal to enhance access, engagement, and retention for all CEHHS faculty, staff, and students. Collaborating closely with departments, offices, and units across the college, this position will integrate access and engagement plans tailored to their specific programs. The Director will be a key member of the college’s leadership and will participate in all leadership bodies, including, but not limited to, the CEHHS Administrative Council and College Leadership Team. Working together on data gathering efforts, they will develop academic and performance statistics for the university that are accurate, relevant, and measure the effectiveness and efficiency of the programs and services offered through the Access and Engagement work.
Additionally, the Director will work in partnership with the Office of Community Engagement and Partnerships (OCEP) to align internal efforts with community engagement initiatives on and off campus. Part of the role will help build and maintain strategic relationships with community partners and identify opportunities for collaboration.
This position supervises a team of four, including a faculty fellow, a coordinator, and an administrative associate. The Director will provide leadership to ensure the team’s activities align with the mission of the office, the college’s vision for access and engagement, and the University of Tennessee’s Land Grant Mission.
Lastly, this role will require flexibility as it may involve working evenings, weekends, and occasional overnight travel.
Responsibilities
Lead College-Wide Access and Engagement Plan:
- Work with the dean to develop and implement a new plan for access and engagement within CEHHS. The plan may include promoting a welcoming culture for all in CEHHS, focused on the needs of students, faculty, staff, and other constituent groups.
- Provide quality mentoring and assist in coordinating support services to students in need, as well as developing coaching and mentoring programs for faculty and staff.
- Support the college's retention and education programs for all members of the college community and create large and small-scale programming focused on professional and interpersonal skill development.
- Lead proactive organizational development interventions; oversee and expand pre-collegiate programs and support other initiatives that extend from the new vision developed for the office.
- Direct a staff of 3, including the Coordinator, Administrative Assistant, and Faculty Fellow.
- Create and manage the office budget to comply with CEHHS and state guidelines.
- Attend university and college-level meetings that support the work of Access and Engagement.
- Implement initiatives extending from these meetings and communicate across groups, as needed.
- Assist OCEP in connecting the internal work of the college with community partnerships
- Assist faculty, staff, and student professional development programs to ensure that they can work effectively with a variety of communities and community members.
- Survey, analyze, and interpret feedback information, and prepare and submit reports (e.g., Impact Summary, annual report, student programs).
- Collaborate with other college leaders on data gathering efforts to develop academic and performance statistics for the university that are accurate, relevant, and measure the effectiveness and efficiency of the programs and services offered through the Access and Engagement work.
Required Qualifications
- Education: Master’s Degree (Related to the access and engagement field)
- Experience:
- Leadership experience and service that demonstrates integrity, accountability, and ability to lead, develop, and execute plans to achieve goals.
- Minimum of two years of experience supervising staff.
- Experience delivering professional development.
- Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
- Deep content knowledge and expertise in topics related to access and engagement in higher education.
- Able to lead, develop, and execute plans to achieve goals with integrity and accountability.
- Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills.
- Able to deliver professional development.
- Knowledge of budget and fiscal management.
- Team player mindset.
Preferred Qualifications
- Education: Doctoral Degree (Related to the access and engagement field)
- Experience:
- A terminal degree in a related field from an accredited institution of higher education.
- Community outreach
- Work with faculty on curricular initiatives.
- Recruitment and retention efforts of faculty, staff, and students.
- Fundraising
- Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
- Conflict resolution
- Difficult dialogue skills
- Research skills
- Evaluation skills
- Location: Knoxville, TN
- Onsite
- UT market range: MR14
- Anticipated hiring range: The salary is competitive and commensurate with credentials and experience.
- Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here
- Find more information on UT Benefits here
To express interest, please submit an application with the noted below attachments. To be assured of full consideration, completed applications with all requested materials should be submitted.
- Resume
- Cover Letter
- List of 3 Professional References
CEHHS consists of seven departments: Counseling, Human Development and Family Science; Educational Leadership and Policy Studies; Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sports Studies; Nutrition; Public Health; Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Management; and Theory and Practice in Teacher Education. The college has approximately 3,100 undergraduate majors, and approximately 900 graduate students. CEHHS offers undergraduate and graduate programs that prepare future educators, health professionals, and service industry leaders to enhance the quality of life for others. We also provide numerous community-based collaborations and initiatives that help to empower people locally and all over the world.
The vision of CEHHS emphasizes the college’s role within a flagship, land-grant, Research 1 institution. The focus of this vision is on quality and impact in all we do. The College offers outstanding programs that position graduates for the workforce and citizenry. The faculty research focuses on making a difference in education, health, and the service industry. The College also has a mission to make a direct positive impact on the local and regional community through partnerships and service. CEHHS’ growth is aligned with UT’s and the last two years have seen the college achieve record enrollment, student retention rates, and research expenditures.
About Us
Additional Information on all postings provided by UTK
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has shaped leaders, changemakers, and innovative thinkers since its founding in 1794. The university is home to more than 38,000 students and 10,000 statewide employees—the Volunteers—who uphold the university’s tradition of lighting the way for others through leadership and service.
UT Knoxville offers over 900 programs of study across 14 degree-granting colleges and schools. As Tennessee’s flagship land-grant university, its footprint spans the entire state. The university holds the highest Carnegie classification for research activity and has deep partnerships with industry leaders and the US Department of Energy’s largest multidisciplinary laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
The Knoxville campus serves and recruits for UT Knoxville, including the Institute of Agriculture and the Space Institute, as well as the UT Institute of Public Service.
UT Knoxville considers its employees its number one asset. With values that focus on work-life balance, compensation, and innovation leadership, all Vols are supported to advance professionally. Employees have access to career development and coaching, continued education, and an extensive list of development and training possibilities. The Volunteer employee experience implements structures and practices to attract and retain top-tier talent, fostering a strong staff community and supporting a culture of involvement and engagement for everyone.
The university holds a strong commitment to its land-grant mission of learning and engagement, with a tradition of service and leadership that carries that Volunteer spirit throughout the state and around the world. It has been ranked nationally as “Best Employer for New Graduates,” “One of America’s Best Large Employers,” and “Best Workplace for Women,” and has been designated as “Best Place for Working Parents” by Forbes Magazine.
Apply today and join the Tennessee Volunteer community!