Curriculum & Program Manager, Civil Discourse Lab

Position Summary

Dialogue Vanderbilt is a university-wide initiative dedicated to advancing civil discourse, pluralism, and open dialogue on campus and beyond. Through student-led programming, events, partnerships, and national convenings, Dialogue Vanderbilt is shaping a model for how communities can engage across differences with curiosity, courage, and respect.

The Civil Discourse Lab is Dialogue Vanderbilt’s hub for workshop-based learning, equipping students, faculty, staff, and community members with the skills and frameworks to engage in productive, respectful dialogue across difference. The Lab develops and delivers evidence-informed workshops and curriculum, trains student facilitators, and proactively partners with campus constituencies to embed civil discourse practice across Vanderbilt.

The Civil Discourse Curriculum and Program Manager is responsible for the design, development, delivery, and continuous improvement of all Civil Discourse Lab workshops and curriculum. Working in close collaboration with faculty advisors, student facilitators, and the Dialogue Vanderbilt team, this role drives the intellectual and programmatic core of the Lab. The Program Manager develops rigorous curriculum and facilitation guides, leads training for student facilitators, proactively markets workshops across campus, and tracks outcomes to ensure programming is achieving its intended impact.

This is an ideal role for a professional with a background in curriculum development, instructional design, or higher education programming who is passionate about civil discourse, pedagogy, and building the capacity of others to facilitate meaningful dialogue. Reporting to the Executive Director and collaborating closely with the Sr. Marketing Manager and Sr. Manager of Student Programs, the Curriculum and Program Manager will play a central role in establishing the Civil Discourse Lab as a premier campus resource.

Key Responsibilities:

Curriculum & Workshop Development

• Lead the design and development of Civil Discourse Lab workshops and curriculum, grounded in evidence-based approaches.

• Collaborate closely with faculty advisors to ensure curriculum reflects current scholarship, is academically rigorous, and aligns with Vanderbilt’s educational mission.

• Develop a diverse portfolio of workshop offerings to serve varied audiences—including undergraduate and graduate students, staff, faculty, and campus partners—across a range of formats and time commitments.

• Continuously refine and update curriculum based on participant feedback, emerging research, and observed facilitation outcomes.

• Ensure all workshop content reflects Dialogue Vanderbilt’s values of curiosity, courage, and respect, and is inclusive and accessible to diverse participants.

Facilitation Guides & Training Materials

• Develop comprehensive facilitation guides for all Civil Discourse Lab workshops, providing student facilitators with clear, practical tools to deliver high-quality experiences.

• Create supplementary training materials including facilitator handbooks, participant workbooks, discussion protocols, and activity guides.

• Maintain a well-organized, up-to-date library of curriculum and facilitation resources that is accessible to the broader DV team and student facilitators.

• Iterate on materials based on facilitator feedback and observed workshop delivery.

Student Facilitator Training

• Design and lead training programs for student facilitators, building their skills in dialogue facilitation, workshop delivery, and managing challenging group dynamics.

• Develop a scaffolded training curriculum that supports facilitators at all experience levels, from initial certification through advanced practice.

• Provide ongoing coaching and feedback to student facilitators, observing workshop delivery and supporting continuous skill development.

• Partner with the Sr. Manager, Student Programs to coordinate facilitator recruitment, scheduling, and community-building.

Campus Outreach & Workshop Marketing

• Proactively identify and cultivate partnerships across campus to expand the reach of Civil Discourse Lab workshops, including with academic departments, schools, student organizations, residence life, and administrative offices.

• Serve as the relationship manager for campus partners seeking Civil Discourse Lab programming, understanding their needs and tailoring workshop offerings accordingly.

• Collaborate with the Sr. Marketing Manager to develop compelling marketing materials and campaigns that promote Civil Discourse Lab workshops to campus audiences.

• Build and maintain a pipeline of workshop bookings and engagements, ensuring strong and consistent demand for Lab programming throughout the academic year.

• Represent the Civil Discourse Lab at campus events, fairs, and partner meetings to raise visibility and drive engagement.

Assessment, Feedback & Continuous Improvement

• Develop and implement a systematic approach to collecting participant and facilitator feedback following all workshop deliveries.

• Analyze feedback and outcome data to assess workshop effectiveness and identify opportunities for curriculum and facilitation improvement.

• Produce regular reports on Civil Discourse Lab programming, sharing insights with the DV team and relevant stakeholders.

• Partner with the broader DV team on measurement and evaluation efforts, contributing Civil Discourse Lab data to organization-wide impact reporting.

• Stay current on research and best practices in dialogue education, facilitation, and civil discourse to inform ongoing program development.

Team & Organizational Contribution

• Contribute as an active member of the Dialogue Vanderbilt team, supporting cross-functional projects and organizational priorities.

• Collaborate with the Sr. Marketing Manager on Civil Discourse Lab brand materials, digital presence, and promotional content.

• Partner with the Sr. Manager, Student Programs to ensure alignment between student facilitator development and Civil Discourse Lab programming needs.

• Represent Dialogue Vanderbilt to faculty, campus partners, and external networks as appropriate.

• May require occasional evening or weekend availability for workshops, training sessions, and campus events.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree in education, curriculum and instruction, higher education, communication, or a related field strongly preferred.

• 3–5 years of experience in curriculum development, instructional design, program management, or a closely related field.

• Demonstrated experience designing and delivering educational workshops, training programs, or facilitated learning experiences.

• Strong facilitation skills with experience leading groups through dialogue, reflection, or skill-building activities.

• Excellent written communication skills, with the ability to develop clear, engaging curriculum and facilitation materials.

• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously.

• Experience collecting and using feedback or outcome data to improve programs and inform decision-making.

• Collaborative working style with the ability to build effective relationships with faculty, staff, and students.

• Genuine commitment to civil discourse, pluralism, and inclusive community-building.

• Prior experience working in a higher education setting, ideally in a student-facing or academic programming role.

• Experience training or coaching others in facilitation skills.

• Background in partnership development or campus outreach.

• Exposure to program evaluation and learning assessment frameworks.

• Regular campus presence required; some hybrid flexibility may be available.

• Occasional evening or weekend availability required for workshops, trainings, and campus events.