Center Director Jobs in Minnesota

INTRODUCTION

The Director of CCEL provides strategic, administrative, and programmatic leadership for curricular CEL. Reporting to the Vice Provost for Public Engagement, the Director is responsible for advancing high-quality, high-impact CEL across the curriculum; stewarding a network of community partnerships; leading staff and managing operations; and representing CCEL within University-wide and national engaged learning communities. The CCEL Director collaborates with units across the Twin Cities campus as well as the other four system campus engagement leaders on CEL-related initiatives, such as CEL course attributes and campus engagement plans. In addition to maintaining a strong on-campus presence, this position requires work in and with the local and surrounding communities through in-person meetings and attendance at various networking events.

The Director is charged with expanding the scale and reach of CEL courses through a faculty empowerment, capacity-building, and consultation approach; extending the network of community partners interested in collaborating with faculty on CEL courses through reciprocal, mutually beneficial engagement; working with the Office for Public Engagement to implement the GivePulse engagement management platform’s curricular module; and exploring strategies to build department-level community partnerships for CEL. This is an opportunity for a visionary and collaborative leader to shape the next chapter of community engagement at a major research university deeply committed to its land-grant mission and its responsibility to the communities of Minnesota.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic and Programmatic Leadership (50%)

• Establish strategic direction and goals for CCEL, ensuring that they align with the University’s broader institutional vision and goals for public engagement, faculty development, and undergraduate and graduate education, and develop a 5-year strategic plan.
• Develop infrastructure to create comprehensive academic CEL supports for designing, implementing, and assessing high-quality, high-impact community-engaged learning courses through a variety of models, including direct service, project-based learning, and department-level partnerships with community, and provide course support.
• Ensure that activities and partnerships comply with University policies (e.g., affiliation agreements, partnership MOUs, equal opportunity, Title IX, etc.).
• Cultivate the University’s partnership with National Student Exchange (NSE) to provide students with access to unique, off-campus study educational opportunities.
• Explore multiple pathways to advance engaged learning and career readiness outcomes aligned with the Elevate Extraordinary 2030 strategic roadmap through the Community Engaged Scholars Program and collaboration with other offices, such as Career Services, the Office of Undergraduate Education, and Student Affairs.
• Collaborate with the Office for Public Engagement to pilot and fully implement GivePulse’s academic module to enable instructor management of CEL courses.
• Expand co-curricular offerings for students through the Peer Advising Program, GivePulse and an expanded network of partners.
• Network with community engagement professionals locally, statewide, and nationally (e.g., Campus Compact, Engagement Scholarship Consortium, IARSCLE) to keep apprised of and contribute to understanding the current landscape of CEL, identify emerging trends, and inform campus engagement initiatives. Participate in practical and scholarly initiatives designed to advance the field.

Partnership Development (20%)

• Serve as the campus’s lead administrator and contact person for CEL on the Twin Cities campus and with external partners.
• Expand and steward a diverse portfolio of community partnerships (e.g., nonprofits, government agencies, schools, businesses) that can be authentically integrated with University courses for purposes of academic application, civic engagement, and career readiness.
• Coordinate partner onboarding, support resources, and recognition, including the Outstanding Community Partner Awards and annual Community Partner Gathering.
• Build strong relationships with internal campus partners within and across the five-campus system related to CEL. Participate in all-campus engagement planning.

Administration and Management (20%)

• Manage professional and student staff. Meet regularly with direct reports and all staff to set and review goals, monitor performance, and provide feedback. Conduct annual performance reviews of direct reports and ensure completion of all unit staff reviews. Mentor staff and identify opportunities for career development and advancement.
• Establish priorities with staff for each program and create new programs and services based on changing needs of students, faculty, staff, academic departments, administrators, collegiate units, community partners, and membership/consortium academic partners.
• Manage CCEL’s budget, operations, and strategic planning in alignment with University priorities and the Office for Public Engagement’s goals.
• Foster an organizational culture that is inclusive, collaborative, and continuously improving.
• Serve as a thought partner to the Vice Provost for Public Engagement on strategy, policy, and advocacy related to CEL.
• Oversee, with center staff and campus communication partners, a campus-wide communications plan related to CEL, and oversee a campus-wide CEL website.

Evaluation and Continuous Improvement (10%)

• Develop and implement procedures to monitor and track campus CEL efforts.
• Create and implement ongoing assessment and evaluation for CEL consistent with best practices in higher education.
• Contribute to and present internal and external reports on CEL in written and oral forms.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

• BA/BS degree in education, public affairs, community development, nonprofit management, or a related field plus 10 years of related experience, OR a Master’s degree in education, public affairs, community development, nonprofit management, or a related field plus 8 years of related experience.
• Progressive leadership experience in community-engaged learning, service-learning, higher education administration, or community-university partnership work.
• Demonstrated expertise in faculty development and support for community-engaged pedagogy.
• Experience building and sustaining reciprocal partnerships with community organizations.
• Strong commitment to equity, inclusion, and community-centered practice.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams and manage organizational operations.
• Valid driver's license or other means of transportation within the local community and surrounding areas.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s degree
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and relationship-building skills.
• Experience working with diverse populations.
• Ability to work with a wide range of students, staff, and faculty in a diverse college setting.
• Knowledge of current trends and best practices for CEL.
• Demonstrated experience in program planning, implementation, and evaluation.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines simultaneously.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will be given the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a cover letter and resume.

Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail employ@umn.edu or call (612) 624-8647.

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.

LOCATION

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC) is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.

At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized by Forbes as a Best Employer for Company Culture (2026), Best Employer for Women (2023), and Best Employer by State (2022-2026). In 2026, we also received Culture Excellence & Industry Awards recognition for employee appreciation and work-life flexibility.