Entry Level Director Of Strategic Initiatives Jobs
New grad director of strategic initiatives jobs open the door for recent graduates and entry level candidates with little to no experience, where demonstrated analytical thinking, internship work, or a strong portfolio can outweigh years on a resume. Most openings mix on-site and remote formats across Education, Food & Beverage, and Banking & Financial Services, with James Madison University, Nexamp, and GM Financial hiring at this level now.
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- Harrisonburg, Virginia, United States
- Office of the President Unit
- Other
- Part-Time (Salaried)
- James Madison University
Working Title: Assistant Director for Research Partnerships & Strategic Initiatives (Part-Time)
State Role Title: Lab/Research Assistant
Position Type: Part-time - Wage / Part-time Salaried
Position Status: Part-Time
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt: Eligible for Overtime
College/Division: Office of the President Unit
Department: 100191 - JMU Center for Civic Engagement
Pay Band:
Pay Rate: Hourly
Specify Range or Amount: $30
Is this a JMU only position? No
Is this a grant-funded position? No
Is this a Conflict of Interest designated position? No
Beginning Review Date: 7/23/2026
About JMU:
JMU offers several perks to all employees including:
- A Tuition Waiver Program that allows employees to have tuition waived for undergraduate and graduate level courses taken at JMU.
- Free Access to the University Recreation Center (UREC): Employees can enjoy facility access and program registration privileges at UREC and University Park. This includes the climbing wall, equipment centers, and group exercise studios.
- A variety of voluntary benefits such as Pet Insurance, Identity Theft and Legal Protection Plans, and several other supplemental benefits.
- Holiday Breaks: The university is granted 12 holidays a year.
- Talent Development Trainings: The Talent Development department offers a wide variety of personal and professional trainings, eligible for all employees to join.
At JMU, we believe in Being the Change — and that starts with creating an environment where you can grow, contribute meaningfully, and feel supported every step of the way.
Discover what makes JMU a great place to work: bit.ly/JMUEmployment
General Information:
As the Madison Center for Civic Engagement advances as a Research Center of Excellence at James Madison University, the Assistant Director of Research Development supports the growth and sustainability of the Center’s research and sponsored project portfolio. This role provides both strategic and operational support for grant development (pre-award), contributes to research design and dissemination, and supports post-award coordination in collaboration with Center leadership and staff.
The Assistant Director plays a key role in advancing the Center’s research mission by identifying funding opportunities, supporting the development of competitive grant proposals, and strengthening research capacity across faculty, staff, and students. This position bridges grant development with the Center’s broader research, evaluation, and civic engagement initiatives.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Collaborate with Center leadership to advance the Madison Center’s research agenda, including identifying priority areas and funding strategies.
- Coordinate with the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) and Corporate & Foundation Relations (CFR) to build and sustain a pipeline of grant and funding opportunities aligned with the Madison Center’s mission.
- Support the development of research frameworks, study designs, and evaluation approaches aligned with Center initiatives.
- Assist in cultivating and sustaining research partnerships across campus, K–12 partners, and national networks.
- Contribute to the development of research outputs, including reports, white papers, presentations, and publications.
Post-Award Support & Coordination
- Support the development and implementation of post-award tracking systems to monitor progress and ensure alignment with grant deliverables and reporting requirements.
- Collaborate with Center staff to track project milestones, evaluation metrics, and reporting timelines.
- Provide coordination support for reporting, compliance, and documentation practices in partnership with administrative staff and university offices.
- Assist with report writing, continuation proposals, and award modifications as needed.
Student & Faculty Research Support and Capacity Building
- Support the development and implementation of student-engaged research opportunities, including undergraduate and graduate research experiences aligned with the Center’s mission.
- Mentor and advise students involved in Center-sponsored research, including guidance on research design, data collection, analysis, and dissemination.
- Collaborate with faculty affiliates to advance research initiatives, including identifying funding opportunities and supporting proposal development.
- Assist in building infrastructure to support faculty–student research collaboration, including working groups and related initiatives.
- Support the dissemination of student and faculty research through presentations, reports, publications, and community-facing outputs.
Research Infrastructure & Capacity Development
- Develop tools, templates, and processes to strengthen the Center’s research and grant development infrastructure (e.g., proposal templates, department specific narrative libraries, department specific evaluation frameworks).
- Support alignment across projects to ensure integration of research, programming, and funding strategies.
- Contribute to building a cohesive environment that promotes evidence-based practice, continuous improvement, and research dissemination.
Qualifications:
- Demonstrated experience supporting the development of grant proposals, sponsored projects, research initiatives, or other complex funding applications.
- Demonstrated ability to develop, assess, or contribute to research designs, evaluation plans, data-collection strategies, or evidence-based program improvement efforts.
- Excellent written communication skills, including the ability to develop clear, persuasive, and well-organized proposals, reports, presentations, publications, or other research-related materials.
- Strong project-management and organizational skills, including the ability to coordinate multiple projects, manage deadlines, track deliverables, and maintain accurate documentation.
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with diverse partners, such as faculty, staff, students, community organizations, K–12 educators, funders, or administrative offices.
- Experience supporting, mentoring, or advising students, faculty, staff, or project teams engaged in research, evaluation, grant development, or related scholarly activities.
- Additional Consideration: Knowledge of or demonstrated interest in civic engagement, civic education, democratic participation, public deliberation, or a closely related field.
Additional Posting Information:
Conditions of Employment:
Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.
This is a part-time wage position working up to an average of 29 hours per week over the course of a calendar year with no benefits.
E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.
EEO Statement:
James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.
We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.
Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.
Reasonable Accommodation:
If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance searching or applying for jobs please contact us at (540) 568-3597 or jobs@jmu.edu. You may also visit the JMU Human Resource Office, located at 752 Ott Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 and we will be happy to assist you.
- 20002135
- Harrisonburg, Virginia, United States
- Office of the President Unit
- Other
- Part-Time (Salaried)
- James Madison University
Working Title: Assistant Director for Research Partnerships & Strategic Initiatives (Part-Time)
State Role Title: Lab/Research Assistant
Position Type: Part-time - Wage / Part-time Salaried
Position Status: Part-Time
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt: Eligible for Overtime
College/Division: Office of the President Unit
Department: 100191 - JMU Center for Civic Engagement
Pay Band:
Pay Rate: Hourly
Specify Range or Amount: $30
Is this a JMU only position? No
Is this a grant-funded position? No
Is this a Conflict of Interest designated position? No
Beginning Review Date: 7/23/2026
About JMU:
JMU offers several perks to all employees including:
- A Tuition Waiver Program that allows employees to have tuition waived for undergraduate and graduate level courses taken at JMU.
- Free Access to the University Recreation Center (UREC): Employees can enjoy facility access and program registration privileges at UREC and University Park. This includes the climbing wall, equipment centers, and group exercise studios.
- A variety of voluntary benefits such as Pet Insurance, Identity Theft and Legal Protection Plans, and several other supplemental benefits.
- Holiday Breaks: The university is granted 12 holidays a year.
- Talent Development Trainings: The Talent Development department offers a wide variety of personal and professional trainings, eligible for all employees to join.
At JMU, we believe in Being the Change — and that starts with creating an environment where you can grow, contribute meaningfully, and feel supported every step of the way.
Discover what makes JMU a great place to work: bit.ly/JMUEmployment
General Information:
As the Madison Center for Civic Engagement advances as a Research Center of Excellence at James Madison University, the Assistant Director of Research Development supports the growth and sustainability of the Center’s research and sponsored project portfolio. This role provides both strategic and operational support for grant development (pre-award), contributes to research design and dissemination, and supports post-award coordination in collaboration with Center leadership and staff.
The Assistant Director plays a key role in advancing the Center’s research mission by identifying funding opportunities, supporting the development of competitive grant proposals, and strengthening research capacity across faculty, staff, and students. This position bridges grant development with the Center’s broader research, evaluation, and civic engagement initiatives.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Collaborate with Center leadership to advance the Madison Center’s research agenda, including identifying priority areas and funding strategies.
- Coordinate with the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) and Corporate & Foundation Relations (CFR) to build and sustain a pipeline of grant and funding opportunities aligned with the Madison Center’s mission.
- Support the development of research frameworks, study designs, and evaluation approaches aligned with Center initiatives.
- Assist in cultivating and sustaining research partnerships across campus, K–12 partners, and national networks.
- Contribute to the development of research outputs, including reports, white papers, presentations, and publications.
Post-Award Support & Coordination
- Support the development and implementation of post-award tracking systems to monitor progress and ensure alignment with grant deliverables and reporting requirements.
- Collaborate with Center staff to track project milestones, evaluation metrics, and reporting timelines.
- Provide coordination support for reporting, compliance, and documentation practices in partnership with administrative staff and university offices.
- Assist with report writing, continuation proposals, and award modifications as needed.
Student & Faculty Research Support and Capacity Building
- Support the development and implementation of student-engaged research opportunities, including undergraduate and graduate research experiences aligned with the Center’s mission.
- Mentor and advise students involved in Center-sponsored research, including guidance on research design, data collection, analysis, and dissemination.
- Collaborate with faculty affiliates to advance research initiatives, including identifying funding opportunities and supporting proposal development.
- Assist in building infrastructure to support faculty–student research collaboration, including working groups and related initiatives.
- Support the dissemination of student and faculty research through presentations, reports, publications, and community-facing outputs.
Research Infrastructure & Capacity Development
- Develop tools, templates, and processes to strengthen the Center’s research and grant development infrastructure (e.g., proposal templates, department specific narrative libraries, department specific evaluation frameworks).
- Support alignment across projects to ensure integration of research, programming, and funding strategies.
- Contribute to building a cohesive environment that promotes evidence-based practice, continuous improvement, and research dissemination.
Qualifications:
- Demonstrated experience supporting the development of grant proposals, sponsored projects, research initiatives, or other complex funding applications.
- Demonstrated ability to develop, assess, or contribute to research designs, evaluation plans, data-collection strategies, or evidence-based program improvement efforts.
- Excellent written communication skills, including the ability to develop clear, persuasive, and well-organized proposals, reports, presentations, publications, or other research-related materials.
- Strong project-management and organizational skills, including the ability to coordinate multiple projects, manage deadlines, track deliverables, and maintain accurate documentation.
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with diverse partners, such as faculty, staff, students, community organizations, K–12 educators, funders, or administrative offices.
- Experience supporting, mentoring, or advising students, faculty, staff, or project teams engaged in research, evaluation, grant development, or related scholarly activities.
- Additional Consideration: Knowledge of or demonstrated interest in civic engagement, civic education, democratic participation, public deliberation, or a closely related field.
Additional Posting Information:
Conditions of Employment:
Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.
This is a part-time wage position working up to an average of 29 hours per week over the course of a calendar year with no benefits.
E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.
EEO Statement:
James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.
We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.
Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.
Reasonable Accommodation:
If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance searching or applying for jobs please contact us at (540) 568-3597 or jobs@jmu.edu. You may also visit the JMU Human Resource Office, located at 752 Ott Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 and we will be happy to assist you.
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Entry Level Director Of Strategic Initiatives Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an entry level director of strategic initiatives job?
Focus on demonstrating strategic thinking through internships, capstone projects, or volunteer work where you shaped a process or initiative. Employers at this level look for candidates who can analyze problems, communicate recommendations clearly, and work across teams. Tailor your resume to show measurable outcomes, even from academic or short-term projects, and highlight any exposure to project management tools or cross-functional collaboration.
Which companies hire entry level director of strategic initiativess?
Companies hiring entry level director of strategic initiativess right now include James Madison University, Nexamp, and GM Financial, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. A wide range of employers post at this level, from large corporations building out strategy functions to nonprofits and startups looking for motivated early-career talent to drive key initiatives forward.
Are there remote entry level director of strategic initiatives jobs?
Yes, though availability varies by employer and industry. About 33% of entry level director of strategic initiatives openings are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, reflecting a strong shift toward flexible work in strategy-focused roles. Searching by work setting on Migrate Mate lets you find postings that match your preferred arrangement without sifting through every listing manually.
Are these new grad director of strategic initiatives jobs?
Yes, many of these postings are new grad and junior roles that welcome recent graduates with zero to two years of experience. A new-grad-friendly posting typically says it welcomes internships, coursework, or a portfolio in lieu of full-time experience. Look for language like "0 to 2 years," "recent graduate," or "entry level" in the job description as a reliable signal the employer is open to candidates just starting out.
Which industries hire the most entry level director of strategic initiativess?
Entry Level director of strategic initiatives roles concentrate in Education, Food & Beverage, and Banking & Financial Services, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. These sectors tend to drive early-career hiring in strategy because they are expanding rapidly or building out dedicated initiative teams that rely on junior talent to support execution and analysis.