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Director of the Workforce and Education Research Collaborative - Discovery Partners Institute

Who: Discovery Partners Institute

What: The University System Office seeks a Director of the Workforce and Education Research Collaborative.

The Discovery Partners Institute (DPI) invites nominations and applications for the inaugural Director of the Illinois Workforce and Education Collaborative (IWERC). IWERC is an exciting new initiative with the potential to dramatically improve education and career outcomes in Illinois and make the state a leader in evidence-based policies and practices. The new collaborative will produce timely, relevant research and insights about education and workforce development in the State of Illinois to meet the needs of various stakeholders and improve long-term outcomes. IWERC is launching with more than $4 million in committed funds; it also has a diverse and experienced Advisory Committee chaired by Dr. John Q. Easton, former Director of the Institute of Education Sciences and former Executive Director of the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research.

This is an exceptional opportunity for an accomplished leader with research experience to build a unique new entity in the state of Illinois. Under the leadership of the Director, IWERC will conduct research, analyze data, and collaborate with stakeholders in Illinois to powerfully impact education and workforce practice, policy, and decision-making along the cradle-to-career continuum. The Director will develop partnerships with policy and practice leaders to identify critical challenges facing the state. The Director will then oversee – and potentially engage in – IWERC’s conduct of rigorous and independent research to help inform the state’s approach to overcoming those challenges.

Policy and practice leaders across Illinois have in recent years expressed a strong commitment to improving equity. The IWERC Advisory Committee shares this commitment and seeks a Director with a firm understanding of inequities that manifest in education and employment and a desire to address them. To achieve its mission, IWERC will need to engage successfully with key partners from a wide range of backgrounds, geographies and institutional perspectives. IWERC’s Director will need to ensure that the development and execution of IWERC’s research agenda is sensitive to this context.

Essential Functions
  • Set a vision for how IWERC can use data and research to improve education and career outcomes for Illinoisans. 
  • Develop relationships with a wide range of stakeholders to develop a research agenda that meets the needs of the Illinois field.
  • Lead and oversee research initiatives.
  • Communicate and disseminate research findings.
  • Work collaboratively with the state government agencies that hold data, to ensure necessary access to state data sets.
  • Work with and leverage academic leaders and faculty at the University of Illinois and at higher education institutions within the state.
  • Raise funds, including building and maintaining funder relationships.
  • Maintain and engage the IWERC External Advisory Committee.
  • Build and manage IWERC staff and budgets.
Candidates must possess a master’s degree in education, public policy, or related discipline required; related disciplines include but are not limited to psychology, sociology, business, and economics. EdD or PhD preferred. A minimum of five years’ experience in leadership roles within the education or workforce fields, with a preference for roles leading education and/or workforce research. Other qualifications include: strategic thinking; the entrepreneurial and management skill necessary to lead a small startup organization that is attempting to establish a niche; the ability to lead education and/or workforce research, with the ability to conduct research valued but not required; the ability to interact effectively with a wide range of stakeholders to develop a research agenda that meets the needs of the Illinois field, including the judgment to make difficult decisions about which research projects to prioritize at the outset; the ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing, including but not limited to sharing research findings to stakeholders; the ability to work collaboratively with the state government agencies that hold data, to ensure necessary access to state data sets; the ability to navigate university systems and structures while leveraging university resources; the ability to raise funds, including building and maintaining funder relationships with both local and national funders; the ability to maintain strong relationships with a board.

This is a full-time, 12-month Academic Professional position. For full consideration, candidates must apply and submit a letter of application, resume, and names/addresses/phone numbers of three professional references by June 15, 2020 at https://uajobs.hr.uillinois.edu/.

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