Director for Public and Community-Engaged Scholarship
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Director for Public and Community-Engaged Scholarship
Requisition Number:
73735
Location:
Boulder, Colorado
City
Boulder
State
Colorado
Employment Type:
University Staff
Schedule:
Full-Time
Posting Close Date:
06-Aug-2026
Date Posted:
27-Jul-2026
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Job Summary
Job Summary
The Office for Outreach and Community Engagement (OCE) at CU Boulder invites applications for the Director for Public and Community-Engaged Scholarship (PACES) position! This role is the senior operational and scholarly leader of PACES, reporting to the Assistant Vice Chancellor (AVC) for Public and Community-Engaged Scholarship. The Director is responsible for managing the day-to-day leadership of PACES programs and initiatives; stewarding and delivering on established community partnerships; managing the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification process; supporting and producing engaged scholarship; and supervising PACES program staff.
The Director works closely with the AVC and with OCE colleagues to ensure that PACES programming is coordinated across the broader OCE portfolio. The Director serves as the primary operational deputy to the AVC and is authorized to act on the AVC's behalf as needed.
CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.
Who We Are
Who We Are
The Public and Community-Engaged Scholarship team, located within the Office of Outreach and Community Engagement, is the lead CU Boulder unit for building the campus's capacity to undertake public and community-engaged scholarship. We support community-engaged research, teaching and learning, and creative work of faculty and staff members, and we connect those activities to the broader campus context. Our approach values diverse traditions and methodologies from across academic disciplines and fields. Ultimately, these efforts contribute to a campus culture that recognizes public and community-engaged scholarship as essential to CU Boulder's mission as a public flagship and comprehensive research university.
What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be
What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be
Operational Leadership and Office Management
- Serve as the primary operational deputy to the AVC, handling day-to-day PACES programs, staff, and initiatives
- Authorized to represent and act on behalf of the AVC during absences or as otherwise designated
- Provide regular data-informed program reports and recommendations to the AVC, including analysis of outcomes, trends, and emerging opportunities
- Supervise PACES program budgets and expenditures in alignment with office priorities and in coordination with the AVC
- Ensure effective internal processes: clear roles and responsibilities, workflow management, and a culture of collaboration and accountability
- Coordinate with the PACES communications team on program news, marketing, website content, and external communications
- Serve on campus and division committees as the PACES operational representative
- Collaborate with OCE unit colleagues to ensure PACES programming is coordinated across the broader OCE portfolio, including with the Office of Government and Community Engagement and the Conference on World Affairs
- Work collaboratively with the PACES Faculty Directors (Community-Engaged Research and Creative Work; Community-Engaged Teaching and Learning; Strategic Events and Public Scholarship / Conference on World Affairs) as peer leaders within the PACES portfolio; coordinate on shared programs, data, and communications while respecting the direct reporting relationship each Faculty Director holds with the AVC
Community Partnership Management and Program Delivery
The Director is responsible for stewarding existing community partnerships and ensuring clear, accountable delivery on partnership commitments. While the AVC leads high-level partnership cultivation and executive-level relationship development, the Director translates those relationships into active, well-managed programs. Handle and maintain established partnerships with community organizations, nonprofits, governmental agencies, and civic entities across Colorado, ensuring mutual accountability and follow-through on commitments
- Serve as a consistent, accessible point of contact for community partners, responding to needs, coordinating university resources, and facilitating ongoing collaboration
- Design and lead specific university-community initiatives - including public forums, community learning programs, and co-created projects - in alignment with partnership goals established with the AVC
- Develop and implement assessment and evaluation strategies to measure the efficacy of community partnerships and engagement programs, and use findings to improve practice
- Identify emerging partnership opportunities and bring these to the AVC for strategic consideration and cultivation
- Provide professional development support to community partners on standard processes for collaborating with a research university
- Work with the PACES and OCE communications teams to share information about partnership activities, outcomes, and opportunities
Campus Coordination, Carnegie Classification, and Assessment
Strategic Coordination
- In coordination with the AVC, implement institutional strategies to build campus capacity for community-engaged scholarship across relevant campus units (e.g., Office of Faculty Affairs, Research & Innovation Office, academic colleges and departments)
- Collaborate with campus units and faculty to expand service-learning, community-based research, and other engaged scholarship offerings in alignment with AVC-led strategic priorities
- Provide grant consultation and support to faculty, staff, and graduate students; write letters of support for community-engaged grant applications; participate in grant review processes as needed
- Support the AVC's advocacy for policy changes that advance recognition of community-engaged scholarship in faculty promotion, tenure, and review processes
- In coordination with OCE colleagues and relevant campus partners, identify and facilitate opportunities to connect faculty engaged scholarship interests with industry, foundation, and community partnership resources
Carnegie Classification and Assessment
- Lead the Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement reapplication process: convene a campus-wide steering committee, coordinate institution-wide data collection, write and submit the application, and produce recommendations for advancing community-engaged scholarship at CU Boulder
- Design and maintain ongoing assessment and evaluation systems that track progress on engagement objectives and inform PACES strategic planning
- Lead adoption and use of Collaboratory and related platforms to support data collection, assessment, and the Carnegie Classification process
Scholarship of Engagement
- Produce or co-produce peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, reports, or other recognized scholarly contributions on community engagement practice, policy, or theory
- Present at national and regional conferences and professional convenings to represent CU Boulder's engaged scholarship work
- Support and mentor faculty and staff in producing and publishing scholarship on community engagement
- Represent CU Boulder in relevant national professional organizations (e.g., Campus Compact, Engagement Scholarship Consortium, IARSLCE, APLU) as appropriate
Staff Supervision
- Supervise PACES Program Director, and Program Managers/Coordinators: annual performance planning, professional development, regular check-ins, and additional support as needed
- Supervise student office assistants and interns: set goals, handle workflow, ensure appropriate training and support
- Foster a team culture of professional growth, equity, open dialogue, and shared accountability
Other Responsibilities
- Engage in relevant professional development activities and trainings
- Participate in office, OCE, and campus meetings, activities, and committees
- Other duties as determined by campus priorities and emerging opportunities
What You Should Know
What You Should Know
The work modality will be hybrid.
What We Can Offer
What We Can Offer
The annual salary range for this full-time position is $95,000 - $114,000. Relocation assistance may be available.
Benefits
Benefits
At the University of Colorado Boulder, we are committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of Boulder County's largest employers, CU Boulder offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class outdoor recreation. Explore additional perks and programs through the CU Advantage program.
Be Statements
Be Statements
Be creative. Be impactful. Be Boulder.
What We Require
What We Require
- Doctoral degree (Ph.D., Ed.D., or equivalent) in higher education, educational leadership, public administration, or a closely related field. A master's degree, combined with an exceptionally strong record of relevant professional achievement, may be considered.
- At least 8 years of progressive leadership experience in community-engaged scholarship, outreach, or a closely related field at a college, university, or comparable institution
- Demonstrated experience managing complex programs and partnerships, with accountability for delivering on commitments to diverse stakeholder groups
- Experience supervising professional staff and managing program budgets of significant scale
- A record of scholarly contribution related to community engagement, higher education, or a closely related field
What You Will Need
What You Will Need
- Senior operational leadership: ability to lead a complex programmatic portfolio, coordinate across teams, and ensure accountability for outcomes
- Partnership management: demonstrated success maintaining and delivering on long-term, reciprocal relationships with community, governmental, and civic organizations
- Scholar-practitioner orientation: capacity to connect practice with research and support faculty and staff in producing engaged scholarship
- Assessment and evaluation expertise: experience designing frameworks for measuring community engagement program impact
- Strong communication skills (written and verbal), including public representation and institutional communications
- Budget oversight and administrative leadership, including experience handling personnel and program expenditures
- Ability to collaborate effectively across organizational units within a complex university environment
- Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and cultural competency in community-engaged work
What We Would Like You to Have
What We Would Like You to Have
- Doctoral degree in higher education, educational leadership, or closely related field
- Experience leading or contributing to the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification process
- A record of peer-reviewed publication or other recognized scholarly contribution to community-engaged scholarship
- Experience building community-based learning or service-learning programs in partnership with university faculty
- Experience representing a university at national professional organizations
- Familiarity with industry and foundation relations in a higher education context
- Knowledge of Colorado's civic, nonprofit, and governmental landscape, or demonstrated capacity to build that knowledge rapidly
Special Instructions
Special Instructions
To apply, please submit the following materials:
- A current resume.
- A cover letter that specifically tells us how your background and experience align with the requirements, qualifications, and responsibilities of the position.
We may request references at a later time.
Please apply by August 6, 2026 for consideration.
Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, please apply through CU Boulder Jobs.
In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.
Posting Contact Information
Posting Contact Name: Boulder Campus Human Resources
Posting Contact Email: Recruiting@colorado.edu
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