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The National Science Foundation (NSF) ADVANCE program supports systemic change projects to enhance gender equity and inclusion for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) faculty.

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) ADVANCE Adaptation project, I-ADVANCE, will induce positive, sustainable, systemic change for STEM faculty by implementing evidence-based practices that foster a climate of equity in UIUC’s STEM departments. The project will develop a sustainable, data-driven, systemic change model that removes informational barriers and builds equitable workspaces. Guided by rich institutional data, I-ADVANCE seeks to reduce disparities in recognition and rewards for faculty work; to increase capacity, resources, and accountability for equity-minded decision making by department leaders; and empowering majority faculty to foster an equitable and inclusive department climate.

The I-ADVANCE project seeks a full-time program manager to support and guide the grant program’s efforts in enhancing equity and inclusion for STEM faculty. This role involves managing the day-to-day operations, supporting the development and implementation of I-ADVANCE activities, facilitating communication and engagement, tracking data and metrics, contributing to the educational and research activities, and collaborating with the I-ADVANCE leadership to execute program objectives and goals. The ideal candidate will collaborate with university leaders, faculty stakeholders, and other current and future partners in multiple STEM units across campus and demonstrate a commitment to fostering an equitable and inclusive culture on campus.

Duties & Responsibilities

Program Management – Work directly with the Principal Investigator (PI), Co-PIs, evaluators, and other personnel of the I-ADVANCE program and relevant units to develop and implement grant initiatives, plan meetings and events, and support the core I-ADVANCE activities, including a Faculty Workload Dashboard, Faculty Fellows, and an Advocates & Allies network.

• Assist with implementing activities relevant to short- and long-term program goals to enable timely deliverables to internal and external stakeholders.
• Contribute to the development of project plans to monitor and track progress of various aspects of the grant. Maintain and organize project documents, records, data, and archives. Develop and maintain collaborative working relationships with multiple stakeholders within project scope.
• Monitor and respond to action items and stakeholder requests to ensure appropriate progress.
• Serve as a primary contact for principal investigator(s), personnel, campus, sponsor, and university departments regarding project needs.
• Act as a liaison with business offices and other university administrators to ensure necessary research administration activities are completed promptly.
• Strategically coordinate with business office, sponsored programs, Institutional Review Board, and grant sponsor to meet reporting requirements.
• Schedule, facilitate, and attend meetings, including preparing agendas, recording meeting notes, and communicating and coordinating deliverables.
• Coordinate events such as advisory board meetings, seminars, workshops, etc.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Communication – Communicate clearly, professionally, and effectively with both internal and external partners through presentations, documents, emails, website, and social media.

• Draft, edit, and publish progress reports, publications, presentations, project status reviews, and other communication products with internal stakeholders, collaborators, and partners.
• Work with communications professionals to guide the preparation of brochures, marketing materials, web, and social media content, etc. to increase visibility for the ADVANCE program.

Financial and Data Management

• Compile, organize, and summarize institutional data from multiple campus sources, including the Division of Management Information, Office for Access and Equity, Human Resources, and others.
• Perform data cleaning, data management, and preparation of tables and figures as assigned.
• Monitor program budget(s) and expenditures, ensuring adherence to budget commitments.
• Provides other budget support as needed.

Education and Research

• Work closely with the team to develop, coordinate, and implement educational workshops, resources, and materials for STEM faculty and leaders.
• Support the team in staying current on literature and identifying evidence-based tools and resources relating to the project.
• Assist with program evaluation activities as needed.
• Contribute to the creation and dissemination of project findings and outcomes to the public (conferences, publications, networks).

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in science, engineering, social sciences, education, or a related field to the position.
• A total of two years (24 months) work experience managing projects, programs, or special events in higher education.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree or doctoral degree in science, engineering, social sciences, education, or a related field to the position.
• Experience working with STEM faculty across multiple departments.
• Experience with federally funded STEM programs.
• Experience planning and executing programs and services that promote faculty equity and inclusion within a university setting.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Relevant subject matter knowledge, such as ADVANCE efforts and equity and inclusion programs in STEM.
• Leadership skills, including a high level of initiative, exercising discretion, and working independently in managing and overseeing projects.
• Ability to work within a collaborative team and to develop and maintain effective work relationships with internal and external constituencies.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Outstanding organizational, planning, problem-solving, and project management skills.
• Proficiency in Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint and collaboration platforms such as Microsoft Teams, OneDrive, Google Drive, and Box.
• Resourcefulness using on-campus resources and digital tools to solve problems and improve workflow efficiency.
• Prioritization and ability to meet deadlines that involve multi-faceted, detail-oriented tasks.
• Knowledge of and adherence to confidentiality requirements when dealing with financial, employee, or personal information (e.g., FERPA).
• Prior or working knowledge of university rules, regulations, and procedures for grant program administration.

Appointment Information

This is a 100% full-time Civil Service 5002 - Program Coordinator position, appointed on a 12-month basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after the close date. The minimum salary for this position is $60,000-$65,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications. Work authorization is not available for this position. The employee hired into this position will work primarily on-site. For more information on Civil Service classifications, please visit the SUCSS web site at https://www.sucss.illinois.gov/pages/classspec/default.aspx.

Application Procedures & Deadline Information

Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (Central Time) on October 8, 2024. Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting. Please upload your cover letter, resume, and names/contact information for three references. In order to be considered as a transfer candidate, you must apply for this position. Applications not submitted through https://jobs.illinois.edu will not be considered. If required by the position, transcripts or other documentation of credentials are to be provided no later than the first day of employment. For further information about this specific position, please contact Jill McKenna (glawe1@illinois.edu). For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.