Director, Fellowships, Grants, and Evaluation

Director Of Fellowships, Grants, And Evaluation

The Director of Fellowships, Grants, and Evaluation will provide visionary leadership and strategic direction for the Chicago Forum, spearheading the design and execution of innovative fellowship programs and overseeing research and grant initiatives that have a transformative impact on the University of Chicago community. This role requires a seasoned professional with extensive experience in program development, research management, and grants administration within higher education or similar organizational settings. The Director will ensure alignment between Chicago Forum initiatives and the university's mission, fostering collaboration, innovation, and measurable outcomes across fellowship and grant programs.

This role is expected to understand the relevance of a broad array of research and contributions of Chicago Forum Fellows, and strategize ways for their collaboration within the campus community. This role will help disseminate fellow's research, which could mean arranging symposia, hanging a journal publication or Substack or some other vehicle. Similarly with grant recipients, this role must understand the program and better connect and distribute research summaries and information on grant impact.

Responsibilities include :

• Providing strategic leadership in the design, execution, and continuous improvement of the Chicago Forum fellowship program.
• Leading and mentoring program staff, ensuring effective coordination of logistical, administrative, and operational needs.
• Designing and implementing innovative strategies for disseminating fellowship and grant-supported research.
• Utilizing data analysis and reporting to evaluate the impact of fellowship and grant-supported initiatives.
• Facilitating connections between Chicago Forum fellows and the University's diverse resources.
• Overseeing the dissemination of Chicago Forum-supported research.
• Cultivating strong partnerships with academic departments, research centers, and external entities.
• Ensuring space and logistical needs of fellows are met.
• Overseeing comprehensive budget planning and fiscal strategy for grants, fellowships, and research.
• Representing the Chicago Forum as a thought leader at conferences and University events.
• Staying at the forefront of emerging trends and best practices in higher education, grant management, and fellowship programming.
• Administering the delivery of services to program participants.
• Developing and communicating program priorities and performance standards.
• Performing other related work as needed.

Minimum qualifications include a college or university degree in a related field and 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline. Preferred qualifications include a postgraduate degree, research experience, and expertise in program evaluation and management.

Working conditions are onsite, with more flexibility for hybrid over the summer. Application documents required include a resume / CV, cover letter (preferred), and references contact information (three required).