Associate Director, Marks Family Writing Center

Description

Established in 2003 to provide writing support to Penn students and faculty across the disciplines, the Marks Family Writing Center is a division of the broader Marks Family Center for Excellence in Writing.

The Writing Center is open to Penn undergraduatessix days a week. In addition to providing individual writing guidance and feedback to our students, the Marks Family Writing Center also presents writing workshops across campus, consults with faculty and assists them with designing and responding to writing assignments, and engages in community outreach.

Responsibilities :

The Associate Director of the Marks Family Writing Center, a division of the Marks Family Center for Excellence in Writing, isresponsible for hiring, supervising, scheduling, and training our 50-60 undergraduate writing fellows in peer-tutoring theory and practice to ensure the Writing Center is appropriately staffed and resourced to meet the needs of our undergraduate students through in-person, one-on-one, or group tutoring sessions as well as embedded Writing Fellows in our Critical Writing seminars.

The Associate Director participates as needed in portfolio assessment and other evaluative processes involving the writing skills and challenges of Penn undergraduate students, and serves as our Transfer Credit officer.

The Associate Director is also responsible for providing targeted, knowledgeable support and writing-center resources for students with particular writing challenges, including writing-related disabilities, multilingual and international students, and students from under-resourced schools.

The Associate Director will advise the Senior Director on policy decisions and initiatives for the Writing Center, including budget proposals.

The Associate Director manages the Writing Center budget and budget-reporting procedures; conducts and organizes undergraduate writing-related workshops and other undergraduate writing initiatives across campus.

The Associate Director will have a 2 / 2 teaching load, including teaching the advanced writing seminar for tutor development and one first-year Critical Writing seminar per semester, with the spring seminar waived if not needed.

Additional duties include serving on committees as requested by the Sr. Director; representing the Writing Center at University events and professional conferences;

and ensuring that writing scheduling software, social media, and the writing center website are current and effective, as well as preparing an annual report for the Marks Family on the year’s activities and highlights.

The Associate Director is also expected to be and remain current in writing center theory, research, and pedagogy and to ensure that the Marks Family Writing Center representsbest practices in the field.

At the Senior Director’s request, the Associate Director may also be asked to engage in writing-related research projects.

Qualifications :

Ph.D. in Composition / Rhetoric or a closely related field with demonstrated knowledge of writing center theories, pedagogy, and practice.

Teaching for two or more years at the college level, ideally with a WAC or WID orientation. Administrative and supervisory experience a plus.

Experience specifically in managing or working in a Writing Center, as well as in peer tutoring, are desirable. Excellent interpersonal skills;

strong communicator; collaborative orientation with ability to manage and organize people and projects. Ability to work occasionally in the evenings or on weekends, and to travel on occasion to conferences.

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

School of Arts and Sciences

Pay Range

$51,824.00 - $79,500.00 Annual Rate

Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, as well as internal and market factors and grade profile.

Affirmative Action Statement

Penn adheres to a policy that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.

Special Requirements

Background check required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.

University Benefits

Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts : Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare.

You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.

Tuition : Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn.

Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.

Retirement : Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis.

Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.

Time Away from Work : Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family whatever your personal needs may be.

Long-Term Care Insurance : In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility.

If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements.

Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.

Wellness and Work-life Resources : Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life.

That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.

Professional and Personal Development : Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.

University Resources : As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities.

Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples.

As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.

Discounts and Special Services : From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff.

Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff.

You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.

Flexible Work Hours : Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments.

These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and / or job structures.

Penn Home Ownership Services : Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.

Adoption Assistance : Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.