Job Description

Overview

Centre College is a premier national liberal arts college that serves approximately 1,400 students and provides a supportive community and a flexible, personal academic path to a meaningful life and career. Founded in 1819, Centre accomplishes its goals in an atmosphere of caring and respectful relationships among faculty, students, and staff. The College has an endowment in excess of $420 million and an operating budget of more than $65 million.

Centre welcomes and supports diversity. The College strives to create an environment where differences are celebrated, where individuals can exchange ideas and share in the richness of mutual experiences. Please view our Statement of Community.

Located in Danville, KY, the historic, picturesque 150-acre campus is 30 miles from Lexington, in the famed Bluegrass Region of Central Kentucky.

Job Skills / Requirements

Centre College seeks a Director of CentreWorks to drive the creation and implementation of community-based projects by integrating the program with multiple College offices and faculty initiatives.  These projects will engage students, alumni, and community members at a high-level with projects lasting anywhere from a few weeks to several years.  Each year, there will be a call for projects fitting under the broad local economic development theme.  In coordination with academic leadership, the director will recruit faculty to participate in CentreWorks, and then work closely with them to support the development and implementation of projects, courses, and initiatives on topics of local significance. 

This position will report to the Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives and External Relations and work as part of the President’s Office. 

Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with Centre faculty and staff to create multiple community-focused projects, courses, and/or initiatives each year.
• Help identify and develop project ideas under the identified themes by collaborating with faculty, staff, students and community partners to create projects designed to address local community and economic development needs.
• Provide administrative support to faculty partners in the creation, development, and execution of projects, to include project logistics, finance and budget support, and the ongoing recruitment of faculty members to lead future projects.
• Utilize and activate the CentreWorks space as a central facility to house project activities, present outcomes, and showcase exhibitions on the project activities and yearly theme for the community, campus, and other stakeholders.
• Assist faculty members in developing and maintaining strong community relationships with new and existing community partners for participation, collaboration, and support of CentreWorks and its projects, in coordination with Centre’s Office of Civic and Community Engagement.
• Help develop and support innovative ideas and projects to position CentreWorks as a place where participants can test, try and iterate on ideas.
• Research, identify, and pursue significant and measurable funding opportunities to support operations of CentreWorks, working alongside grant-writing experts in the College’s Alumni and Development Office and Office of Research.
• Evaluate and track performance metrics related to programs and initiatives to understand and report their impact.
• Demonstrate an appreciation of and commitment to further an inclusive culture for those of diverse backgrounds such as ability, age, class, ethnicity, faith background, gender expression, gender identity, geographic region, national origin, neurodiversity, race, and sexual orientation that comprise individual and group expressions of identity.
• Develop internal and external partnership opportunities to elevate CentreWorks’ position as an innovation hub.
• Advance the internal and external visibility of CentreWorks through close collaboration with Centre’s Marketing and Communications Office.

Day-to-Day Operations:

• Oversee all aspects of programming logistics, including but not limited to space reservations, program coordination, room setup, audio/visual requirements, catering, and social media promotion.
• Work with faculty and staff members to develop project life cycles, schedules, and project plans.
• Utilize project management software and coordinate and track projects and reporting.
• Manage and oversee the budgeting and financial operations of CentreWorks; keeping careful records of all spending, invoices, purchase orders, donations, and purchase card statements.
• Schedule regular internal and community partner meetings.
• Manage co-working space and respond to customer questions and concerns.
• Perform other duties as needed or requested.

Preferred Experience

The director should have excellent interpersonal, communication, customer service, organization, and project management skills. Ability to build relationships with diverse constituents, including faculty, staff, student, and community members.  Aptitude in managing program logistics, problems and interact with individuals at all levels. Ability to manage a budget. Strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Attention to detail with the ability to perform multiple tasks in a fast-paced, high-profile environment. Strong team player and willingness to jump in to support colleagues to ensure their success, and the success of CentreWorks as a whole.  Tech savvy: experience or interest working with digital platforms.  Willingness to work some early mornings and evenings.  Grant-writing experience is also preferred.

Minimum Qualifications

A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution is required.  A master’s or professional degree in a relevant field is desired.

TO APPLY

Interested applicants must apply through the Centre College Human Resources site at Employment at Centre | Centre College (with a cover letter, resume, and list of references).  Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until filled.

Education Requirements (Any)

Bachelors Degree required. Masters Degree preferred.

Additional Information / Benefits

Benefits: Medical Insurance, Life Insurance, Dental Insurance, Vision Insurance, Paid Vacation, Paid Sick Days, Paid Holidays, Long Term Disability, 401K/403b Plan