Kennesaw State University Looking for Executive Director of the Radow Institute for Social Equity Full Time

Job ID: 265265

About Us

For more than 50 years, Kennesaw State University has been known for its entrepreneurial spirit and sense of community. A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State is located just north of Atlanta, and combines a suburban setting on two metro-Atlanta campuses in Kennesaw and Marietta. As one of Georgia’s largest universities, Kennesaw State offers undergraduate and graduate degrees, including a growing number of doctoral programs. A member of the University System of Georgia, Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2) committed to becoming a world-class academic institution positioned to broaden its academic and research missions and expand its scope on a local, regional and national level. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.  

Location

Our Kennesaw campus is located at 1000 Chastain Road NW, Kennesaw, GA 30144. Our Marietta campus is located at 1100 South Marietta Parkway, Marietta, GA 30060.

Department Information

The Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences (RCHSS) is named following a $9 million gift from Norman and Lindy Radow. RCHSS is the largest college at Kennesaw State University offering more than 80 programs of study in both traditional and interdisciplinary fields. 

The goal for RISE is to be an international destination for a broad spectrum of active scholars and educators who work together to develop strategies to advance solutions to address issues related to social equity.

The Radow Institute for Social Equity (RISE) is committed to scholarship and grantsmanship focused on developing sustainable solutions that address the most pressing social challenges leading to long lasting community impact.

Radow Institute for Social Equity (RISE) Goals: 

1.    Build synergies around the initiatives of the institute in an interdisciplinary manner to address issues of social equity. 

2.    Grant writing to support research and interventions to address our most pressing social issues (i.e., gender, income, and racial inequality; housing insecurity and the unhoused; unemployment, health equity and access to healthcare, etc.). 

3.    Become an international destination for a broad spectrum of active scholars and educators to work together and develop strategies to advance social equity. 

4.    Disseminate scholarship that will expand opportunities for equity across diverse populations and foster community engagement and dialogue around issues of social equity.  

5.    Foundation proposals that engage students in research and service focused on solving contemporary issues related to social equity. 

6.    Research, policy briefs, symposia/lectures, and op-eds that disseminate faculty scholarship in ways that connect to and impact changemakers and policymakers. 

7.    Evaluation research that examines the efficacy of interventions and treatment models to improve the lives and livelihoods of our communities. 

Job Summary

Kennesaw State University (KSU) is accepting applications from individuals for a full time, nine-month, tenured Professor faculty position and appointment as Executive Director of the Radow Institute for Social Equity (RISE) in the Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences beginning July 1, 2024.  

KSU is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2 institution). The Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences has experienced rapid growth in student population as well as research. With more than 425 full-time faculty and 8,500 degree-seeking students, the Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences, the largest college at the university, prepares the next generation of leaders in a wide array of fields to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century and become contributing citizens in a global society. The home of three Schools and eight Departments, the College offers more than 80 graduate and undergraduate programs of study in both traditional and interdisciplinary fields. RCHSS provides students with experiential learning opportunities to enable them to develop leadership, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills, as well as a strong sense of social responsibility through community and global engagement. 

Responsibilities

The Executive Director of the Radow Institute for Social Equity (RISE) serves as a member of the college’s leadership team. In collaboration with the Dean and the RISE Lead Researcher, the Executive Director of RISE will lead and direct sponsored research, strategic planning, and fundraising for RISE. The executive director will design and propose new initiatives inclusive of the planning and execution of grant and contract proposals, program evaluations, community engagement events, conferences, and workshops related to social equity.  

*          Conduct and disseminate data and research on social equity to inform and develop science-based policy. 

*          Lead and direct grant writing, fundraising and development, and strategic planning. 

*          Arrange and attend meetings with the RISE Lead Researcher, fellows, and experts who will provide input on RISE activities.  

*          Design and propose new initiatives inclusive of the planning and execution of grant proposals, community engagement events, conferences, and workshops related to social equity. 

*          Collaborate with the RISE Lead Researcher in the creation of a community of Faculty Affiliates/Fellows, including compiling and facilitating the research of Faculty Affiliates. 

*          Building out an institute portfolio of published work, including policy reports, peer-reviewed articles, program evaluations, analytical reports, and / or op-eds. 

*          Serve as a relationship builder and have a talent for and established results in grant writing. As such, the RISE Executive Director will direct and lead the submission of external funding proposals. 

*          Create an action plan to facilitate interdisciplinary work, drawing on expertise from across the KSU campus and beyond to advance the institute’s mission and publish peer-reviewed scholarship annually. 

*          Establish trust and manage the expectations with internal and external stakeholders around RISE priorities. 

*          Collaborate with the college to amplify the scholarship, applied research, program development, and successful stakeholder engagement.  

*          Collaborate with the RISE team in hosting academic colloquia.

*          Serve as a supportive and strong mentor for faculty, staff, and students in the area of social equity scholarship, community engagement, and sponsored research. 

*          Develop and implement multifaceted communication efforts that position and elevate RISE to the national stage. 

*          Support the development of a network of experts advancing research and solutions in this field. 

*          Scholarship/Research expectations as set forth by the academic home faculty member’s discipline.

*          Teach undergraduate and/or graduate courses in their area of specialization as needed.

Teaching assignments will be based on earned degrees and SACSCOC Faculty Credentials Guidelines.

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D., terminal degree, or its foreign equivalent, and appropriate credentials to be a tenured Full Professor in one of the College’s academic schools or departments. 
• A demonstrated record of sponsored research including federal funding, foundations, and/or contracts.
• Experience in the fiscal administration of resources and management of grants and contracts.
• Experience in the management of teams leading to sponsored research in equity and equality.
• A demonstrated record of leadership and mentorship of faculty, staff, students, and collaborators.
• Experience in building or participating in training programs for undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and/or faculty.
• Experience in the oversight and provision of technical assistance regarding the safe and ethical collection and storage of data, data analysis and interpretation, and evaluation of programs and/or interventions.
• A demonstrated record of translation of research to practice and the preparation of policy briefs for a wide range of audiences.  
• A demonstrated record of community engaged and impactful scholarship across a wide range of social equity research areas (e.g., age, education, employment, gender and sexualities, health, housing and homelessness, income, wage, and wealth, race and ethnicity, veteran status, and/or immigration status, etc.).
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Administrative and/or leadership experience in an academic and/or research setting (e.g., experience as center or institute director, lead in research working groups, undergraduate or program director/coordinator, department chair, and/or associate dean). 
• Conduct and lead cutting-edge scientific research into the patterns, causes, and consequences of social and economic inequality.
• Demonstrate an understanding of, and support for, advancing the empirical research mission of RISE in collaboration with diverse campus and community stakeholders.
• Demonstrated project management experience. 
• Demonstrated leadership in building and maintaining an innovative and positive working culture. 
• Evidence of developing and maintaining collaborative working relationships with student leaders, faculty, staff, and administrators across a university. 
• Skills to navigate and lead complex discussions of equity. 

The ability to identify opportunities to work across the University, forging partnerships between programs, and identifying the potential for multi-interest donors to the University will be a marker for success.

Required Documents to Attach

1.       CV

2.       Cover Letter outlining the requirements noted above

3.       Unofficial Transcripts (Official Transcripts and Official International Course-by-Course Evaluations Due Upon Hire)

4.       Vision statement for the position (Add as Additional Document)

5.       Names and contact information for a minimum of three but up to five professional references

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Apply Before Date

Application deadline is January 19, 2024.

Contact Information

For questions about this faculty opening, please contact Dr. Ruth A. Goldfine, [email protected], 470-578-6131.

For technical support or assistance completing a job application, please contact the Shared Services Center at (877) 251-2644 or [email protected].

For questions about a specific job posting at Kennesaw State University, please contact the search chair listed under the contact information section on each posting. For general questions about faculty jobs please email [email protected].