RC32 - Public Policy and Administration

Category:	Faculty (Tenure Track - Academic Year/9 months)
Department:	Open Department
Locations:	Amherst, MA
Posted:	Jul 22, '15
Type:	Full-time
Ref. No.:	R52167
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About University of Massachusetts Amherst:

The University of Massachusetts Amherst, the flagship campus of the UMass system, is home to over 22,000 undergraduate and 6,300 graduate students from all 50 states and nearly 100 countries. It boasts a world-class faculty committed to performance and growth in scholarship, opportunity, diversity and inclusion. It is a research-intensive, land-grant institution with growing research expenditures currently totaling more than $195 million annually. Further information about the University's strategic plan can be found on the Provost's Office website.  

Job Description:

The University of Massachusetts Amherst invites applications for the position of inaugural Director of a new School of Public Policy (SPP) at the University's flagship campus. We seek an outstanding scholar committed to the study of public problems and dedicated to the application of substantively important research to their solution. The appointment will be made at the rank of Full Professor. Building on the success of the University's Center for Public Policy and Administration, the founding Director will be in a unique position to lead a faculty hiring strategy, to make the SPP a national and international hub for policy debates, and to create multi-disciplinary programs that prepare students for life-long engagement with public issues.  The Director will be expected to raise the profile of policy-relevant research, build partnerships across other units of the campus to create joint opportunities for policy-related research and teaching, support faculty as they increase public engagement with their research, and promote regional economic development projects of special interest to faculty and stakeholders in the Commonwealth. The Director, who will report to the Dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS), will lead efforts to establish a new public policy undergraduate major and expand an existing graduate program, working in collaboration with departments in the social sciences, public health, engineering, information science and a variety of other fields.  The new Director is also expected to work collaboratively to develop innovative programs on our main campus in Amherst, with new operations in Boston and Springfield where students will gain valuable experience in state and regional/local government, and in nonprofit management. 

Requirements:

Candidates for Director must have a doctoral degree or equivalent and an exceptional record of teaching, scholarship and research sufficient to merit appointment as a tenured (full) professor in one of the academic departments within the College of SBS. The successful candidate will have a demonstrated commitment to undergraduate and graduate education; a strong record of organizational innovation; a vision for how a new policy school will support the campus's strategic planning goal of becoming a destination of choice for talented students; a commitment to increasing the diversity of the faculty, student body and curriculum; an ability to serve as a vigorous champion for public policy research and teaching on campus, within the Commonwealth, nationally, and globally; and an ability to work effectively with faculty members, students, staff, administrators, alumni, legislators, non-profit leaders, members of the media and other external constituencies.  Our community is especially interested in problems connected to inequality and has a special passion for social change. While experience with fundraising from alumni, private donors, and foundations is not required, it will be a major responsibility for the director.

Additional Information:

The university is committed to active recruitment of a diverse faculty and student body.  The  University of Massachusetts Amherst is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer of women, minorities, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities and encourages applications from these and other protected group members.  Because broad diversity is essential to an inclusive climate and critical to the University's goals of achieving excellence in all areas, we will holistically assess the many qualifications of each applicant and favorably consider an individual's record working with students and colleagues with broadly diverse perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds in educational, research or other work activities. We will also favorably consider experience overcoming or helping others overcome barriers to an academic degree and career.

Application Instructions:

The appointment will be effective on or about September 1, 2016. Interested candidates should apply through Interview Exchange.  Candidates should include a curriculum vitae and a cover letter with a statement about the candidate's views on the role of public policy in a public research university, along with a concise description of the candidate's research. Letters of reference will only be requested for candidates who are finalists. For full consideration, ensure that your application is received by September 21, 2015, but review of applications will continue until a suitable candidate pool has been identified.  All applications will be treated as strictly confidential.