Career Services

Job Description Summary

The Program for Leadership and Character is seeking a visionary, creative, and strategic Director to lead the Educating Character Initiative, an exciting new initiative funded by a five-year, $30 million grant from the Lilly Endowment, Inc. to build the capacity of U.S. colleges and universities to educate character. The Director will lead all aspects of this innovative initiative with support from leaders of the Program for Leadership and Character. The Director will develop and execute a comprehensive strategic vision; hire, manage, and mentor new staff; recruit and coordinate senior fellows in character education, research and assessment, and program and pedagogical development; and facilitate an external advisory board. The Director will also have an opportunity to shape the future of higher education by leading the design and oversight of a granting initiative that includes planning grants of up to $50,000, subgrants from $250,000 to $1 million, and individual grants to faculty and staff to facilitate character education at U.S. colleges and universities. The Director will represent the Program for Leadership and Character and Educating Character Initiative to external audiences and serve as a high-level point of contact for interested faculty, staff, and administrators. The Director will be responsible for leading the team in organizing major conferences and convenings on character in higher education, developing research and resources for faculty and staff, building external partnerships and collaborations, and communicating the value of the initiative to internal and external stakeholders. The Director will report to the Executive Director of the Program for Leadership and Character and work closely with the Director of Leadership and Character in the Professional Schools and the Senior Advisor, along with other Program staff.
The ideal candidate will have experience managing staff; developing and implementing a strategic vision; reviewing, making, and administering grants; coordinating organizational networks; leading a complex organization; and/or working with multiple stakeholders. Some familiarity with character education and/or higher education is preferred. We welcome applications from candidates who have some or all of these qualifications. This is a five-year, grant-funded position supported by a multi-year grant from the Lilly Endowment but will be considered for funding beyond the initial term. Our preferred candidate will be able to work in person at Wake Forest University, but candidates desiring a remote appointment will be considered.
Applicants should submit 1) a cover letter explaining your interest in and qualifications for the position and how you will draw on your expertise and experience to lead this new initiative, 2) a resumé or curriculum vitae, and 3) contact information for three professional references who can speak to your suitability for this position. Applications received before March 20, 2023 will be given priority consideration.
About the Program for Leadership and Character:
The Program for Leadership and Character inspires, educates, and empowers leaders of character to serve humanity. Through innovative teaching, creative programming, and cutting-edge research, the Program aims to transform the lives of students, foster an inclusive culture of leadership and character at Wake Forest, and catalyze a broader public conversation that places character at the center of leadership. Over the last decade, Wake Forest faculty have become leading experts in the study of character, and the Program for Leadership and Character has been profiled as a national leader in character education. The Program has received major grants from the John Templeton Foundation, Lilly Endowment, and the Kern Family Foundation, as well as other foundations and supporters. Most recently, the Program received a $30 million grant from Lilly Endowment, Inc. to extend its work at Wake Forest and become the hub of a national higher education network devoted to educating character. For more information about the Program, see https://leadershipandcharacter.wfu.edu/ For more information about the grant that funds the Educating Character Initiative, see https://news.wfu.edu/2023/01/24/wake-forest-university-awarded-30m-lilly-endowment-inc-grant-to-build-national-capacity-for-character-education/
About Wake Forest University:
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational institution dedicated to academic excellence in liberal arts, graduate, and professional education. Located in Winston-Salem, NC (“The City of Arts and Innovation”), the University has a deep institutional commitment to public service and engagement with the world, as indicated by the motto Pro Humanitate (for humanity), which encourages students to develop the qualities of human character needed to serve humanity. With the aim to educate the whole person, the University has established an innovative Program for Leadership and Character that offers creative programming and courses to help students develop the character needed to lead ethically in an increasingly complex world.

Required Education, Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Master’s degree, plus five to seven years of experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Ability to develop and implement a strategic vision.
• Experience with managing and mentoring personnel and working on a collaborative team.
• Experience making and administering grants and/or coordinating an organizational network.
• Excellent interpersonal and communications skills, both verbally and in writing. Ability to develop and nurture relationships with organizations and individuals from diverse backgrounds and institutions.
• Excellent organizational and administrative skills; ability to establish goals, prioritize tasks, mobilize resources, and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• The ability to think creatively, communicate strategically, and expand a range of relevant audiences.
• Ability to analyze and solve problems, make decisions, and proactively respond to potential challenges.

• Ability to work independently and acquire knowledge of new systems in a short time period. Demonstrated ability to be a self-starter who takes initiative, works with minimal supervision, and completes tasks without prompting.
• Experience with, and sensitivity to, diverse audiences and the ability to communicate in ways that respect and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Good character, sound judgment, and a strong work ethic; high degree of professionalism, integrity, and dependability.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain strict confidentiality of sensitive information and records in accordance with state and federal laws and professional ethics; ability to manage and distribute information appropriately.
• Ability to represent the Program and the University in a professional manner. 
• Openness to feedback and a commitment to personal and professional growth.

Preferred Education, Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Advanced degree.
• Familiarity with character and character education.
• Familiarity with higher education.
• Familiarity with grantmaking to and from higher education institutions.