"Academic Director (Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation)"

General Summary

The Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University (BCPI, the Center) seeks an Academic Director to manage the Center’s applied research and experiential learning portfolio of programs.

With the support of grants and other resources, the Center’s Academic Practice is responsible for building a knowledge base and demonstrating impact for the field of public innovation by developing thought leadership and sponsoring, conducting, and translating research relevant for practitioners in local governments.

Working closely with and under the supervision of the Executive Director of the Center and in collaboration with other senior leadership at the new Johns Hopkins University (JHU) School of Government and Policy (SoGP), the Academic Director leads a team that collaborates with faculty and students to develop and execute an applied research portfolio grounded in the Center’s public innovation programs, which seek to strengthen local government capacity to address important public problems. The Academic Director also oversees the Center’s Bloomberg Public Innovation Fellowship and a student-facing Summer Scholars program.

The Academic Director must have a forward-thinking mindset, with the vision to develop and lead programming and research strategies, manage a high-performing team, cultivate a strong network of partners, deliver impactful programs, and advance leading-edge research while empowering and benefiting a network of students, faculty, city leaders, and practitioners.

The ideal candidate will possess a strong academic research background to be able to shape the research agenda for the Center and identify collaboration opportunities with scholars and partners. They must also possess strong management capacity to effectively build and implement new programs and strategies in a fast-evolving environment.

The first of its kind in the world, the Center aims to advance the field of public sector innovation by marrying cutting-edge practice with world class research to transform the culture of government, deliver exceptional results for residents, and inspire trust in public service. The Center is housed within the new school alongside the Bloomberg Center for Government Excellence and the Black Wealth Data Center.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

• Design and develop an interdisciplinary research agenda and associated projects and programs to advance the field of public innovation, in collaboration with Center leadership, funders, and faculty from across the school and university.
• Oversee the efficient and effective production and dissemination of multiple research projects and other products (e.g., case studies) designed to contribute towards the body of knowledge for the field of public innovation.
• Design the frameworks supporting the provision of funding and other resource support to faculty and collaborating partners for research and student programming.
• Support university-wide initiatives that promote interdisciplinary collaborations, including student-focused academic programs and opportunities, such as the Summer Scholars program, research assistants, and development of public innovation-focused curricula or courses.
• Advance programming that engages faculty and government leaders in meaningful projects and collaborations.
• Contribute towards the Center’s standing as a highly respected international thought leader for public innovation and civic engagement practices.
• Keep abreast of relevant research in the field to identify opportunities for collaboration, amplification, and scholarly engagement.
• Coordinate with other JHU research centers and external stakeholders to align research agendas and collaborate on projects.
• Represent the Center to external stakeholders including governments, philanthropy, nonprofit organizations, and academic and public sector leaders.
• Continuously cultivate and manage a team of staff to support advancing the outlined responsibilities.
• Perform other duties, as assigned in support of BCPI, the school and university.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master's Degree in Finance, Business or related field.
• Five years of related experience, with at least three years managing staff.
• Additional education may substitute for required experience and additional related experience may substitute for required education beyond a high school diploma/graduation equivalent, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

Preferred Qualifications

• A PhD in a relevant field or J.D. degree
• Experience managing donor-funded programs and initiatives
• Experience working with cities or local governments
• Familiarity with administrative demands of research coordination, including funding and grantmaking processes and research compliance issues
• Experience managing teams and coordinating with external partners
• Interest in bridging research and praxis and growing a worldwide network of government innovation experts and practitioners
• Strong communications skills to serve as a persuasive representative for programs with cities, partner organizations, and students at public forums and elsewhere

Details

Posted: 25-Nov-25

Location: Baltimore, Maryland

Categories: Staff/Administrative

Internal Number: 119459-en_US 1

Classified Title: Sr. Program Manager

Job Posting Title (Working Title): Academic Director (Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation)

Role/Level/Range: ATP/04/PG

Starting Salary Range: $99,800 - $210,000 Annually (Commensurate w/exp.)

Employee group: Full Time

Schedule: Monday - Friday 9am-5pm

FLSA Status: Exempt

Location: Hybrid/Homewood Campus

Department name: Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation

Personnel area: School of Government & Policy