Job Details
- Department: SW-School of Social Work-380100
- Career Area: Research Professionals
- Posting Open Date: 08/24/2026
- Application Deadline: 09/07/2026
- Open Until Filled: No
- Position Type: Permanent Staff (EHRA NF)
- Working Title: Africa Practicum, Faculty Exchange, and Regional Learning Initiative Project Coordinator
Be a Tar Heel!
This position may be eligible for a hybrid work arrangement that may include a partially remote work location, consistent with System Office policy. UNC Chapel Hill employees are generally required to reside within a reasonable commuting distance of their assigned duty station. If business needs change, an individual employee’s designation may be adjusted with a required minimum of ten (10) business days’ notice unless employee conduct or safety issues necessitate otherwise at the discretion of management.
A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation’s top public universities. Known for its beautiful campus, world-class medical care, commitment to the arts and top athletic programs, Carolina is an ideal place to teach, work and learn. One of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, Chapel Hill has diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community. University employees can choose from a wide range of professional training opportunities for career growth, skill development and lifelong learning and enjoy exclusive perks for numerous retail, restaurant and performing arts discounts, savings on local child care centers and special rates on select campus events. UNC-Chapel Hill offers full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package, paid leave, and a variety of health, life and retirement plans and additional programs that support a healthy work/life balance.
Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit
Global Social Development Innovations (GSDI) is a research center at the School of Social Work. GSDI’s mission is to generate evidence to advance youth well-being, globally.
Our work focuses on youth development in the digital age using the positive youth development framework. The PYD framework recognizes that for young people to become healthy, productive and engaged, programs, practices, and policies must partner with young people to improve their assets, agency, contributions, and enabling environment. Additionally, we recognize that in order to effectively engage young people we must not focus on ‘fixing’ behaviors but rather, we must build the connection, confidence, character, contributions, and competence of all young people.
GSDI formulates its research around three core intervention areas and their intersections. These cores are youth economic security, youth workforce development, and youth financial inclusion. The Center’s current initiatives span six countries in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana, India, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, and Zambia. GSDI works with local partners to improve the economic and social welfare of children, youth, and their families globally.
We focus on community driven initiatives, which requires meaningful partnerships and collaboration with multiple stakeholders. GSDI has a cadre of local, national, and global research, implementation and funding partners. GSDI collaborates with faculty members affiliated with various UNC schools and departments, as well as other Universities globally. GSDI also prides itself as a training center for graduate students in social work and related disciplines. Last, GSDI houses a Data Hub, which serves as a nexus point for sharing and utilizing research data from GSDI and collaborating sites in Ghana, South Africa, India, and beyond.
Position Summary
GSDI seeks a highly organized, collaborative, and globally minded Project Coordinator to support the development of an innovative model for global research, student learning, interdisciplinary practicum education, faculty exchange, and South-South collaboration across Africa. The initiative will begin in Kenya, where the Project Coordinator will work closely with the GSDI Director, the Kenya Children’s and Women’s Center (KWCWC), and the United States International University-Africa (USIU-Africa) to establish structured student practicum and experiential learning opportunities, faculty exchanges, and collaborative research activities. The position will support the development of research partnerships that connect academic scholarship with community-based practice and generate evidence relevant to the needs and priorities of children, women and families and communities.
The first phase will focus on establishing high-quality practicum opportunities for social work students at KWCW through the development of an interdisciplinary practicum model. The model will intentionally integrate research, evaluation, and knowledge generation with student learning and community engaged practice, creating opportunities to study implementation, document promising practices, assess program outcomes, and identify innovations that can inform social development practice.
The Project Coordinator will help establish the research, academic, programmatic, logistical, and partnership structures necessary to support student learning and faculty engagement in Kenya. Working with USIU-Africa, KWCWC, GSDI, and participating faculty, the role will help develop learning objectives, supervision structures, placement opportunities, faculty exchanges, and mechanisms for connecting academic learning with community-based practice and research.
The Project Coordinator will also support the GSDI faculty in the development and implementation of collaborative research activities. Responsibilities may include coordinating research projects and study activities; conducting literature reviews; supporting the development of research protocols and IRB submissions; coordinating data collection and management; monitoring project implementation; supporting qualitative and quantitative data analysis; contributing to research reports, manuscripts, presentations, and grant proposals; and facilitating dissemination of findings to academic, practitioner, policy, and community audiences. The position will also assist in identifying opportunities for faculty and student participation in ongoing and emerging research projects across partner institutions.
As the Kenya model develops, the initiative will expand to universities and community-based organizations in Zambia, Malawi, Ghana, and Rwanda, creating a regional network for interdisciplinary student learning, collaborative research, faculty engagement, and South-South knowledge exchange. The role will help identify common research priorities across participating countries and facilitate multi-country collaborations that examine shared social development challenges while recognizing the distinct cultural, institutional, and community contexts in which programs operate. A central objective of the initiative is to create opportunities for African universities and community-based organizations to generate, exchange, and disseminate locally grounded evidence and practice knowledge. Rather than relying primarily on knowledge transferred from outside the region, the initiative will facilitate opportunities for African partners to learn directly from one another, study locally developed innovations, conduct collaborative research, and build an evidence base that can strengthen social development policy and practice within the region and contribute to the broader global knowledge base.
Minimum Education and Experience Requirements
Master’s or Bachelor’s and 0-2 years’ experience; or will accept a combination of related education and experience in substitution.
Required Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience
- Degree in social work, public health, international development, education, global studies, public policy, or a related field.
- Demonstrated experience coordinating projects, programs, student learning activities, research, or complex initiatives.
- Excellent organizational and project management skills.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively with individuals from a range of cultural, professional, institutional, and disciplinary backgrounds.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities, institutions, and timelines.
- Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
- Ability to work independently while maintaining close communication with project leadership and partners.
- Proficiency with productivity and collaboration platforms.
Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience
The Project Coordinator will play a central role in translating this vision into an operational and sustainable regional platform that integrates research, education, practice, and partnership. The position will serve as an important bridge among GSDI faculty, students, African university partners, community-based organizations, and other collaborators, helping ensure that research and educational activities are mutually beneficial, locally responsive, and capable of producing knowledge with relevance for both scholarship and practice. Preferred qualifications include:
- Master’s degree in social work, public health, international development, education, global studies, or a related field.
- Experience with practicum education, experiential learning, international education, or student placements.
- Experience working with universities and community-based organizations.
- Experience working in Africa or with African institutions and organizations.
- Experience coordinating international partnerships or exchanges.
- Familiarity with interdisciplinary education and community-engaged learning.
- Experience with research, program evaluation, implementation, or knowledge dissemination.
- Experience preparing reports, presentations, practice briefs, or other knowledge products.
- Understanding of community-driven and locally led approaches to global social development.
Campus Security Authority Responsibilities
Not Applicable.
Organization
The nation’s first public university is at the heart of what’s next, preparing a diverse student body to become creators, explorers, innovators and leaders in North Carolina and throughout the world. Carolina’s nationally recognized, innovative teaching, campus-wide spirit of inquiry and dedication to public service continue the legacy that began in 1795 when the University first opened its doors to students.
Here, in one of America's most beautiful college settings, we offer exceptional careers in richly diverse fields. Come explore what UNC-Chapel Hill has to offer you.
- Undergraduate Enrollment: 19,117
- Graduate/Professional Enrollment: 10,894
- Total Student Enrollment: 30,011
- Founded: 1789, as the first state university in the United States
- Type of Institution: Public, four-year
- Undergraduate Admission: 15,961
- Graduate/Professional Enrollment: 10,039
- Total Student Enrollment: 26,000
- Faculty: 3,000
- Percentage of faculty who hold Ph.D.s or the highest degrees in their field: 94 percent
- Faculty/student ratio: 1/14
Location: UNC is located in the heart of Chapel Hill, the best college town in America! It's a friendly town of about 40,000 in the geographical center of North Carolina. Chapel Hill is at the western point of the Research Triangle, an area of about one million people, comprised of Chapel Hill, the cities of Durham and Raleigh, and the Research Triangle Park, home of many corporate offices and scientific research centers. Carolina is about 30 miles from the state capital, Raleigh, and 20 minutes from Raleigh-Durham International Airport.
Chapel Hill's main street, Franklin Street, borders the campus and offers shops, coffee houses, cafés, movie theaters and houses of worship. The town has a historic district, museum, library, parks, malls, and many recreational facilities.
Origins of Carolina's students: 82 percent of UNC's freshmen are from North Carolina and 18 percent are from out-of-state. Our students come from 42 different states and our international students represent 37 countries.
Size of freshman class: Approximately 3,400
Class size: Barely five percent of undergraduate classes contain more than 100 students; two-thirds of undergraduate classes have fewer than 30 students. Forty-one percent have fewer than 20 students, including First Year Seminars, in which first-year students work closely with professors.
Sports and athletic programs: UNC is an NCAA Division I school with 28 varsity teams. Carolina is the proud home of the Dean Smith Center, Kenan Stadium, Carmichael Auditorium, Koury Natatorium, and many other fine athletic facilities. Students join more than 60 intramural and club sports, which include baseball, bowling, crew, golf, lacrosse, rock climbing, rugby, tae kwon do, and ultimate frisbee. The Student Recreation Center offers weight training, aerobics, stair machines, and all the equipment you would expect to find at a great health club! Carolina offers a newly renovated outdoor pool and indoor pools, a golf course, tennis courts, and the longest zipline in America!
Number of residence halls: Incoming undergraduates will live in one of Carolina's 29 residence halls, which are wired for Internet access and cable television. housing.unc.edu
Scholarships and financial aid: About 40 percent of UNC-Chapel Hill students receive scholarships and/or some form of financial aid. studentaid.unc.edu
Special research institutes: Institute for Research in Social Science, Institute of Outdoor Drama, Morehead Planetarium, Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise, Institute of Government, Institute of African American Research.
Career services: On-campus counseling, job fairs, résumé writing service, internships, placement services. www.unc.edu/depts/career
Technological facilities: Students find multiple uses for Carolina's state-of-the-art technological resources. They can access Carolina's computer services through Academic Technology and Networks, which manages academic computing, e-mail, microcomputing labs, interactive media presentation, video and classroom support, and a help desk. The MetaLab oversees the development of SunSITE, one of the world's busiest digital library and electronic publishing projects.
Students may open e-mail accounts, and many use campus computer resources to construct personal Web pages. Students in residence halls have hardwired network connections to the Internet and cable television in their rooms. At the ATN Training center, students may take classes on software packages and utilities. Computer labs are available for student use all over campus.
Carolina Computing Initiative: Beginning with the freshman class of 2000, undergraduates must purchase laptop computers. The University has arranged for IBM to offer computers at excellent prices. Students, faculty, and staff will enjoy cost savings, higher quality compatible equipment, and better technical support through CCI. www.unc.edu/cci
The Study Abroad program allows students to live and learn in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific Rim, Africa, and the Americas. www.unc.edu/depts/abroad
The Honors Program offers special seminars, research programs, and the chance to design your own independent studies. www.unc.edu/depts/honors
Carolina students spend time in public service through student organizations, the Campus Y, the Carolina Center for Public Service, and courses that incorporate community service.
UNC's chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, a national collegiate honor society, is the oldest in North Carolina, dating from 1904. There are many other honorary societies at Carolina.
UNC offers ROTC programs in all branches of national military service.
Through the First Year Seminars program, first year students will understand what it means to study at a premier research university. They will learn from faculty members and share in their research in seminars of no more than 20 students.
Life outside the classroom: More than 370 clubs, teams, and student organizations offer something for everyone! You can choose from among musical and dramatic performing groups, publications, ethnic and religious clubs, the Campus Y and other service organizations, fraternities and sororities, and pre- professional organizations. Whatever your interests, you will find others at Carolina who share them! www.unc.edu/depts/union/student/listintr.htm
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