Associate Director - Camden

Position Summary

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey is seeking a Associate Director – Camden for the Rutgers Democracy Lab (RDL). The Associate Director will be a vital administrative and programmatic leader for the Rutgers Democracy Lab (RDL) at Rutgers-Camden. Reporting to the RDL Director with a dotted line to the Senior Vice Chancellor for Strategy, Diversity and Community Engagement at Rutgers-Camden, the Associate Director is responsible for the overall strategic and operational management of the RDL's activities, programs, and partnerships at Rutgers-Camden. This role requires a highly organized, entrepreneurial, and collaborative individual capable of managing complex administrative processes, overseeing budgets and personnel, and serving as a key liaison to academic, civic, and community stakeholders to advance the RDL's mission of strengthening democracy through research and engagement.

Among the key duties of this position are the following:

• Develops, plans, and oversees the execution of all RDL-affiliated programs, events, and workshops on the assigned campus (e.g., policy forums, speaker series, civic engagement initiatives, Think and Do Tank).
• Works with the RDL Director to set and implement the strategic agenda for the campus location, translating the Lab's broad mission into actionable goals and outcomes that align with the local university and community priorities.
• Serves as the primary RDL liaison to academic, administrative, and external partners within the Camden ecosystem, including faculty, deans, local non-profits, and government officials.
• Manages and produces outreach materials (web content, newsletters, press releases) specific to the campus programs, ensuring a consistent and professional public profile.
• Manages the operational budget for the campus location, including tracking expenditures, processing purchasing requests, reconciling accounts, and ensuring compliance with university and grant guidelines working closely with the RDL Business Manager.
• Works closely with the RDL Director and University Foundation/Sponsored Research offices to assist in the drafting of proposals and manages the non-research administrative execution and reporting requirements for all awarded grants.
• Directly supervises, mentors, and manages the professional staff (e.g., Fellows, Graduate Assistants and student employees associated with the campus's RDL activities, including hiring and training.
• Ensures all campus-level RDL operations and programming adhere to university policies, procedures, and relevant compliance requirements (e.g., venue contracts, risk management).

The Eagleton Institute is a collaborative team. On occasion, all members are asked to participate in Institute-wide and/or cross-team projects.

Minimum Education and Experience

• Masters Degree in Public Policy, Political Science, Communications, Business Administration, or a related social science/liberal arts field.
• A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible professional experience in program management, non-profit administration, or higher education administration.

Equipment Utilized

Proficiency in standard office software and university administrative systems (e.g., financial, HR, project management tools).

Physical Demands and Work Environment

Eagleton offices are a historic building with no elevator; duties regularly involve navigating stairs multiple times per day. Reasonable accommodation may be requested for individuals with disabilities that limit stair navigation.

Special Conditions

This position is paid from a five-year gift, and continuation is contingent upon available funds. This position requires availability to work occasional evenings and weekends during the academic year.