"Associate Director of Higher Education and Capacity Building"

Job Details

Higher Education and Capacity Executive Leadership (50%)

• Provides direction in the overall planning, development and timely execution of the institute’s multiple training, higher education, and visitor programs. Oversees STRI's capacity building, teaching, and training relationships with organizations and institutions in Panama, Latin America, and around the world. Provides vision and oversight of STRI’s Internship and Fellowship programs including Visitor Service Office. This includes developing a multipronged strategy for building capacity locally and regionally, identifying new funding sources for these programs, engaging with funders and partners, and establishing a supported, connected and engaged Fellowship and Internship community by supporting opportunities and activities (e.g., training, symposia, etc.) to promote exchange among early career scientists working across our facilities.
• Provides vision and oversight of STRI’s relationship with undergraduate and graduate-level courses hosted at STRI and/or built and operated by STRI. This work will include assessing positive and negative impacts of course activities and evolving our current course work to increase revenues to STRI, increase positive impacts on the STRI research community, minimize negative impacts, and support more opportunities for emerging science leaders from Latin America.

Coordination and Strategic Vision (30%)

• Coordinates objectives and programming to address the educational needs of multicultural and international communities. Manages multiple projects at varying stages of development while navigating both federal and trust funded environments.
• Collaborates with leaders, external groups, partners, donors, and board members at local, national, and international levels. Develops strategic and tactical education plans that leverage STRI's strengths and engage the higher education and capacity-building communities.

Supervisory Duties (20%)

• Directs a staff of professional, technical, and support employees. Exercises supervisory duties to include full performance management duties. These duties include writing position descriptions and performance plans, conducting performance appraisals, and recommending organizational changes, performance, or special act awards. Keeps leadership apprised of disciplinary or other employee relation issues involving key subordinates and prepares adverse or disciplinary actions. Supervises a broad team from Academic Programs and Visitor Services Office. Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Mastery knowledge of educational program planning, including program development and evaluation to guide the strategic direction of academic programs with a focus on tropical ecosystems, biodiversity, and sustainable development.
• Skill in leading global initiatives to promote higher education in tropical studies.
• Skill in written communication sufficient to accomplish effective donor communications, grant applications, and sponsorship proposals that secure substantive financial support from foundations and corporations.
• Strong, demonstrated scientific writing skills and excellent in-person communication skills in both Spanish and English.

Conditions of Employment

Conditions of employment include the successful completion of a background investigation. The position is based in Panama and will be filled under an indefinite trust appointment at the Grade 15 level Step 1 of the OPM 2025 Pay Table (https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/salary-tables/pdf/2025/GS.pdf) for international professionals. The selected candidate will also be eligible to receive allowances and differentials in accordance with the Department of State Standardized Regulations (DSSR) and specific institutional policies. This position may be filled locally (Panamanian Citizens or Resident with valid Work Permit), under local laws on a indefinite trust appointment at the grade 15 step 1 of the local compensation table. No allowances and differentials apply to local employees.

How to Apply

To apply all applicants, please submit the following documents in English: (1) a cover letter detailing your interest in and qualifications for the position, (2) a current curriculum vitae (CV), and (3) the contact information for three professional references. All application materials must be submitted by email to strisearch@si.edu with the subject line: Associate Director for Higher Education and Capacity Application – [Your Full Name]. A full list of knowledge and requirements is available through this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1K2WqVKfgyieUlF9GLudc9QMY2oqFz8J9/view?usp=drive_link