Director of Fellowship Program

Job Summary

Reporting to the Executive Director and in consultation with the Faculty Director, the Fellowship Program Director manages and implements a fellowship program with room for innovative and creative leadership. The fellowship program serves as a public face of the Hutchins Center and also steers and represents the most critical and cutting-edge African and African diaspora teaching, scholarship, and creativity globally. The program has been responsible for building scholarly communities that continue beyond the fellowship year. Through a combination of primarily in-person and some virtual programming, this position's reach extends beyond Harvard. The success of the position and the program is dependent on effective administration as well as on effective communication with the fellows as a group and as individuals. The position, which requires both managerial and intellectual skills, fosters a productive academic climate.

Program Management

Organizes and delivers a robust fellowship experience for 20-24 resident fellows annually through the management of ongoing programmatic events such as mandatory orientation activities, weekly colloquium series, a virtual Alumni Reading Series, workshops, and team-building activities; identifying external opportunities for fellows to share their interests; proactively generating new ideas/opportunities to deepen fellows' engagement and broadening fellows' capacity and reach across the Harvard University community.

Handles all communication with incoming fellows. Leads finance and other staff in advisement on housing, schooling, insurance, and other necessities. Works with Student Employment Office to facilitate research assistance. Leads and implements the procurement of visas for international scholars in the program in coordination with the Harvard International Office. Develops guidelines, policies, and procedures necessary for the smooth running of the fellowship program. Provides oversight to other Hutchins Center staff on execution of various programmatic elements.

Strategic Planning

Advises and works closely with senior Center management in the execution of the fellowship program's strategic goals. Designs, actively supports, and implements the development of new components in the fellowship program. Strategically and actively contributes to problem-solving in crucial areas including recruitment, application/selection process, programming, and health of fellowship community. Serves as chief contact for faculty for the purposes of fellowship programming, application process (selection committee), inquiries about fellows, general information about the program. Represents Hutchins Center in administration of joint fellowship programs. Cooperative and advisory work with the faculty and staff directors of closely associated/aligned programs, including other units within the Hutchins Center and, externally, the Center for African Studies, the Warren Center for American Studies, the Safra Center, the Film Study Center, and the Scholars at Risk Program, and Harvard University Libraries, among others.

Application Process

Oversees entire application process including assembling materials and directing faculty committee and electronic and technical aspects of process. Prepares initial review of applications for selection committee. Negotiates stipend and other contingencies with applicants. Leads event, media, and tech staff for execution of application process and for promoting over social media about fellowship program application. Creates reports on outcomes for review by Hutchins Center faculty director and executive director.

Community Building

Leads all aspects of on-boarding for new fellows. Fosters social and intellectual engagement of fellows. Serves as point of contact between the Hutchins Center and other University and academic institutions for joint programming and collaborative research opportunities. Maintains social media platforms. Introduces fellows to Boston and Cambridge through organized cultural group activities. Conducts climate and exit surveys.

Budget

Develops and manages budget for fellowship program in partnership with Center’s administrative leadership. Integral part of the stewardship of Hutchins Center resources.

Alumni Engagement

Builds and supports a Fellowship Alumni Network.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications

Bachelor's degree is required, plus relevant combination of training and experience. Five years of progressively responsible administrative or program management experience preferably in higher education or nonprofit sectors.

Additional Qualifications and Skills

The incumbent in this position will have: excellent interpersonal, group presentation, and facilitation skills; demonstrate commitment to multidisciplinary programming and foster diversity, inclusion, and belonging in all facets of the fellowship programming; ability to generate and integrate new ideas to improve processes beyond conventional approaches; ability to communicate effectively at all levels with people from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds. The incumbent will be self-motivated and manage multiple priorities under deadline with attention to detail, exercising discretion and judgment. Master's degree or higher; prior experience working with university academic programs, especially with community-building tools and platforms, are preferred.