Director, Professional Development & Continuing Education

Full-Time Equivalent Hiring Range: $94,850 to $118,550; salary commensurate with relevant experience.

The School of Social Work at Boston College invites applications for the position of Director, Professional Development & Continuing Education. Reporting to the Dean, this role advances cross-cutting initiatives that strengthen the school's programming, relevance, and positioning in an evolving social, policy, and practice environment. The position focuses on identifying emerging trends and translating them into actionable strategies that enhance curriculum, program development, and external engagement.

The Director will support the development of new initiatives while collaborating with leadership and faculty to ensure alignment with current and emerging field needs. The role also leads strategic programming and special initiatives that enhance the school's visibility and intellectual leadership, and fosters connections across academic, practice, and policy communities. This position will develop and maintain the School of Social Work's professional development and continuing education programs. The Director provides leadership for cross-cutting initiatives that strengthen the school's professional development offerings, boost their relevance, and enhance the school's institutional standing in a rapidly changing social, policy, and practice landscape. Working closely with the Dean, senior leadership, and faculty, this role identifies emerging trends in social work practice, policy, and education, and converts them into actionable strategies that improve professional programs, faculty engagement, and external visibility. The Director will also oversee new social policy initiatives to improve practitioners' and undergraduate students' social policy analysis skills. These programs are both revenue-generating and reputation-enhancing.

Essential Functions of this position are as follows:

Strategic Foresight & Professional Development Relevance [30%]:

• Monitor and synthesize emerging trends in social work practice, workforce needs, policy, and higher education
• Translate insights into recommendations that inform professional development and continuing education program priorities
• Ensure academic offerings remain current, competitive, and aligned with evolving social work and inter-professional landscapes
• Identify and recruit instructors with contemporary social work practice and policy expertise
• Manage enrollment in CEUs

Program Innovation & Development [25%]:

• Support the design and development of new social policy initiatives, including for undergraduate and practicing professionals
• Identify opportunities for new short-term professional enhancement degrees, certificates, or thematic program areas
• Incubate and advance pilot initiatives that respond to emerging fields of social policy and social work practice

Social Policy Initiatives & Special Programming [30%]:

• Co-lead planning and execution of signature initiatives (e.g., 90th anniversary programming, social policy forums, and other social work professional events)
• Develop and implement special programs that connect academic work with pressing social issues and public discourse
• Collaborate with program Directors, external partners, and faculty to execute programming and professional social work events

External Engagement & Institutional Positioning [15%]:

• Support initiatives that bridge research, policy, and practice communities
• Identify opportunities to position the school as a leader in innovative and engaged scholarship
• Build and sustain relationships with practitioners, policymakers, and community partners
• Identify opportunities to enhance the school's reputation, reach, and impact
• Represent the school in relevant external forums and collaborations

This is a full-time position. Occasional evening or weekend hours when professional events are held. However, the Director may work outside regular working hours (if desired) in consultation with the Dean. The Program Director will be expected to participate in team meetings and collaborate with partners. All meetings will take place within regular working hours. Typical office working conditions are expected. This job involves no heavy lifting or exposure to other elements.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Social Work or a closely related field required
• MSW with practice experience required
• 5-10 years of progressively responsible experience in academic program leadership, administration, research, teaching, or related roles required
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex, cross-functional initiatives required
• Strong understanding of contemporary social work practice, policy environments, and workforce trends required
• Research training and literacy required
• Excellent organizational, communication, and relationship-building skills required
• Excellent communication skills - both written and oral - for communication with faculty and participants, as well as developing content/materials for CE website and promotional emails
• Excellent computer skills; ability to learn and become expert at Cvent registration system and Canvas Catalog online learning platform
• Technical proficiency with Microsoft Office suite, Google forms, Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Experience Manager, Canva, and image editing tools
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills
• Detail-oriented and multi-tasking, to manage myriad logistics of multiple ongoing programs
• Works closely and effectively with staff at all levels of the university
• Works independently, shows creative thinking and problem solving, and takes initiative
• Effectively manages virtual and on-campus programs and troubleshoots on the spot
• Interacts and deals effectively with a diverse population