Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) CENTER DIRECTOR

The search committee will accept nominations and applications until the position is filled but screening of candidates begins immediately. Confidential nominations and applications, including curriculum vitae, letter of interest, and the names of three references, should be submitted as one document. 

Reporting to the Director of the Institute for Social Research (ISR), the Center Director of ICPSR is responsible for the operations and personnel within the Center, and fostering a collaborative and productive relationship with the ICPSR Council who represent the 800+ academic and research bodies of the consortium. The ICPSR Council provides governance on behalf of the Consortium membership and advises the ISR Director regarding the operations of ICPSR. This individual will lead the faculty and staff, seek external funding, and be prepared to speak prominently, nationally and internationally, on behalf of issues related to social science and its data infrastructure. We seek candidates whose background, experience, and vision for the future will provide innovative leadership of ICPSR in the context of the rapidly changing worlds of social science research, data, education, and information technology, as envisioned within the greater context of ISR.

Candidates must have:

• Ph.D. or the equivalent in a field related to the interests of ICPSR as well as significant understanding of social science research, data, and instruction.
• A record of scholarly excellence, success in garnering external funding, recruiting and mentoring others, and leading change in an organization.
• Candidates must be proactive and adept builders of relationships with other institutions and agencies involved in or supporting the collection and promulgation of large-scale data.
• They must be clear and open communicators with staff at all levels.
• Demonstrate the ability to successfully lead and manage an organization that has a diverse portfolio of funding sources. They will know how to set strategic priorities and policy for data curation and management, particularly as these relate to rapidly changing technology, user needs, institutional roles, and funding models.
• Strong business skills are essential. Sound judgement, intellectual and practical agility, energy, and the organizational skills to handle multiple projects simultaneously are all critical.

The Institute for Social Research (ISR) at the University of Michigan seeks to create a community of respect and authentic collaboration by recruiting and retaining individuals that represent a variety of voices as a reflection of our commitment to serve the people of Michigan, to maintain the excellence of the university, and to ground our research in varied disciplines, perspectives, and ways of knowing and learning.