BACKGROUND

The UC Davis Center for Regional Change (CRC) is a catalyst for collaborative and action-oriented research that is grounded in social and environmental justice. The CRC brings together multi-disciplinary campus partners and multi-sector community partners to explore and address topics that transcend jurisdictional boundaries. The CRC collaborates with partners toward developing healthy, diverse, inclusive, equitable, prosperous, and sustainable regions in California and beyond. The CRC uses the frameworks of community-based participatory research (CBPR) and youth-led participatory action research (YPAR) to produce inclusive and equitable research. The CRC democratizes data through the
development of communication platforms, spatial visualization tools, models for community engagement, technical assistance, and curricular development. The CRC prioritizes the topics of social and environmental justice, civic and youth engagement, food and housing security, transportation, and health equity. The CRC centers the knowledge and priorities of peoples who have been historically marginalized from institutional research activities. The CRC leverages its location in close proximity to the state capital within the heart of California's Central Valley to promote research that influences policy and legislation using collective community voice.

The CRC builds bridges between academic disciplines and between the campus and its broader communities to ensure that its research has the highest degrees of rigor, relevance, and reach for positive policy impacts. The CRC is housed within and receives core support from the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CA&ES).

NATURE AND PURPOSE

Academic Coordinators are appointees who administer academic programs that provide service closely related to the teaching or research mission of the University. This service may be provided to academic departments, to organized research units, to students, or to the general public. Determination of the appropriate level for an appointment for an Academic Coordinator shall take into consideration such factors as program scope and complexity. The duties of an Academic Coordinator are primarily administrative. Individuals in an Academic Coordinator title who are assigned research or instructional duties are required to hold a dual title.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES AND DESIGNATED AREAS OF EXPERTISE

1. Coordination of Academic Programs (85%)

Organizational Management and Leadership
The Executive Director reports to the Faculty Director, whose responsibility is overall center vision and strategy. The Faculty Director directly supervises the Executive Director and Director of Community Development. The Director of Community Development supervises community engagement staff, and
the Executive Director supervises all other staff. The Executive Director provides operational and administrative leadership for the CRC. The Executive Director is responsible for the administration of a program with a broad, interdisciplinary scope that involves faculty from multiple colleges and schools at UC Davis, other UC campuses, and a wide range of public and private agencies. Primary responsibilities include the oversight of administration, management, and coordination of significant research and outreach programs with broad and substantial complexity. The Executive Director primarily fulfills their
responsibilities independently but is also part of a collaborative executive leadership team with the Faculty Director and Director of Community Engagement. The Executive Director also consults with the CRC’s faculty affiliates from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and other disciplines, as well as experts and industry leaders from public, private, and nonprofit organizations.

Strategic Planning
The Executive Director collaborates with the Faculty Director, staff members, and stakeholders in guiding the CRC’s short- and long-term planning, and the development of new CRC projects and in setting, implementing, assessing, and adapting the strategic objectives for the CRC. The Executive Director takes into consideration the needs of multiple constituencies; evaluates academic program activities and functions; communicates and cooperates with faculty in its program areas; develops interdisciplinary collaborations; and initiates programs that develop new strategic directions.

Staff Supervision
The Executive Director is responsible for the direction and supervision of a mid-sized staff team of interdisciplinary professionals that specialize in qualitative and quantitative research, data visualization, and translating research for non-academic audiences. In collaboration with the Faculty Director, the Executive Director hires, supervises, and mentors administrative and program staff and also supervises and mentors students conducting research through the CRC, when appropriate.

Budget Management
In consultation with the Faculty Director and the CA&ES Dean’s Office, the Executive Director develops the Center’s annual budget, including both internal and extramural funds. In consultation with the Faculty Director, the Executive Director oversees all CRC budgets, personnel, finances and facilities. The Executive Director manages and reports on all program funds, as required by University policies and procedures. The Executive Director collaborates with the Faculty Director in seeking external funding through grants, contracts, and individual donors and will assist broader College and University fund
development efforts to support research projects involving the CRC.

Campus Partnership Management
The Executive Director collaborates with the Director of Community Engagement in supporting broad, interdisciplinary applied research projects that frequently encompass several colleges and schools within the campus, as well as other UC campuses. The support can include identifying potential funding and contracting opportunities, convening potential faculty and staff researchers, and providing administrative and programmatic support for research teams. In addition, the Executive Director will maintain positive working relationships with administrative staff at the CA&ES Dean’s Office, Office of Research, Office of the Provost, Office of the Chancellor, and other campus partners. The Executive Director will collaborate with the Faculty Director and CRC stakeholders in developing a vision and strategy for these campus partnerships.

Community Partnership Management
The Executive Director cultivates and maintains relationships with current and potential strategic external partners. These partners can include organizations from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors working in the areas of policy, advocacy, business, and philanthropy. Activities include meeting regularly with key stakeholders, attending meetings with stakeholder groups, participating in collaboratives, and organizing events and convenings. The Executive Director develops strategies to communicate CRC activities to external constituencies, including media, current and potential funders, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and the general public. The Executive Director collaborates with the Faculty Director and CRC stakeholders in developing a vision and strategy for these community partnerships.

2. Professional Competence (10%)

The Executive Director participates in professional societies and conferences appropriate to their specific field. They give oral presentations to public and professional interest groups, or at seminars, meetings or educational functions.

3. University and Public Service (5%)

The Executive Director participates in the administration of their units and the University through appropriate roles in governance and policy formulation. In addition, they represent the University in their special capacity as scholars during the discharge of their responsibilities.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree (Masters required, Ph.D. preferred) or equivalent experience in city and regional planning, geography, sociology, public policy, public health, public administration, or related field.
• Extensive experience with fund development and grant management from foundations, individual donors, and public sources.
• Experience with human resources, staff development and mentoring (with both professional and student staff).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience with media relations, publicity, and strategic communications.
• Broad understanding of regional planning and policy issues in California and nationally.
• Ability to effectively engage with a diversity of constituents (faculty, students, administration funders, policy makers, advocates, business leaders) from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds.

Applications:

Applications should be submitted on-line at (https://recruit.ucdavis.edu/).
Applicants should submit:

• Curriculum Vitae (required);
• Cover Letter (required);
• Statement of Contributions to Diversity (required);
• Relevant Publications or Products, 1-2 (optional);
• Statement of Research (optional);
• 5 Reference Names-Extramural (required).

The position will remain open until filled. To ensure consideration, applications should be received by 7/25/2023 (Initial review date).

Salary: $74,896-149,513

UC Davis is a smoke and tobacco-free campus (http://breathefree.ucdavis.edu/).

We are an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer, and particularly encourage applications from members of historically underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, women, individuals’ with disabilities, veterans, LGBTQ community members, and others who demonstrate the ability to help us achieve our vision of a diverse and inclusive community. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct

Under Federal law, the University of California may employ only individuals who are legally able to work in the United States as established by providing documents as specified in the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Certain UC Davis positions funded by federal contracts or sub-contracts require the selected candidate to pass an E-Verify check. More information is available at: http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify

The University of California, Davis (UC Davis) is committed to inclusive excellence by advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in all that we do. UC Davis celebrates the multi-cultural diversity of its community by creating a welcoming and inclusive environment demonstrated through a variety of resources and programs available to academics, staff, and students. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are core values of UC Davis that are embedded within our Principles of Community and are tied with how to best serve our student population. Our excellence in research, teaching, and service can best be fully realized by members of our academic community who share our commitment to these values, which are included in our Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Vision, our strategic plan: “To Boldly Go,” our Principles of Community, the Office of Academic Affairs’ Mission Statement, and the UC Board of Regents Policy 4400: Policy on University of California Diversity Statement. UC Davis is making important progress towards our goal of achieving federal designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and an Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander-Serving Institution. The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion offers a plethora of resources on their website, and the Office of Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (HEDI) has outlined similar goals in their Anti-Racism and DEI Action Plan.” There are a plethora of links available on the About Us webpage where you can learn more about our Administration, Diversity and Inclusion, Rankings, Locations, Native American Land Acknowledgement, Sustainability, Visiting UC Davis, UC Davis Health, and Campus Safety.

The university is consistently ranked among the top institutions in the world for campus sustainability practices by the UI Green Metric World University Rankings. UC Davis is focused on achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and repeatedly shown its commitment to preserving a healthy and sustainable environment for generations to come.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.