Senior Director, CIRCLE - Tufts University

The Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University is a national leader in civic education and engagement that sets the standard for higher education’s role in advancing the greater good. The only university-wide college of its kind, the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life studies and promotes the civic and political engagement of young people at Tufts University, in our communities, and in our democracy.

CIRCLE (the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement) is a non-partisan, independent research organization focused on youth civic engagement in the United States. CIRCLE conducts extensive research on youth participation and leverages that research to improve opportunities for all young people to acquire and use the skills and knowledge they need to meaningfully participate in civic life. CIRCLE is especially concerned with understanding, addressing, and ultimately eliminating the systemic barriers that keep some young people marginalized from and underrepresented in civic life.

CIRCLE is interested in the academic, social, professional, and economic benefits to young people and to their communities when they engage in civic life. The Center seeks to understand and improve the contexts and conditions that shape youth civic and political engagement, which are too often inequitable, with special emphasis on civic education's role in preparing youth to participate in democracy. Based in a university and committed to rigor, CIRCLE generates research to inform policy and practice in order to drive substantive change–whether in the classroom, on a college campus, at the county clerk's office, or within a community organization–that promotes stronger youth development and a more inclusive society. An advisory board for CIRCLE provides strategic input.

This is a hybrid position expected to be in the office 3 days per week in Medford/Somerville MA. Expect to travel approximately two times per month on average, particularly during academic year, mainly within the U.S. Evening hours are expected at intermittent times of the year (1-2 times a week) to participate in donor-engagement, media and other stakeholder activities.

The Senior Director, CIRCLE (also referred to as the Newhouse Senior Director) reports to the Associate Dean for Strategy, Entrepreneurship & Global Programs. In addition to directing a 15 member staff, the Senior Director will lead the Center’s efforts to grow and amplify its mission, reach, and leadership in the civic engagement field. Serving as chief spokesperson, the Senior Director is responsible for securing financial resources for CIRCLE and supporting Tisch College’s institutional advancement by serving as a key organizational leader. Working closely with an internal-facing Director of Strategy & Culture, this position will excel at: developing new partnerships and opportunities; representing CIRCLE with external stakeholders; fundraising; and managing resources on behalf of the organization. They will represent CIRCLE in high-level coalitions and field settings; and provide mentorship and leadership in the larger civic research and youth engagement space in the U.S.

Responsibilities include:

Fundraising, Resource Procurement and Management

• Prospects and stewards funding organizations, coordinates with Tufts University advancement and Tisch College principals for fundraising activities, presents at donor-relevant convenings, and oversees the writing of grant proposals, budgets, and reports
• Aligns CIRCLE impact goals with budget and fundraising goals and developing fundraising targets with the Dean of Tisch College

Leadership, Spokesperson and Mentorship in the Civic Sector

• Provides advice and forges connections with others within the civic engagement field, including academics, practitioners, and policymakers, participates in high-stakes national meetings, coalitions and advisory groups, represents CIRCLE in public and with the media
• Supports to nurture a professional network that includes young leaders, and manages and coaches staff to contribute to institutional leadership development

Strategy Development and Oversight

• Plays a key role in strategy conversations, in collaboration with staff, to co-create and communicates a strategic vision for CIRCLE and cultivates aligned initiatives
• Works with staff to bring leadership and insights from the field to inform strategy, reflects advice and input from the Advisory Board, and maintains close collaboration with the internally facing Director of Strategy & Culture who will oversee strategy implementation

Program Design

• Participates in program and project design, sets up project teams, provides design input, and mentors project heads who are growing as managers and leaders
• Serves as an ad-hoc analyst and thought partner, adding capacity to priority research projects as needed

Participation and Partnership within Tisch College and Tufts

• Takes part in the civic life of Tisch College by being an active and engaged Senior Director-level leader in the conversations and decisions made by Tisch College
• Identifies relevant field-level information and opportunities to Tisch College Deans and colleagues

• Knowledge and skills as typically acquired through completion of an advanced degree
• 15 or more years of executive or senior-level leadership experience, with supervisory responsibilities, in the civic engagement field (or related) through roles such as Executive Director, Director of Development, Director of Impact, Director of External Affairs & Partnerships, or Policy Director (or similar)
• Demonstrated results fundraising for an organization, as well as cultivating and strengthening relationships with foundations, individual donors, the media and other institutional stakeholders
• Ability to responsively communicate a clear vision, research agenda and objectives on behalf of an organization to a diverse group of external stakeholders including policymakers, educators at all levels, the media, and donors
• Understanding of the civic research field, youth-led movements, and related sectors
• An appreciation for academic research and ability to promote and use it
• Commitment to and demonstrated experience communicating effectively with those different from themselves and creating strategies that seek to increase inclusive democratic participation

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working in larger, multi-layered institutional settings
• Track record of entrepreneurial activities and projects that demonstrate an ability to innovate and deliver results
• Experience and ability to network effectively, build strong interpersonal professional relationships, and interpret and convey field dynamics
• Demonstrated capacity for system-level analysis and designing change strategies
• Vision to hold oneself accountable for the success of the organization, while also taking proactive steps to support and serve the youth civic engagement field