Strategy And Operations Jobs in Utah (NOW HIRING)

Announcement
Details
Open Date
04/27/2026
Requisition Number
PRN44857B
Job Title
Operations Project Managers
Working Title
Associate Director of the Center for Civic Discourse and Debate
Career Progression Track
P00
Track Level
P3 - Career
FLSA Code
Administrative
Patient Sensitive Job Code?
No
Standard Hours per Week
40
Full Time or Part Time?
Full Time
Shift
Day
Work Schedule Summary
VP Area
Academic Affairs
Department
02476 - LAS Liberal Arts & Sciences
Location
Campus
City
Salt Lake City, UT
Type of Recruitment
External Posting
Pay Rate Range
70,000 to 90,000
Close Date
07/27/2026
Priority Review Date (Note - Posting may close at any time)
05/15/2026
Job Summary
The Center for Civic Discourse & Debate is seeking a creative and strategic Associate Director to help implement and achieve its ambitious goals as operations begin on the University of Utah campus. Working closely with the Center's director and leadership team, this position will play a critical role in implementing the Center's strategic vision. The Associate Director will ensure that the Center's objectives are executed consistently and communicated clearly across a range of audiences. The successful candidate will be a highly capable, relationship-driven professional with a strong focus on advancing the Center's mission. This individual will support planning and management of internal operations and Center programming from initiation through delivery.
Responsibilities include gathering input and data from stakeholders to evaluate objectives, define project scope, and establish clear deliverables.
This position is well suited for a professional who finds deep satisfaction in strategic execution and organizational discipline. Candidates who excel at coordination and enjoy maintaining a clear organizational identity while navigating complex professional relationships are encouraged to apply.
The Center for Civic Discourse & Debate serves as a non-partisan hub dedicated to transforming disagreement into productive dialogue through a rigorous four-pillar approach. By combining academic research in argumentation with "Debate Across the Curriculum" teaching models, the Center equips students and faculty with portable skills in advocacy & deliberation. Furthermore, the Center provides professional conflict resolution training and extensive community programming to foster productive disagreement. Grounded in process expertise rather than ideological advocacy, the Center maintains strict nonpartisanship to ensure that academic rigor translates directly into practical community impact.
Beginning operations in summer of 2026, The Center for Civic Discourse & Debate is a program within the Colleges of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS). LAS unites staff teams, strategy, operations and campus innovation across the Colleges of Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Science. Established in 2025, LAS is increasing the impact of staff functions across campus as well as to meet the challenges and opportunities in higher education.
Responsibilities
The Associate Director will be responsible for the daily operations of the Center and will be integral to the success of this initiative. This will be both an internal-facing role as well as an external one - working with faculty and stakeholders within the University as well as community members and other debate centers in higher education to share models, vocalize successes, and adapt best practices. This role will serve as primary faculty support in implementing the DAC model in the classroom as well as assessing the impact of the DAC curriculum. While the Director will establish Center priorities, the Associate Director will play a central role implementing the Center's vision and building connections across campus. The role involves working closely with internal departments to coordinate efforts and support the successful completion of projects. Throughout the process, the Associate Director will keep leadership informed of key developments and any issues that could affect timelines, budgets, or outcomes.
• Strategic Execution & Project Management: Translate high-level organizational goals into actionable project plans, maintaining the flexibility to pivot resources and priorities rapidly in response to shifting circumstances without losing momentum.
• Message Discipline & Advocacy: Serve as a primary ambassador for the Center's activities. This requires the ability to advocate strongly for the Center's mission and unique framing to external stakeholders while remaining adept at correcting misconceptions and ensuring the Center's identity is consistently represented.
• Partnership & Relationship Cultivation: Establish and maintain high-value relationships with internal and external partners. Utilize these connections to advance the Center's goals, ensuring all collaborators feel supported and aligned with the University's trajectory. This includes the strategic outreach to and integration of student cohorts and faculty contributors into the Center's ongoing projects.
• Operational Agility: Maintain a high level of comfort with shifting priorities.
Minimum Qualifications
Requires a bachelor's (or equivalency) + 4 years or a master's (or equivalency) + 2 years of directly related work experience. Assumes work equivalency (1 year of higher education can be substituted for 1 year of directly related work experience).
• Proven experience in staff-based project management, business operations, or non-profit leadership.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills to ensure that stakeholders (faculty, university leadership, community partners) are consistently supported and that their experience with the Center is seamless.
• Communication skills and comfort with working within a defined brand/strategic framework.
• Understanding of approaches to argumentation, debate, dialogue, conflict resolution, etc.
• Ability to manage multiple work streams and address emergent organizational needs
Preferences
Type
Benefited Staff
Special Instructions Summary
Additional Information
The University is a participating employer with Utah Retirement Systems ("URS"). Eligible new hires with prior URS service, may elect to enroll in URS if they make the election before they become eligible for retirement (usually the first day of work). Contact Human Resources at (801) 581-7447 for information. Individuals who previously retired and are receiving monthly retirement benefits from URS are subject to URS' post-retirement rules and restrictions. Please contact Utah Retirement Systems at (801) 366-7770 or (800) 695-4877 or University Human Resource Management at (801) 581-7447 if you have questions regarding the post-retirement rules.
This position may require the successful completion of a criminal background check and/or drug screen.
The University of Utah values candidates who have experience working in settings with students and possess a strong commitment to improving access to higher education.
Veterans' preference is extended to qualified applicants, upon request and consistent with University policy and Utah state law. Upon request, reasonable accommodations in the application process will be provided to individuals with disabilities.
Consistent with state and federal law, the University of Utah does not discriminate based upon race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, or protected veteran's status. The University does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the education program or activity that it operates, as required by Title IX and 34 CFR part 106. The requirement not to discriminate in education programs or activities extends to admission and employment. Inquiries about the application of Title IX and its regulations may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator, to the Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, or both.
To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability or if you or someone you know has experienced discrimination or sexual misconduct including sexual harassment, you may contact the Director/Title IX Coordinator in the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX (OEO). More information, including the Director/Title IX Coordinator's office address, electronic mail address, and telephone number can be located at the: University of Utah Non-Discrimination page.
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As per University of Utah policy 5-108: Transfer of Benefits Eligible Staff Members, a new hire to the University of Utah who is still serving a 12 month probationary period will not be hired into another University of Utah job (a transfer) until the successful completion of the probationary period.