Deputy Director of Higher Education

The Hunt Institute’s mission is to provide unbiased research, technical expertise, and learning opportunities that equip and empower educators and policymakers to drive equitable reforms and become audacious champions for education.

Since its establishment in 2001, The Institute has emerged as a recognized and credible leader in the movement to transform American public education and a go-to source for reliable, objective, and timely information. The Institute works at the intersection of education policy and politics, supporting state and national officials and empowering them to drive education reform. Its mandate is to inspire and equip elected officials and senior policymakers to make informed decisions that improve the lives of all children. The Institute’s primary audience consists of governors, legislators, and other elected and state-level policymakers.

Position

The Deputy Director of Higher Education (DDHE) will play a pivotal role in advancing The Hunt Institute’s strategy to support policymakers and practitioners who seek to help students access higher education, successfully pursue and attain a certificate or degree, and enter the workforce. The Deputy Director will help to promote and diversify funding; continue to raise The Institute’s profile through external communications and partnerships to help build a broader, more innovative portfolio of The Institute’s Higher Education programs and offerings. The Deputy Director will report directly to the Director of Higher Education. The Deputy Director will be based out of The Institute’s office in Cary, North Carolina.

To apply, please submit cover letter, along with a résumé and a writing sample (no more than 5 pages; sections from a longer paper can be submitted)

Responsibilities

• Provide higher education subject matter expertise to position The Hunt Institute as the go-to call for policymakers on education policy.

• Supervise the development of agendas for national programming and higher education team specific programming; identify and approve resource experts; and ensure the quality of all related materials.
• Maintain project schedules and timelines, delegating tasks, identifying dependencies, and driving awareness and crisp execution against major due dates.
• Supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting performance objectives, establishing a supportive environment while emphasizing accountability, providing regular and timely constructive performance feedback, and leading documented semi-annual performance reviews.
• With support from the Director and members of the leadership team, support a strategy for all Institute postsecondary initiatives.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with executive-level higher education leaders nationally.
• Accept and complete any other task or duty as assigned.

Qualifications

• Commitment to The Hunt Institute’s mission and vision, alongside a passion for challenging entrenched systems of educational inequity and bettering public education for all children.
• Exceptional project management skills with a proven track record of moving complex projects from big ideas through to implementation.
• Experience successfully executing large events.
• Experience working for political campaigns, PACs, advocacy campaigns, or political committees a plus.
• Ability to engage diverse audiences, including senior-level elected officials, both as a discussion moderator and in one-on-one conversation.
• Ability and willingness to both identify obstacles and build systems and structures to overcome them.
• A strong work ethic, with a results-oriented philosophy and personal qualities of trustworthiness, openness, accessibility, kindness, flexibility, and a sense of humor.
• Ability to handle multiple assignments and meet deadlines.
• Ability to pay attention to accuracy and detail while thinking broadly.
• Bachelor’s degree is required; an advanced degree is preferred.
• Minimum of five years demonstrated program management experience and leadership.
• Ability to travel (anticipated 25%).

Ideal candidates will also demonstrate: