February 18, 2022

The UMass Amherst Office of Faculty Development is accepting applications for the Director of Faculty Development position to be filled as a non-tenure track faculty position.

The Office of Faculty Development was launched in summer 2019 to serve faculty across the campus. OFD already has had significant engagement and success with the faculty, along with being considered a national model for faculty development programming.

The Director of Faculty Development provides leadership in the creation, implementation, and evaluation of signature programs and new initiatives to enhance the success of all UMass Amherst faculty. The Director is directly involved in overall strategic planning for faculty development, including determining the appropriate support, resources, programming and training opportunities to facilitate faculty professional growth.

The Director is also responsible for overall design and oversight of faculty development initiatives, including new faculty onboarding and orientation, faculty mentoring, programming and workshops, and other areas consistent with the mission of the Office of Faculty Development and the Director’s interests and expertise.

The Director reports to the Associate Provost for Faculty Development and works closely with faculty fellows to develop, plan, and launch new programs. 

Primary Responsibilities:

  • Candidates for this position must have strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively with faculty and staff. They must work collaboratively and effectively to promote teamwork, diversity, equity, and inclusiveness. 
  • Lead the development and implementation of the strategic plan for faculty development; work in concert with the APFD to assess campus needs for faculty support, identify gaps in services, and refine the vision for faculty development within the context of the University and Provost’s Office’s missions.  
  • Design, implement and assess in-person and virtual programs, learning communities, and/or resources for faculty development in professional areas outside of teaching. Develop new initiatives for faculty programming.  
  • Ensure signature programs of OFD are effectively delivered. Oversee the assessment of programming success. These programs include: 
    • Early Career Programming. Develop activities and hold programs to orient and onboard new faculty. Plan, oversee, and facilitate New Faculty Orientations in August and January annually. Create and implement a monthly orientation seminar for first year faculty, collaborating with campus partners as appropriate. Oversee the development, updating, and dissemination of prospective faculty, new faculty, and OFD materials, in print and online.   
    • Mutual Mentoring Program. Direct and manage the Mutual Mentoring Program.  Oversee the grants application process and provide guidance to faculty teams for mentoring proposal creation through information sessions and individual consultations.  Facilitate mentoring team grant and micro-grant recipients. Provide strategic input and collaborate with APFD and Faculty Fellows on additional mentoring initiatives; develop and support faculty mentoring workshops.  
    • Scholarly Writing Programming. Design and offer scholarly publishing workshops annually. Oversee writing retreats and writing accountability group programming. 
  • Develop and maintain positive relationships with offices and colleges across the campus to deliver faculty programming. Collaborate effectively with relevant offices, such as the Office of Research and Engagement, the Office of Equity and Inclusion, and with Deans and Associate Deans across the colleges. 
  • Effectively supervise a professional staff position, graduate assistants, and student workers. Direct the OFD Communications & Events Manager in developing a communication strategy for publicizing workshops, faculty awards and nominations processes, and other faculty-facing communications from OFD, and in managing the logistics for OFD events.

Review of applications will begin on March 16, 2022. Search committee members include Claire Hamilton, Associate Provost and Director of Center for Teaching & Learning; Search Committee Chair Jennifer Normanly, Professor and Department Head, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Jennifer Reil, Communications & Events Manager in the Office of Faculty Development, and Russell Tessier, Sr. Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Operations, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering.