Director of the University Center for Social & Urban Research

The Director of the University Center for Social & Urban Research has broad autonomy to shape the next phase of a long-running and successful center. Reporting directly to the Provost, the Director serves as UCSUR’s academic and administrative leader and must work collaboratively with Pitt faculty and staff, as well as the University and regional, national, and global communities, to develop an innovative and impactful future trajectory for the center. The successful Director will have the strategic vision to build upon UCSUR’s current strengths and to broaden the support of research in the social sciences and urban policy while fostering growth in the center’s research capabilities and fundraising capacity, educational offerings, and community engagement.

Given the wide range of faculty expertise at Pitt and academic inquiry undertaken at UCSUR, the Director should have an appreciation of different disciplines and a strong sense of how they can work together for greater impact. The center pulls from diverse funding streams, and the Director should have the financial acumen and savvy to understand and cultivate new resources for UCSUR. The Director should also be actively engaged in raising UCSUR’s visibility both within the University and the broader community, should work collaboratively with other academic leaders to create a vibrant research ecosystem for social and behavioral sciences research at Pitt, and should relish the opportunity to initiate and mature productive, collaborative partnerships.

Responsibilities:

• Develop a strategic, collaborative vision for UCSUR’s future.

• Expand the funding base for UCSUR through grant funding and philanthropy.

• Direct and expand UCSUR’s presence within the University and broader community.

• Grow UCSUR’s collaborations, internally and externally.

• Advance UCSUR’s profile and impact among urban and social research centers at peer institutions.

• Integrate the center into effortsBroaden and deepen UCSUR’s community engagement efforts in alignment with the University’s commitment to community engaged scholarship.

• Lead UCSUR in conducting and promoting research of impact across the social and behavioral sciences.

• Build and support diverse and collaborative teams.

• Oversee the UCSUR staff.

Required Qualifications:

• An earned terminal degree in a relevant discipline of study.

• A track record of research, teaching, and service sufficient to be awarded a tenured faculty position in a relevant school or department at the University of Pittsburgh.

• Administrative experience consistent with the Center Director’s responsibilities.

• Experience developing and leading multi-disciplinary/trans-disciplinary collaborative initiatives.

• Proven ability to generate research funding from external sources.

• Demonstrated commitment to enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion.

• Familiarity with an array of social and behavioral science research methods and data sources.

• Strong communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

Demonstrated record of developing and implementing strategic plans that drive institutional transformation.

• Track record of successful community engagement.

• Experience with and interest in raising funds from philanthropic sources.

• Understanding of education and instruction, and an appreciation of how UCSUR’s people and data can support the University’s academic missions.

• Experience providing continuing education on cutting-edge methods and data collection and analytic techniques to social and behavioral sciences researchers.

• Skill in promoting staff professional development and advancement.