Occupational Summary

The Assistant Director of Climate and Sustainability Research will support Duke’s Climate Commitment through the implementation and strategic support of keystone programming including the Scholars for Climate and Advanced Leadership in Environment and Sustainability (SCALES) post-doctoral fellows program, Climate Commitment-funded research grants, the Climate Commitment Advisory Council’s research subcommittee, and university-wide, interdisciplinary research collaborations on climate and sustainability. Please see the following position roles and responsibilities section for specific expectations for this role.

This role will report to the Executive Director of Climate and Sustainability within the Office of Climate and Sustainability and work closely with the Director of Research and External Engagement. 

Position Roles and Responsibilities

Program Development and Project Management - 50%

• Lead coordination of the Scholars for Climate and Advance Leadership in Environment and

Sustainability (SCALES) post-doctoral fellows program, including  o Program Coordination: Manage program policies, logistics, communications,  documentation and other administrative support as necessary. This includes organizing orientation, cohort events, and professional development opportunities. 

• • Host Units Support: Collaborate with host units throughout the hiring process to ensure that the hiring process and position descriptions reflect the goals and structure of the fellowship program. 
  • Program Evaluation: Collect feedback from Fellows, faculty mentors, and host units to assess program effectiveness and progress on research projects. OCS will use this data to inform future iterations of the program and support continuous improvement.
• Plan, coordinate and administer climate and sustainability research programs including managing RFPs, funding allocations, partners, reporting and evaluation. Make operational and programmatic decisions necessary for successful achievement of program strategies and objectives. 

• Develop and implement procedures and processes to ensure all program projects are meeting objectives and timelines. 
• Develop collaborative frameworks to track Duke’s climate and sustainability research efforts and make recommendations for improvements/enhancements.
• Draft correspondence and reports on research programs; prepare presentations as needed.

Strategic Alignment - 25%

•     Develop strategies and projects that support and expand the research focus area of the Duke Climate Commitment (DCC). Serve as staff liaison for this area of the DCC.

• Support OCS Director of Research and External Engagement in providing strategic leadership and coordination for the many projects, programs, and initiatives that touch on climate- and sustainability-related research at Duke. Develop tools, resources, events, and programing that help illuminate the climate and sustainability research landscape across campus and provide opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Provide operational and logistical support for Duke Climate Commitment governance structure, including support for the Climate Commitment Advisory Council’s research subcommittee. Activities would include scheduling, meeting support, topic tracking, context sharing, project implementation, building of documents, thought partnership with Chairs, serving on logistic leads team meetings and leadership team meetings.
• Learn about the other aspects of the Duke Climate Commitment (e.g. education, campus operations, external engagement, and community partnerships) to be able to represent the OCS and Duke Climate Commitment more broadly, as needed.

Stakeholder Engagement - 10%

• Cultivate collaborative and strategic relationships and partnerships with stakeholders, including departmental research coordinators and support staff, to support the programs and initiatives of the Office of Climate and Sustainability.
• Maintain relationships with Duke departments (e.g. Duke’s Office of Research Initiatives), programs, organizations, and groups as well as professional associations and colleagues at other institutions to achieve goals and objectives.
• Facilitate the outreach and engagement around climate and sustainability research with stakeholders including students, staff, faculty, and community partners to bridge connections for projects and other opportunities through relationship building.
• Engage and support informational workshops for interested faculty, students, staff, and community partners. 
• Present on OCS work internally and externally as needed.

Assessment and Program Evaluation - 10%

• Develop metrics and structures to regularly evaluate the success and impact of Duke’s climate and sustainability research. 
• Monitor and evaluate program effectiveness using qualitative and quantitative research techniques. Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders doing evaluation to ensure evaluation metrics. 
• Evaluate and interpret collected data and prepare oral presentations and/or written reports and analyses setting forth progress, adverse trends and appropriate recommendations or conclusions.

Administrative - 5%

• Support other members of the Office of Climate and Sustainability team as needed in the strategy and/or execution of programs, initiatives and events.
• Complete administrative tasks including scheduling, purchasing, room reservations, and data entry.
• Monitor and verify expenditures of programming in Duke’s financial systems.

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Education and Experience Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree (Master’s or higher degree preferred) and 5-6 years of relevant experience; or equivalent combination of training and experience. All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.
• Strong organizational, time management, and project management skills, with the ability to manage and support multiple projects at different stages with an emphasis on accuracy and meeting milestones and deadlines
• Demonstrate ability to support a community of diverse perspectives and cultures in an inclusive environment
• Inquisitive attitude, self-motivated, and self-driven approach with ability to work in a high-pace, collaborative environment
• Professional writing experience and ability and comfort with public speaking and presentations
• Proficiency in various software to collect and manage data, create reports that outline progress and impact, and maintain a database of past and current projects.  ● Professional experience working in higher education is preferred

Additional Requirements

• Hybrid or fully in-person arrangement required (at least 2 days per week in office)
• Ability to travel to other buildings around campus for meetings and presentations
• Occasional work outside of normal business hours (9-5), e.g. nights and weekends for events and programming.
• Ability to lift and move moderately heavy objects, up to 25 pounds, safely

Benefits of Employment at Duke University

Duke University offers a competitive benefits program, which includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, retirement contributions, employee discounts, vacation and sick time, and many more. Please review Duke University’s Benefits Program website for more information.

This position has a budgeted range of $70,000-80,000 with merit-based increases available annually per satisfactory completion of position expectations.  

Minimum Qualifications

Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchangethat is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve of this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Anticipated Pay Range:

Duke University provides an annual base salary range for this position as USD $62,694.00 to USD $107,633.00. Duke University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position; candidate's work experience, education/training, and key skills; internal peer equity; as wellas market and organizational considerations when extending an offer.

Your total compensation goes beyond the dollars on your paycheck. Duke provides comprehensive and competitive medical and dental care programs, generous retirementbenefits, and a wide array of family- friendly and cultural programs to eligible team members. Learn more at: https://hr.duke.edu/benefits/

Essential Physical Job Functions:

Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.