Associate Director, Creating Conditions for Impact

The University of Texas at Austin; United States; Remote; USD 115,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Texas at Austin’s Charles A Dana Center seeks an Associate Director to lead the Creating Conditions for Impact team, catalyzing policy change and building networks across PK-12 and postsecondary systems with a mathematics and data science focus.

Remote work is possible with travel required. You will report to the Director of Systemic Transformation, shaping strategy and collaborating across national education leaders to advance workforce-ready pathways.

Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in Mathematics, Statistics, Data Science, Mathematics Education, Statistics Education, Higher Education Leadership, Public Policy, or a related field.
• 10–12 years of experience in postsecondary education with expertise in postsecondary mathematics, statistics, data science, policy development, systems change, or workforce alignment.
• 5 years of leadership experience in a postsecondary setting focused on mathematics, statistics, or data science.
• Demonstrated experience in postsecondary mathematics and systems-change efforts.

Responsibilities

• Strategic leadership: partner with the Director to shape vision and strategy for the team and align with the Dana Center’s mission.
• Operational oversight: supervise staff, refine team structures, ensure timely, high-quality outcomes.
• Partnership management: build relationships with national education leaders, funders, policymakers, and workforce stakeholders.
• Field influence: develop influential content, disseminate findings, and advance policies that scale.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Policy development

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Doctoral degree in Mathematics/Statistics/Data Science or related field

Job description

Job Posting Title:

Associate Director, Creating Conditions for Impact

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Hiring Department:

Charles A Dana Center

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Position Open To:

All Applicants

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Weekly Scheduled Hours:

40

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FLSA Status:

Exempt from FLSA

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Earliest Start Date:

Oct 13, 2026

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Position Duration:

Expected to Continue

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Location:

PICKLE RESEARCH CAMPUS

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Job Details:

General Notes

• Remote work possible
• Travel will be required

Purpose

This position will lead the Creating Conditions for Impact Team, which works nationally to catalyze systemic change by shaping policy, building professional networks, and driving workforce alignment across PK-12 and postsecondary systems. Reporting to the Director of Systemic Transformation, the Associate Director will be a close strategic thought partner to the Director, bringing substantial influence to team strategy and priorities for systems change across both PK-12 and postsecondary education.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Serve as a close strategic thought partner to the Director of Systemic Transformation, contributing substantively to the vision and strategy for the Creating Conditions for Impact Team, especially from a postsecondary systems lens,and ensuring alignment with the Dana Center’s mission.
• Partner withleadership of the communications, evaluation, and developmentto ensure the team’s policy and systems-change strategies are grounded in current research and evaluation findingsas well as effectively communicating and contributing to the field.
• Lead the team in cultivating and sustaining professional networks that foster collaboration, innovation, and shared accountability across systems, especially in postsecondary education.
• Lead the design and execution of systems-change, and workforce-alignment initiatives, with particular attention to postsecondary mathematics, that remove barriers for students and connect PK-12, postsecondary, and workforce preparation systems.
• Shape strategies, drawing on deep field expertise and postsecondary mathematics and workforce alignment knowledge, that connect and strengthen collaboration between postsecondary mathematics and workforce systems, ensuring seamless transitions for learners and alignment with workforce needs.

Operational Oversight and Staff Development

• Supervise the Manager of Systems Engagement for Impact and other project staff, providing mentorship and support to foster professional growth and leadership capacity.
• Establish and refine team structures and processes that enable collaboration across teams, roles, and projects to ensure timely, high-quality, and impactful outcomes.
• Ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, and with the highest standards of quality.
• Maintain a clear understanding of staff workloads and capacity, ensuring that priorities, timelines, and resource allocations are realistic, sustainable, and aligned with organizational priorities.
• Cultivate a positive team culture focused on collaboration, innovation, and shared accountability.

Partnership and Relationship Management

• Build and sustain strong relationships with national education leaders, funders, policymakers, and workforce stakeholders, with particular attention to postsecondary mathematics departments and programs.
• Cultivate relationships with leaders across K-12, postsecondary, and workforce sectors to advance systemic change and foster collaboration across these systems.
• Represent the Dana Center in high-level forums to advance systemic change efforts and expand the Center’s influence.
• Collaborate with the Director of Systemic Transformation and other Center leaders to identify new opportunities for partnerships and field engagement.

Field Influence and Thought Leadership

• Advance the Center’s reputation as a leader in evidence-based systemic change by guiding the development of influential content and findings, contributing to publications, and disseminating its work at conferences and forums.
• Shape the Center’s approach to systemic change by advancing policies and practices that foster scalability and long-term impact, informed by the evidence base developed by the Evidence, Impact, and Learning team.
• Shape the national conversation on systemic alignment by advancing innovative strategies and solutions that connect PK-12, postsecondary, and workforce preparation systems, with particular expertise in mathematics, statistics, and data science.

Resource Development and Sustainability

• Collaborate with the Director of Systemic Transformation and Dana Center leadership to identify funding priorities and develop evidence-based scopes of work and aligned budgets for proposals.
• Cultivate relationships with funders and stakeholders to help maintain and grow the Center’s funding portfolio.
• Ensure funding proposals are aligned with theCenter’sstrategic priorities and grounded in evidence of impact.

Required Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in Mathematics, Statistics, Data Science, Mathematics Education, Statistics Education, Higher Education Leadership, Public Policy, or a related field.
• 10-12 years of experience in postsecondary education, with demonstrated expertise in postsecondary mathematics, statistics, data science, policy development, systems change, or workforce alignment.
• 5 years of leadership experience in a postsecondary setting (e.g., Department Chair, Principal Investigator, Program Leader, Dean, Associate Dean, Provost, etc.) with a specific focus in mathematics, statistics, or data science.
• Demonstrated experience in postsecondary mathematics — (e.g., teaching, program leadership, curriculum or pathway reform, or leadership with systemic change work within postsecondary mathematics departments or programs).
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically and creatively, balance multiple priorities, work collaboratively across teams, and work well under pressure.
• Demonstrated experience supervising developingstaff and managing complex projects.
• Strong organizational and communication skills, written and verbal.

(Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.)

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with national organizations and experts, policymakers, and facilitating professional networks to advance policies and practices that drive systemic change and scalability.
• Demonstrated ability to work across systems, including PK-12, postsecondary, and workforce preparation, to foster alignment and collaboration.
• K-12 leadership experience, or experience building partnerships between K-12 and postsecondary systems, that supports cross-system alignment.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively use data, research, and evidence to inform policy and practice.
• Demonstrated ability to build partnerships and lead systemic change efforts in education.
• Experience advancing postsecondary mathematics policies and practices that directly connect to workforce readiness and postsecondary success.
• Experience partnering with evaluation or research teams to use evidence to demonstrate impact and inform strategy.
• Proven success in securing funding and managing relationships with funders.

Salary Range

• $115,000 - $130,000

Working Conditions

• Remote work possible
• Travel will be required
• May work around standard office conditions
• Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation
• Use of manual dexterity

Required Materials

Please mark "yes" on the application for required materials.Failure to attach all additional materials listed may affect candidates being considered for the position.

• Resume/CV
• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
• Letter of interest

Employment Eligibility:

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

Retirement Plan Eligibility:

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

Background Checks:

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

Pay Transparency:

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or