Director of CMU Miami Academic Initiatives

Carnegie Mellon University; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

Retirement savings program

Tuition benefits

Paid time off

Life and disability insurance

Transit bus pass

Childcare support

Job summary

Carnegie Mellon University is expanding CMU Miami and seeks a strategic, collaborative leader to shape academic operations, governance, and faculty experience across campuses. You will translate vision into actionable plans, design scalable processes, and build partnerships with academic units and central functions.

You’ll drive continuous improvement through data-informed insights, manage risk, and lead cross‑campus initiatives to ensure a thriving academic enterprise.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree strongly preferred.
• Experience: 8+ years of relevant professional experience.
• Requirements: Pre-employment background check.

Responsibilities

• Translate strategy into action: turn CMU Miami’s vision into implementation plans and measurable outcomes.
• Anticipate needs, assess priorities, help leadership make informed decisions as campus grows.
• Design operating models, administrative frameworks, and cross‑functional processes for academic activities.
• Strengthen governance and organizational effectiveness with clear accountability and oversight.
• Create an exceptional faculty experience: onboarding and integration framework for new and transitioning faculty.
• Measure outcomes and drive continuous improvement using qualitative and quantitative insights.
• Lead strategic projects for campus initiatives with structured, evidence‑based approaches.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Governance

Faculty onboarding

Data-informed solutions

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

Help shape the future of academic excellence at CMU Miami.

Carnegie Mellon University is building an exciting academic future in Miami, and we’re seeking a strategic, collaborative leader to help bring that vision to life. As the Director of CMU Miami Academic Initiatives, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the operational frameworks, academic processes, and faculty experiences that support the campus’s continued development and long-term success. Working closely with the Dean and Vice President of CMU Miami, academic leaders, faculty, and partners across the university, you will turn strategic priorities into actionable plans and sustainable solutions. You’ll help connect big-picture vision with practical execution, ensuring that the structures, resources, and processes needed to support a growing academic community are thoughtfully designed, effectively implemented, and continuously improved. This is an exciting opportunity for a systems-oriented leader who thrives at the intersection of strategy, operations, organizational effectiveness, and stakeholder engagement. You’ll navigate complex challenges, bring diverse perspectives together, and build the practices that enable academic programs and faculty to succeed in an evolving university environment.

Build What’s Next in Miami. Help Shape a Better Future.

Learn more about CMU Miami: https://miami.cmu.edu/

What you’ll do

• Translate strategy into action: Partner with campus leadership and academic stakeholders to turn CMU Miami’s vision and priorities into implementation plans, measurable outcomes, and actionable recommendations.
• Anticipate emerging needs, assess competing priorities, and help leadership make informed decisions as the academic enterprise grows.
• Build effective, sustainable academic operations: Help design the operating models, administrative frameworks, and cross-functional processes that support academic activities.
• Identify opportunities to simplify workflows, strengthen resource planning, clarify responsibilities, and establish scalable practices that balance consistency with the unique needs of different academic disciplines and programs.
• Strengthen governance and organizational effectiveness: Develop frameworks that promote clear decision-making, accountability, and appropriate oversight.
• Work with academic leaders and university partners to navigate policies, assess organizational and operational risks, address emerging issues, and support sound, transparent decision-making.
• Create an exceptional faculty experience. Design and implement a comprehensive onboarding and integration framework that helps new and transitioning faculty navigate university systems, understand academic expectations and governance, access resources, and build meaningful connections across disciplines and campuses.
• Identify opportunities to enhance faculty development, engagement, and the overall faculty experience.
• Bring people together to solve complex challenges. Serve as a key connector among CMU Miami leadership, academic units, and central university functions. Build trusted relationships, facilitate cross-functional discussions, clarify ownership and next steps, and help diverse stakeholders align around shared goals and deliver results.
• Measure progress and drive continuous improvement. Establish performance measures and reporting frameworks that help leadership understand progress, identify challenges, and evaluate the effectiveness of academic initiatives and operational practices. Use qualitative and quantitative insights to recommend improvements and develop approaches that can evolve alongside the campus.
• Lead special initiatives that advance the campus. Take on strategic projects on behalf of campus leadership, bringing structure, sound judgment, and a solutions-oriented approach to emerging priorities and opportunities.

Ideal candidates will demonstrate their ability to

• Translate strategy into action by turning organizational priorities into actionable plans, anticipating emerging needs, and driving initiatives from concept through implementation.
• Navigate complexity and solve problems by synthesizing information from diverse stakeholders, exercising sound judgment, and developing practical, data-informed solutions to complex academic and organizational challenges.
• Build partnerships and influence across teams by establishing trusted relationships with faculty, academic leaders, and university partners; facilitating collaboration; and aligning stakeholders around shared goals.
• Strengthen organizational effectiveness by identifying opportunities to streamline processes, clarify roles and decision-making, optimize resources, and establish sustainable operating practices that support a growing academic enterprise.
• Support effective governance and risk management by navigating university policies and procedures, identifying emerging risks, promoting accountability, and supporting transparent, well-informed decision-making while respecting established academic governance structures.
• Advance faculty success and engagement by developing effective approaches to faculty onboarding, integration, professional development, and cross-campus collaboration that foster a connected and supportive academic community.
• Measure outcomes and drive continuous improvement by analyzing qualitative and quantitative information, monitoring progress against strategic priorities, identifying opportunities for improvement, and translating insights into actionable recommendations.
• Communicate effectively and drive alignment by articulating complex issues clearly, facilitating productive discussions, clarifying responsibilities and next steps, and helping stakeholders move from ideas to decisions and results.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree strongly preferred.
• Experience: 8+ years of relevant professional experience. A combination of education and relevant experience from which comparable knowledge is demonstrated may be considered.
• Requirements: Successful completion of a pre-employment background check.

Requirements & Sponsorship

Successful completion of a pre-employment background check. Applicants for this position must be currently legally authorized to work for CMU in the United States. CMU will not sponsor or take over the sponsorship of an employment visa for this opportunity. Carnegie Mellon is not a qualifying employer for the STEM OPT benefit: only the 12-month OPT may be used to work at Carnegie Mellon. Ability to travel periodically between Carnegie Mellon’s Pittsburgh and Miami campuses to support cross-campus collaboration, academic initiatives, and operational needs as the CMU Miami campus evolves.

Additional Information

This is a full-time (37.5 hours/week), salaried position initially based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As CMU Miami continues to develop and transitions to a more mature operating model, the position is expected to relocate to the Miami, Florida area. Candidates must be willing and able to relocate to the Miami area as the role evolves. Work Posture: On-site (5 days/week) Plans for the Miami campus are subject to necessary regulatory approvals.

Benefits

• Benefits eligible employees enjoy a wide array of benefits including comprehensive medical, prescription, dental, and vision insurance as well as a generous retirement savings program with employer contributions.
• Unlock your potential with tuition benefits, take well‑deserved breaks with ample paid time off and observed holidays, and rest easy with life and accidental death and disability insurance.
• Additional perks include a free Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus pass, access to our Family Concierge Team to help navigate childcare needs, fitness center access, and much more!

At Carnegie Mellon, we value the whole package when extending offers of employment. Beyond credentials, we evaluate the role and responsibilities, your valuable work experience, and the knowledge gained through education and training. We appreciate your unique skills and the perspective you bring. Your journey with us is about more than a job; it’s about finding the perfect fit for your professional growth and personal aspirations.

Are you interested in an exciting opportunity with an exceptional organization?

Location Pittsburgh, PA Job Function Academic Program Administration Position Type Staff - Regular Full Time/Part time Full time Pay Basis Salary More Information: Please visit "Why Carnegie Mellon" to learn more about becoming part of an institution inspiring innovations that change the world.

Carnegie Mellon University is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran.

Statement of Assurance Interested in a career with Carnegie Mellon University but not finding anything that currently aligns with your interests, background, or experience? Learn how to sign up for Job Alerts through your candidate profile.

If you need assistance or a reasonable accommodation at any stage of the application, interview, or hiring process, please contact Equal Opportunity Services by email at [e-mail] or by phone at 412-268-5072.

For technical assistance, email HR Services or call 412-268-4600.