Professor of Practice & Manufacturing Extension Program Director

University of Mississippi; Mississippi; On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

The Professor of Practice & Manufacturing Extension Program Director at the University of Mississippi's Center for Manufacturing Excellence provides leadership for the center's manufacturing extension and industry engagement activities. The role connects university expertise, educational resources, faculty, and students with manufacturers across Mississippi to enhance performance and workforce capability.

The Program Director focuses on industry engagement, operational excellence, continuous

Qualifications

• PhD in a relevant field (required).
• Experience in project management.
• Industry engagement and leadership experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for CME's manufacturing extension program.
• Build and maintain relationships with manufacturers, industry associations, economic development organizations, and external partners.
• Identify manufacturing needs and develop training, technical assistance, and applied problem-solving initiatives.
• Develop programs in Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, continuous improvement, and operations strategy aligned with expertise.
• Coordinate CME faculty, staff, students, and external subject-matter experts in support of industry projects and extension activities.
• Teach CME graduate and undergraduate courses and contribute to curriculum development including online coursework.
• Mentor students on industry-sponsored projects, applied scholarship, internships, and experiential learning.
• Produce practice-oriented applied scholarship including industry case studies, technical reports, and presentations.
• Identify grants, contracts, sponsorships, and other funding to expand extension activities.
• Establish measures of program effectiveness and communicate outcomes to partners and stakeholders.
• Represent CME and the University at conferences and industry meetings.

Skills

Project Management

Education

PhD (Required)

Job description

Department:

The Center for Manufacturing Excellence's (CME)

Job Summary:

Performs duties in instruction, including the teaching of practicalskills and demonstrating best professional practices. Not eligiblefor tenure.

Job Description:

The Professor of Practice & Manufacturing Extension ProgramDirector provides leadership for the Center for ManufacturingExcellence's (CME) manufacturing extension and industry engagementactivities. The position connects University expertise, educationalresources, faculty, and students with manufacturers throughoutMississippi and the region to strengthen organizationalperformance, workforce capability, operational excellence, andcompetitiveness. As a Professor of Practice, the individual alsocontributes to CME's academic mission through teaching, appliedscholarship, student engagement, and curriculum development. Theposition is practice oriented and is not expected to conducttraditional academic research. The rank of the Professor ofPractice appointment will be determined based on the selectedcandidate’s qualifications and relevant professionalexperience.

The Program Director develops, leads, and grows a comprehensivemanufacturing extension program responsive to the needs ofmanufacturers and other industry partners. Working collaborativelywith CME faculty and staff, industry, and economic and workforcedevelopment partners, the incumbent identifies industry needs anddevelops training, technical assistance, professional education,applied projects, and other services to address those needs.

The position will emphasize industry engagement, operationalexcellence and continuous improvement, applied problem solving,external funding, professional and graduate education, andmeasurable extension impact. The Program Director will also teachgraduate and undergraduate courses consistent with the individual'sexpertise and support CME's Graduate Certificate in OperationalExcellence and related academic and professional programs.

Examples of Work Performed

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for CME'smanufacturing extension program and develop a sustainable structureand portfolio of industry-facing services.
• Build and maintain relationships with manufacturers, industryassociations, economic development organizations, workforcedevelopment agencies, and other external partners.
• Identify manufacturing needs and develop customized or scalabletraining, technical assistance, and applied problem-solvinginitiatives.
• Develop and deliver programs in areas such as Leanmanufacturing, Six Sigma, continuous improvement, operationalexcellence, project management, manufacturing leadership, supplychain, and operations strategy, consistent with the individual'sexpertise.
• Coordinate CME faculty, staff, students, University resources,and external subject-matter experts in support of industry projectsand extension activities.
• Teach CME graduate and undergraduate courses and contribute tocurriculum development to include online coursework andcourse/program assessment.
• Mentor and engage students in industry sponsored projects,applied scholarship, internships, and other experiential learningactivities.
• Produce and disseminate practice oriented applied scholarship,including industry case studies, technical reports, professionalpresentations, instructional materials, and best practiceresources.
• Identify and pursue grants, contracts, sponsorships, fee-basedprogramming, and other external funding to support and expandmanufacturing extension activities.
• Establish measures of program effectiveness and communicateextension outcomes and impact to industry partners, Universityleadership, funding organizations, and other stakeholders.
• Represent CME and the University at manufacturing conferences,industry meetings, professional organizations, and economicdevelopment activities.
• Identify emerging manufacturing trends, technologies, workforcechallenges, and practices and translate them into new CME programs,services, and educational opportunities.

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Job Responsibilities:

.

Education Qualifications:

PhD (Required)

Experience:

Project Management

Interview Requirement:

Interview Requirements: Any candidate who is called for aninterview must notify the Department of EqualOpportunity/Regulatory Compliance in writing of any reasonableaccommodation needed prior to the date of the interview.

EEO Statement:

The University of Mississippi provides equal opportunity in anyemployment practice, education program, or education activity toall qualified persons. The University complies with all applicablelaws regarding equal opportunity and affirmative action and doesnot unlawfully discriminate against any employee or applicant foremployment based upon race, color, gender, sex, pregnancy, sexualorientation, gender identity or expression, religion, citizenship,national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or geneticinformation.

Background Check Statement:

The University of Mississippi is committed to providing a safecampus community. UM conducts background investigations forapplicants being considered for employment. Backgroundinvestigations include a criminal history record check, and whenappropriate, a financial (credit) report or driving historycheck.