Public Service Faculty - Strategic Management and Organizational Effectiveness Unit Manager

University of Georgia; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Georgia in Atlanta invites applications for Public Service Faculty - Strategic Management and Organizational Effectiveness Unit Manager. The role leads the unit’s consulting practice, supervises faculty and staff, and oversees client relationships, contracts, and project portfolios.

The position advances the mission to improve government operations, deliver data-informed insights, and develop innovative services for state and local governments.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in public administration or closely related field required.
• Ten or more years of progressively responsible experience in organizational consulting or public-sector settings.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary consulting engagements and supervising professional staff or project teams.
• Experience facilitating executive leadership teams, governing boards, or other senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for the unit and oversee development and delivery of organizational consulting services.
• Supervise and develop public service faculty and professional staff; manage client relationships, contracts and project portfolios.
• Conduct applied research and facilitate executive planning and organizational development initiatives.
• Build partnerships with state agencies, local governments, and University partners to strengthen public service delivery.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Data-informed decision making

Public service motivation

Education

Master’s degree in public administration

political science

education

finance

accounting

business administration

organizational development

industrial/organizational psychology

sociology

public policy

closely related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Public Service Faculty - Strategic Management and Organizational Effectiveness Unit Manager

Below you will find the details for the position including any supplementary documentation and questions you should review before applying for the opening.

Compensation will be determined by the qualifications and experience of the successful applicant. Candidates will be considered for the position until it is filled. Application materials should include a cover letter, curriculum vita, a brief writing sample from a technical report, and three references with contact information. The finalists for the position will be required to provide three letters of recommendation. All applicants must apply through UGAJobs to be considered for the position.

Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e., a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without need of employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of your appointment, and maintain eligibility without sponsorship throughout your appointment.

Posting Details

Posting Number F2807P | Working Title Public Service Faculty - Strategic Management and Organizational Effectiveness Unit Manager | Department PSO-Carl Vinson Inst of Govt

About the University of Georgia

Chartered by the state of Georgia in 1785, the University of Georgia is the birthplace of public higher education in America and is the state’s flagship university (https://www.uga.edu/). The proof is in our more than 240 years of academic and professional achievements and our continual commitment to higher education. UGA is currently ranked among the top 20 public universities in U.S. News & World Report. The University’s main campus is located in Athens, approximately 65 miles northeast of Atlanta, with extended campuses in Atlanta, Griffin, Gwinnett, and Tifton. UGA employs approximately 3,100 faculty and more than 7,700 full-time staff. The University’s enrollment exceeds 41,000 students including over 31,000 undergraduates and over 10,000 graduate and professional students. Academic programs reside in 19 schools and colleges, including our newly established School of Medicine.

About the College/Unit/Department

As a Public Service and Outreach unit at the University of Georgia, the UGA Institute of Government contributes directly to the university’s overarching public service mission of improving people’s lives by helping to create jobs and prosperity, developing leaders, and addressing critical issues. This public service mission, and the Institute of Government’s role in its success, is at the heart of UGA’s land-grant and sea-grant mission to serve the State of Georgia and its residents.

We have a wide range of experts who inform, inspire, and innovate every day so that governments, large and small, can be more efficient and responsive to their citizens, address current and emerging challenges, and serve the public with excellence. We are uniquely positioned to provide impartial support to local governments and state agencies and convene multi-disciplinary and intragovernmental groups to plan for and address many of the challenges faced by communities across Georgia.

Our areas of expertise and focus include workforce and economic development; infrastructure and community resilience; government operations and organizational effectiveness; measuring and reporting on impact and outcomes; building skills, knowledge and capacity of government leaders and teams; and maximizing technology and data for governments and their leaders.

Whether it is through our award-winning PROPEL (Planning Rural Opportunities for Prosperity and Economic Leadership) program for rural communities, our CyberArch student program that helps Georgia communities increase their cybersecurity, our efforts to build a visionary plan for military and community partnerships to spur economic prosperity and resilient infrastructure, our financial management certificate program to build the capacity of public officials, or hosting educational events about e-mobility strategies for local governments … We Know Georgia. Fulfilling our land-grant and sea-grant mission to serve the State of Georgia is more than a project. It’s our purpose.

We are growing and excited to add individuals to our team who share our commitment to public service – building stronger communities, inspiring economic resilience, and improving quality of life for communities across Georgia and beyond.

Our Culture – How We Operate

We disseminate knowledge through research, scholarship, and instruction. We collaborate internally across our areas of expertise and across the university with academic researchers to bring best practices and expert insights to the governments and communities we serve. We are committed to fielding a team of experts who have a variety of professional and academic experiences and are grounded in our culture of excellence and approach our work with Georgia’s governments in a comprehensive and objective fashion. College/Unit/Department website www.CVIOG.uga.edu

Posting Type: External Retirement Plan TRS or ORP | Employment Type: Employee | Benefits Eligibility: Benefits Eligible Underutilization Advertised Salary

Anticipated Start Date: 12/01/2026 | Effective End Date (for Limited-Term postings): | Job Posting Date: 09/18/2026 | Job Closing Date: Open until filled Yes

Special Instructions to Applicants

Compensation will be determined by the qualifications and experience of the successful applicant. Candidates will be considered for the position until it is filled. Application materials should include a cover letter, curriculum vita, a brief writing sample from a technical report, and three references with contact information. The finalists for the position will be required to provide three letters of recommendation. All applicants must apply through UGAJobs to be considered for the position.

Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e., a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without need of employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of your appointment, and maintain eligibility without sponsorship throughout your appointment.

Location of Vacancy

Atlanta Area

EEO Statement

The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or veteran status or other protected status. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact Central HR ( [e-mail] ).

USG Core Values Statement

The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 25 institutions of higher education and learning, as well the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 08.02.18.01.02.

Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 06.05 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom .

Position Details

Classification Title: Public Service Professional AC FLSA Faculty Rank: Open Rank | Contract Type: Fiscal (12 mo.) | Tenure Status: Non-Tenure Track

Minimum Qualifications: Master’s degree in public administration, political science, education, finance, accounting, business administration, organizational development, industrial/organizational psychology, sociology, public policy, or a closely related field.

Position Summary

The Government Services and Research ( GSR ) Division of the Carl Vinson Institute of Government provides applied research, organizational consulting, strategic planning, and decision-support services that help state and local governments strengthen organizational effectiveness, improve operational performance, and address complex public-sector challenges.

The Strategic Management and Organizational Effectiveness Unit Manager provides strategic leadership for the Unit and is responsible for the development, delivery, and continuous enhancement of organizational consulting services that support government clients throughout Georgia. The Unit Manager establishes the strategic direction for the Unit’s consulting practice, leads organizational assessments, strategic planning initiatives, process improvement efforts, performance management projects, and other management consulting engagements designed to improve organizational effectiveness and public service delivery.

Responsibilities include supervising and developing public service faculty and professional staff; managing client relationships, contracts, and project portfolios; providing executive consultation; conducting applied research; facilitating executive-level planning and organizational development initiatives; and building collaborative partnerships with state agencies, local governments, University partners, and other stakeholders. The Unit Manager identifies emerging client needs, develops innovative service offerings, and contributes to the continued success, innovation, and long-term effectiveness of the Government Services and Research Division.

As a Public Service Faculty member, this position advances the mission of the Carl Vinson Institute of Government by providing objective, data-informed consultation, applied research, and organizational expertise that strengthen government operations, improve public sector performance, and enhance the capacity of Georgia’s state and local governments to serve their communities.

Position is located in our Atlanta Office: 18 Capitol Square SW, Atlanta, GA 30334

Additional Requirements

Relevant/Preferred Education, Experience, Licensure, and/or Certification

• Master’s degree in public administration
• political science
• education
• finance
• accounting
• business administration
• organizational development
• industrial/organizational psychology
• sociology
• public policy
• or a closely related field.
• Ten or more years of progressively responsible experience providing organizational consulting, strategic planning, process improvement, performance management, or organizational effectiveness services to state or local government or similarly complex organizations.
• Background leading multidisciplinary consulting engagements and supervising professional staff or project teams.
• Demonstrated success developing client relationships, securing new business opportunities, and managing contracts or externally funded projects.
• Background facilitating executive leadership teams, governing boards, elected officials, or other senior-level stakeholder groups.
• Background designing and implementing organizational assessments, management studies, and data-informed decision support tools.
• Background conducting applied research and translating complex findings into practical recommendations for executive audiences.
• Background utilizing human-centered design, Lean Six Sigma, Kaizen, or other continuous improvement methodologies.
• Background designing and delivering professional education, executive training, or leadership development programs for adult learners.
• Proficiency with quantitative and qualitative research methods, data visualization, and analytical software used to support organizational decision-making.
• Background working with executive leadership within state government, local government, or similarly complex public-sector organizations.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and/or Competencies

• Knowledge of organizational effectiveness, strategic planning, process improvement, and performance management principles and practices.
• Knowledge of state and local government operations, organizational structures, and emerging public sector issues.
• Ability to assess organizational challenges, analyze complex information, and develop practical, data-informed solutions.
• Ability to lead organizational assessments, facilitate strategic planning initiatives, and manage complex consulting engagements.
• Ability to build and maintain collaborative relationships with governmental agencies, University partners, and other stakeholders.
• Ability to supervise, mentor, and develop faculty, professional staff, and project teams.
• Strong project management, organizational, and prioritization skills with the ability to manage multiple concurrent initiatives.
• Excellent written, verbal, facilitation, and presentation skills, including the ability to communicate complex concepts to executive and public-sector audiences.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and experience using data analysis, reporting, and visualization tools to support decision-making.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, work independently, and collaboratively lead interdisciplinary teams in a dynamic client-service environment.

Physical Demands

Is this a Position of Trust? Yes

Does this position have operation, access, or control of financial resources? Yes

Does this position require a P-Card? No

Is having a P-Card an essential function of this position? No

Is driving a responsibility of this position? Yes

Does this position have direct interaction or care of children under the age of 18 or direct patient care? No

Does this position have Security Access (e.g., public safety, IT security, personnel records, patient records, or access to chemicals and medications) No

Credit and P-Card policy

Be advised a credit check will be required for all positions with financial responsibilities. For additional information about the credit check criteria, visit the UGA Credit Background Check website.

Background Investigation Policy Offers of employment are contingent upon completion of a background investigation including, a criminal background check demonstrating your eligibility for employment with the University of Georgia; confirmation of the credentials and employment