Project Director, DREAMS

Position Summary

The DREAMS Project Director leads all administrative functions of the US Department of Education-funded project and provides essential support to the Co-Principal Investigators. This role involves strategic program administration, budget management, and project oversight, serving as the primary liaison between the University and partner LEAs. Additionally, the Project Director collaborates with departments Organizational Leadership and Educational Administration and Teacher Education, Marketing, Finance, Student Services, and Human Resources to ensure grant implementation. Key responsibilities may include developing and implementing the Active Intern recruitment process, as assigned by the Co-Principal Investigators. As a grant-funded position, the Project Director is accountable for overall project management, planning, record maintenance, communication, reporting, personnel and budget management, evaluation, and compliance. This position reports directly to the Co-Principal Investigators.

Essential Functions:

• Track data and outcomes, ensuring compliance with federal requirements and grant conditions.
• Coordinate and monitor goals for activities related to the grant.
• Assist external evaluators and internal monitoring teams with ongoing evaluations.
• Develop and implement monitoring and evaluation plans for project goals and objectives.
• Collaborate with Co-Principal Investigators and Institutional Research to create a data collection system for reporting and participant tracking.
• Review and prepare the Project DREAMS grant budget in compliance with federal guidelines.
• Authorize expenditures and ensure appropriate fund utilization.
• Direct administrative functions in accordance with U.S. Department of Education regulations and university policies.
• Communicate regularly with the Co-Principal Investigators regarding project operations and progress.
• Develop and manage Work Teams.
• Build positive relationships with LEA partners.
• Liaise with various functional areas (e.g., Online Learning, Academic Affairs, Marketing) to support program development.
• Prepare comprehensive reports on grant operations and participant success for the college and grant stakeholders.
• Assist the Co-Principal Investigators in developing Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with partner agencies and managing contracts.
• Complete special projects and other duties as assigned by the Co-Principal Investigators.

Supervisory Responsibilities: N/A

Requirements:

Education & Experience

• Master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution aligned with teacher education required.
• Higher education teaching experience.
• 5+ years of experience in K-12 teaching preferred.
• 5+ years of management experience with organizing, directing, evaluating, and planning in an operations or academic environment, preferred.
• Bilingual, Spanish preferred.

Competencies/Technical/Functional Skills

• Ability to participate as an active team member of the team and organization and work toward a common goal. Contributes fully to the team effort and plays an integral part in the smooth running of teams without necessarily taking the lead. Demonstrates an ability to participate as an active team member working toward common goals.
• Actively seeks opportunities to influence, build effective relationships and gain alignment with peers, functional partners and/or external partners to accomplish business objectives.
• Accepts personal accountability, proactively seeks resolution for personal limitations head- on; and supports honesty and respect towards others, the company and oneself.
• Develops new insights into situations; questions conventional approaches; encourages new ideas and innovations; designs and implements new or cutting-edge programs/processes. Ability to generate and/or recognize imaginative or creative solutions that generate successful outcomes.
• Working knowledge, principles, and practices of office management/systems within a higher education environment, preferred. Demonstrates an understanding of underlying organizational issues.
• Work independently and foster a cooperative spirit within a large and/or small team of diverse cultures, while working in a fast-paced environment with multiple projects, deadlines, and frequently changing priorities.
• Ability to drive towards achieving measurable and challenging goals to support organizational success. Demonstrates the ability to focus on achieving results consistent with the organization’s objectives. As a leader, develops goals based on the organization’s vision, mission, strategic goals, and objectives.
• Demonstrates an understanding of underlying organizational issues.
• Anticipates and takes steps to prevent counter-productive confrontations. Manages and resolves conflicts and disagreements in a constructive manner.
• Intermediate use of computers and Microsoft Office Suite Applications such as Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook.

Travel: Some travel required

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Candidate receiving offers will be offered a salary/pay rate commensurate with experience that vary based on a candidate’s qualifications, skills, and competencies.  Absent exceptional circumstances, candidates will be offered a salary within this range for this position. The minimum salary will be offered based on the minimum exemption threshold based on state of residency. Base pay is one component of National University’s total rewards package, as we are dedicated to supporting the needs of the “whole you” with our holistic approach to employee benefits by offering comprehensive well-being benefits for you and your family.  For full details about our benefit plan offerings, please visit benefits.nu.edu. For Part-time benefits, please click here.

Compensation Range:

National University is committed to maintaining a high-quality, diverse workforce representative of the populations we serve. National University employs more than 5,000 faculty and staff and serves over 41,000 students. We are united in our mission to meet the global education demands of the 21st Century and are dedicated to creating a supportive academic and work environment that allows students, faculty and staff to develop their interests and talents while experiencing a sense of community and a commitment to diversity. With programs available both online and at our many campus locations, National University is a leader in creating innovative solutions to education and meeting the needs of our diverse student population, including adult learners and working professionals.

National University offers an opportunity to work in an innovative environment that supports diversity.

National University (NU) is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant per applicable federal, state and local laws. At NU, a diverse mix of highly talented, innovative and creative people come together to make the impact of a lifetime for each of our student learners. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment, education, and admission at National University. We are focused on equality and believe deeply in diversity of race, color, ancestry, age, family care status, veteran status, marital status, creed, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, national origin, and other legally protected group status.