Director of Campus Culture Change

About CDI

The Constructive Dialogue Institute (CDI) is a non-partisan, non-profit dedicated to equipping the next generation of Americans with the skills to communicate and collaborate across lines of difference. We work with U.S. colleges and universities by providing co-curricular programming for students, professional development for faculty and staff, and strategic guidance to leadership. Our goal is to foster constructive dialogue at every level of the institution and to create the conditions for lasting organizational change. CDI was co-founded by psychologist Jonathan Haidt, the bestselling author of The Righteous Mind and The Anxious Generation.

About the Role

As the Director of Campus Culture Change, you will lead complex, multi-stakeholder consulting engagements with colleges, universities, and state higher education systems working to transform their campus culture and climate. This is a unique opportunity to help build a growing function at CDI, shaping the consulting model and establishing a voice in the broader field of campus culture change. You will own the full consulting arc — from building the client relationship to driving project content and seeing transformation through to measurable impact. You will work alongside campus leaders to assess readiness, design change strategies, and adapt approaches as conditions evolve, while coordinating across CDI teams to ensure each engagement reflects the organization's highest standards for quality and rigor. This role sits within a growing team, and you will have an opportunity to contribute to thought leadership, evolving CDI's methodologies, and establishing CDI's voice in the broader field. 

Responsibilities

Change Leadership & Strategy

• Lead complex, large-scale campus climate transformation initiatives from diagnostic through implementation

• Serve as the primary strategic partner to CDI clients, owning the consulting relationship across the full project arc

• Develop and adapt change and culture strategies aligned with each partner's transformation objectives, existing campus culture, and readiness

• Guide campus leaders through impact analyses, readiness assessments, and stakeholder mapping to build the conditions for sustained change

Client & Relationship Management

• Own the client relationship from initial engagement through delivery and transition working in close partnership every step of the way with the client team. 

• Serve as the primary point of accountability for client experience, progress, and outcomes on the CDI team. 

• Develop partner-facing communication strategies that convey the case for change and keep stakeholders aligned throughout

Methods, Learning & Quality

• Evolve and strengthen the consulting model — including building out new methodological tools and frameworks — using a data-informed review process that keeps our work grounded in research, sharpened by field learning, and enriched by client insights.

• Review the substantive content of consulting engagements across the team, ensuring methodological rigor and coherence in every engagement. 

• Conduct and oversee qualitative work, case study development, and method and project reviews

• Supervise qualitative researchers in a contract pool staffed on projects

Cross-functional Collaboration & Leadership Development

• Partner with the Impact team to assess the effectiveness of consulting work, interpret data, and adapt strategies based on evidence

• Coordinate across CDI teams to ensure alignment and momentum on complex, multi-workstream engagements

• Contribute to the Leadership Institute as a thought partner — informing curriculum, providing team coaching, and connecting partner work to CDI's broader culture change frameworks