Department: Med-ISGMH
Salary/Grade: FAC/1

Job Summary:

We strongly encourage people of color, transgender and non-binary people, and women to apply. We welcome everyone, including non-LGBTQ people, to join our team.

Program Description: The Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing (ISGMH) at Northwestern University, founded in 2015 and housed on Northwestern’s Chicago campus, is the nation’s first university-wide center focused exclusively on LGBTQ health. It provides leadership and infrastructure that promotes innovative, multidisciplinary research to improve the health and wellbeing of LGBTQ individuals and communities. The Institute provides unique opportunities for exceptional research and training for the next generation of LGBTQ scholars, and it utilizes innovative modalities to disseminate knowledge widely to the LGBTQ community, the public at large, scholars, service providers, educators, and policymakers. Currently, ISGMH has 12 core faculty, over 80 staff and trainees, and over 30 faculty affiliates across Northwestern.

Position Description: Reporting to Dr. Brian Mustanski, ISGMH Director, the Associate Director oversees the operations of ISGMH and contributes direction and thought leadership to develop and implement strategic goals and objectives. The Associate Director reviews, creates, and nurtures interdisciplinary alliances, collaborations and partnerships, both within the Northwestern University community and with external stakeholders. The Associate Director is also responsible for administrative oversight of the Institute, including budget management, educational programing, communications and outreach, facilities, and fundraising and development.

Position Details: Research Associate or Research Faculty (Assistant, Associate, or Full), depending on qualifications. This is a full time administrative leadership position. Prefer faculty-level candidates who are able to conduct research or teaching time on a limited basis.

Specific Responsibilities:

Strategic Planning and Implementation

• Work with the Director to advance the mission of ISGMH by developing and overseeing programs and strategic initiatives.
• Work with the Director to prioritize among competing goals and initiatives, to identify and develop solutions to organizational challenges and to find creative and sustainable ways for ISGMH to foster LGBTQ research across the University.
• Oversee the financial condition of ISGMH, including developing long and short range financial plans.
• Ensure facilities and other infrastructure-related needs across units and programs within ISGMH are met and align with School and University guidelines.

Institute Management – Human Resources

• Establish and maintain standard operating procedures related to hiring and onboarding staff, and assuring consistency in hiring practices across units and programs within ISGMH.
• Oversee development of initiatives to establish best practices or institutional guidelines in staff management and supervision, staff engagement, cultural competency, and professional development initiatives.
• Develop and maintain procedures for monitoring staff satisfaction, including implementing initiatives to improve workplace climate, staff-manager relations, talent retention, etc.

Institute Management – Programmatic Activities

• Organize and oversee ISGMH’s annual symposium in order to highlight cutting edge research conducted at the Institute, foster conversations with other research/policy/service institutions across Chicago, and identify novel research initiatives related to LGBTQ health.
• Manage new and ongoing seminar series and identifying speakers to highlight the diversity of research on LGBTQ health within Northwestern and across the country.
• Support the organization of the annual National LGBTQ Health Conference, including collaborating with co-organizers, identifying conference funding opportunities, and supporting the implementation of conference logistics.

Communications, Outreach, and Fundraising

• Oversee dissemination of ISGMH activities and accomplishments via the Institute website, press releases, op-eds, social media, and other dissemination outlets.
• Working with the Director and university administration to identify fundraising opportunities, including meeting with donors, private foundations, etc.
• Maintain existing, and create new, strong collaborative relationships with ISGMH’s partners, including community-based organizations and other university units. For example, ISGMH is a resident partner with the Center on Halsted, a premiere LGBTQ social service organization in Chicago, and we have strong collaborative ties with Northwestern’s Third Coast Center for AIDS Research.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Strong interest and/or experience working with LGBTQ communities and communities of color
• 3-5 years of project management experience (in a university or other research or health-related setting), with progressively larger responsibilities. Work experience should include at least 3 years managing staff.
• Individuals with equivalent years of education and practical experience outside a university setting are strongly encouraged to apply. We are interested in candidates with a variety of experiences and educational backgrounds from inside and outside academia who are committed to advancing the health of diverse LGBTQ communities. Examples of candidates include but are not limited to:
  • A person with an advanced degree who has some administrative, project management, and supervisory experience in an academic setting
  • A person without an advanced degree who has practical experience leading community based, public health, or advocacy organizations, or similar
  • A person with strong administrative, project management, and supervisory skills who has held leadership positions in organizations focused on minoritized communities and has strong interest in or experience with LGBTQ communities
• Available for occasional evening and/or weekend events. Potential for infrequent domestic and/or international travel with advanced notice.

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

• Demonstrated leadership ability and excellence in organizational management with the proven ability to coach staff, manage, and develop high-performance teams in a higher education context.
• Culturally competent: associates effectively with people from different cultures, ethnicities, backgrounds, and identities. Able to create an environment of understanding, acceptance, and inclusivity.
• Demonstrated competency in organization management and financial stewardship.
• Demonstrated ability to set and achieve strategic objectives.
• Able to work independently and also be an accomplished team player.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; a persuasive and passionate communicator with excellent interpersonal skills.
• Excellent analytical and abstract reasoning skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with a wide variety of stakeholders including faculty, university administrators, staff, students, donors, and external partners.
• Able to maintain confidentiality, act diplomatically, and handle difficult situations.
• Adept at developing and improving processes; proficient in project management.
• Able to work under pressure, prioritize, and meet deadlines.
• Proactive, energetic, innovative.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in leadership positions in organizations serving LGBTQ communities and communities of color.
• Experience with any of the following: teaching and/or medical education, interdisciplinary research and collaboration, public policy and advocacy, community-based and/or service related organizations.
• 6-10 years’ of project management experience, preferably in a university setting, with progressively larger responsibilities including managing multiple staff.
• Terminal degree in a discipline related to LGBTQ health, such as social or behavioral health sciences, public health, humanities, communication studies, medicine, public policy, or a related field of study.

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)