Director, Center for Latino Studies - (FAC000209)

Department Name: D0006 Humanities & Social Sciences 

Description 

The Director of the Center for Latino Studies (CLS) must be an energetic and passionate leader with extensive knowledge of the scholarship and disciplines that are subsumed by the field of Latino studies, as defined in the Mission Statement for CLS: “To provide an academic space on the UHD campus that promotes and nurtures scholarship, creative work, and community engagement opportunities with a particular focus on the Latino communities in Houston, the United States, and abroad.” The Director is responsible for the development, implementation and administration of the Center’s strategic vision, including the development and implementation of academic programs, curriculum, sponsored events, and community projects and partnerships, leading to ground-breaking programs that generate regional and statewide recognition. The individual selected will be bold and creative in enhancing the program’s position as a vibrant center for scholarship, teaching, public discourse, and community engagement and a leading regional center for the study of issues and concerns impacting Latino communities.

Duties: 

• Overall management and operation of the Center for Latino Studies, including the development and implementation of services, programs and projects of the Center as well as budget, assessment, grant-seeking and fundraising efforts, in accordance with policies set by the Center, College, and University. 
• Overseeing the coordination of curriculum and course development for Latino Studies academic programs (e.g., Major, Minor, Graduate Certificate and Master’s degree). 
• Implementing quality assurance and assessment practices including regular review and revision of all the Center’s programs of study, assessment, and continual review of goals, benchmarks, and desired outcomes. 
• Supporting the Center’s teaching and research endeavors by promoting scholarship and community engagement among CLS faculty. 
• Actively recruiting faculty fellows and affiliates and overseeing the professional development of faculty members. 
• Providing curricular and pedagogical leadership for Latino Studies courses, for example by reviewing course syllabi. 
• Coordinating and collaborating with the Center for Critical Race Studies and other UHD Centers, departments and colleges when projects intersect. 
• Overseeing the Center for Latino Studies website, promotional materials, and social media presence. 
• Serving as spokesperson and liaison for the Center in its relations within the University and in the greater community.

Community Engagement: 

A portion of the Director’s energy will be spent enhancing and creating connections with a variety of constituents. The Director will: 

• Coordinate with the leadership of the Houston Hispanic Leadership Institute (HHLI) and the Houston Youth Network (HYN) and work with UHD faculty, staff and community members to implement and conduct programming with these and other community engagement initiatives, including student opportunities for service learning. 
• Actively cultivate working relationships and opportunities with a broad spectrum of business and industry, foundations, government, community organizations and leaders from underrepresented communities, and individual funders.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Academic record that would merit tenure at the University of Houston-Downtown.
• Research and teaching theoretically informed by Latino Studies and other relevant academic fields. 
• Knowledge of and/or proficiency in Spanish. 
• Demonstrated evidence of working effectively with diverse populations.

For additional information and to apply, please visit: https://uhs.taleo.net/careersection/ex3_uhd/jobdetail.ftl?job=FAC000209&tz=GMT-05%3A00

The University of Houston-Downtown is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression in the recruitment and admission of students, the recruitment and employment of faculty and staff, and the operation of any of its programs and activities, as specified by all applicable laws and regulations. Women, minorities, veterans and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.