Director CLRWD - Center for Leadership Research & Workforce Development

Director, Center for Leadership Research and Workforce Development

The Director of the Jane Nelson Institute for Women's Leadership's Center for Leadership Research and Workforce Development will lead an integrated effort that advances women's leadership through the strategic management of rigorous research and pedagogical innovation. The Director will oversee the Center's dual mission to (1) generate and disseminate high-impact research on women's leadership, and (2) partner with the Faculty Commons and other faculty development efforts to promote evidence-based teaching strategies that develop essential workforce skills. This visionary leader will provide strategic direction for the Center's research agenda, support curricular integration, faculty development, and external partnerships that reinforce TWU's position as a national leader in workforce readiness education. Work is performed under minimal supervision, and performance is based on the effective operation of the administrative function. The performance evaluation is conducted through the performance evaluation system and in accordance with University Policies & Procedures.

Reports to: Executive Director/Chief Officer of the Jane Nelson Institute for Women's Leadership. Reporting indirectly to the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost

Supervises: Senior Manager of Data Analytics, Special Projects Manager, and Faculty Fellows.

Leadership and Strategy

• Provide strategic direction and operational oversight for the Center's research and pedagogical initiatives.
• Foster a cohesive vision that aligns with institutional goals for student success, faculty excellence, and women's leadership.
• Serve as a thought leader across the university and with external stakeholders in workforce development and educational innovation.
• Ensure delivery of high-impact programs, events, and faculty support services.
• Oversee reporting, budget management, and assessment of Center activities.

Research and Database Management

• Oversee the HerDataTXSM database, a comprehensive, searchable repository of women's leadership resources spanning academic research, industry reports, news coverage, and educational materials.
• Direct primary research initiatives including rural women's entrepreneurship studies, educational leadership analysis, and local elected office participation research.
• Manage the Representation Tracker for real-time monitoring of women's participation in municipal and county government positions.
• Oversee the Research Portal featuring monthly research highlights, scholar spotlights, and trend analysis.
• Ensure production of annual "State of Women's Leadership" reports and quarterly research briefs for policymakers and business leaders.
• Maintain public-facing dashboards with representation metrics and research findings.
• Guide high-quality, applied research initiatives related to women's leadership and pedagogical effectiveness.
• Ensure research is published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at national conferences.
• Lead or support grant writing and external funding efforts to sustain and expand Center initiatives.

Workforce Development

• Collaborate with the Faculty Commons to support faculty development programs that promote evidence-based teaching and integration of leadership and workforce readiness skills.
• Contribute to a research-informed teaching agenda, supporting faculty in the development, implementation, and publication of innovative pedagogies.
• Partner with academic units to embed essential career-readiness competencies (e.g., critical thinking, ethical reasoning, emotional intelligence, AI literacy) across academic programs.

Collaboration and Partnerships

• Build and maintain partnerships with employers, academic peers, and workforce organizations to ensure curriculum alignment with labor market needs.
• Coordinate with the Senior Manager of Data Analytics and faculty fellows to integrate data-driven approaches into both research and instruction.
• Collaborate with the JNIWL and Provost's Office to leverage institutional resources and extend the Center's reach.

Additional Duties

• Performs other duties as requested.

Education

Master's degree in Higher Education Administration, Public Policy, Political Science, Workforce Development, Organizational Leadership, Business Administration, or a closely related field required.

Experience

Ten years of progressive experience and demonstrated expertise in at least two of the following: applied research on women's leadership or workforce development, instructional leadership, and educational program management. Proven track record of designing, launching, and scaling programs from concept through implementation. Experience managing budgets and supervising professional staff. A record of peer-reviewed publication and experience securing external grants or institutional funding preferred.

Requirement

Regular and reliable attendance at the University during regular scheduled days and work hours is an essential function of this position.

All employees share the responsibility of maintaining information security and privacy requirements within the university by adhering to Federal and State regulations, and TWU Policies & Procedures.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities - The following are essential:

• Skills in organization and project management, including the ability to lead cross-functional teams.
• Ability to collaborate across units and with external partners to advance shared goals.
• Knowledge of database management, data analysis, and research dissemination.
• Knowledge of issues related to women's leadership, and/or workforce readiness.
• Ability to work with institutional data and contribute to public-facing research dissemination.
• Knowledge of data visualization and dashboard development.
• Ability to manage comprehensive research databases and digital repositories.
• Ability to use a personal computer and other office equipment, including related university software and email.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described in the Essential Duties and below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential duties of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties.

The employee may be required to travel.

Work Environment

All employees are responsible for maintaining an environment that is free from discrimination, intimidation, harassment, including sexual harassment. Work is normally performed in a typical interior work environment.

Safety

TWU promotes a safe working environment. Employees are responsible for completing assigned tasks safely and efficiently, and supervisors are responsible for creating and maintaining a safe work environment. Employees must report any unsafe work conditions or practices, as well as any near-miss incidents, to their supervisor and Risk Management. Supervisors and employees should ensure that injury/accident reports are submitted to the Office of Human Resources and Risk Management within 24 hours of the incident.

Texas Woman's University strives to provide an educational environment that affirms the rights and dignity of each individual, fosters diversity, and encourages a respect for the differences among persons. Discrimination or harassment of any kind is considered inappropriate.

Texas Woman's University is committed to equal opportunity in employment and education and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sex, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, age, veteran's status, or against qualified disabled persons.

All positions at Texas Woman's University are deemed security sensitive requiring background checks.

If you are a male between the age of 18 and 25, federal law requires that you must be registered with the U.S. Selective Service System, unless you meet certain exemptions under Selective Service law. Under HB 558, enacted by the 76th Texas State Legislature, if you are currently of the age and gender requiring registration with Selective Service, but knowingly and willfully fail to do so, you are ineligible for employment with an agency in any branch of Texas state government. For additional information regarding registration or status, you can contact the Selective Service System at 847-688-6888 or