ACLS Mission and Overview

Formed a century ago, the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) is a nonprofit federation of 81 scholarly organizations.  As the leading representative of American scholarship in the humanities and interpretive social sciences, ACLS’ core principle is that knowledge is a public good. As such, ACLS strives to promote the circulation of humanistic knowledge throughout society. In addition to stewarding and representing its member organizations, ACLS employs its endowment and $34 million annual operating budget to support scholarship in the humanities and social sciences and to advocate for its central role in the twenty-first century.

Summary

The Program Manager, reporting to the President, will manage the NEH-ACLS Graduate Education in the Humanities: A National Convening, a three-year project undertaken in cooperation with the National Endowment of the Humanities.

From 2025-2028, the Program Manager will manage all Graduate Education project-related activities at ACLS; including the coordination of the three working groups participating in the project, each chaired by an Executive Director of an ACLS member society; and managing the logistics, communication, and documentation of the activities of the project. The Manager will work with higher education leaders, administrators, students, and the media, managing complex logistics and stakeholder relationships.

The goals of the project are: to inventory and assess past research into and efforts to improve humanities graduate education (including additional new research as needed); conduct a comprehensive survey of reforms that deserve general implementation; make recommendations and outline steps to encouraging their adoption; engage decision-makers across the country inside and outside academia whose participation or approval is required for adoption of those reforms; develop methods of assessing progress on implementation, including by involving accreditors; and showcase the benefits of graduate education in the humanities for the culture and the economy of the United States.

This is a 3-year term limited role with an expected start date in mid-April to early May.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Coordination and support for activities of the working groups

• Track progress of the three working groups and ensure communication within and across groups by tracking meeting frequency and sharing of information
• Work with the President and the research consultant on gathering materials for circulation to participating groups
• Draft and edit notes from select meetings (Steering Committee, working groups) for internal and external use
• Work with ACLS research consultant to coordinate case studies of higher education reforms chosen by the working groups
• Organize three open Zoom “town halls” featuring members of the Steering Committee and invitees
• Organize logistics and production and distribution of materials for major in-person meetings, including a convening with invited participants from the working groups’ activities to share results to date and invite feedback
• Work with ACLS Communications staff and the research consultant to publish working groups’ reports, departmental statements, and other communications
• Assist the research consultant to incorporate the working groups’ results and significant findings from focus groups and interviews into the planning of the agenda and desired outcomes for the 2027 Public Convening
• Additional support for related projects or activities as needed

Assist with the planning of the 2027 Public Convening overseen by a Steering Committee

• Conduct outreach to ranking organizations, legislators, non-academic employers, and journalists; share initial results from working groups, obtain feedback; and invite to attend relevant meetings in advance of inviting them to attend final Public Convening in 2027
• Assist in publicizing results to the media, to Congress, society memberships, and institutions of higher education

Assist with the planning of post Public Convening activities

• Work with the consultant and the Manager of Member Societies to coordinate meetings and activities for implementation of member societies’ standards, guidelines and recommendations within their disciplines.
• Contribute to published reports and other materials

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in the liberal arts; MA/MS preferred; PhD welcome
• Experience in not-for-profit and/or academic administration or academic program management
• Excellent time management, planning and organizational skills; attention to detail; ability to move projects forward; manage from inception to completion and communicate progress to stakeholders as needed
• Experience managing complex projects, prioritizing tasks and meeting deadlines
• Ability to create and communicate clear meeting agendas and objectives
• Ability to take initiative and respond flexibly to evolving circumstances
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; strong interpersonal and relationship building skills; ability to effectively communicate with stakeholders at all levels
• Flexibility to work well independently and collaboratively
• Willingness to occasionally travel to events within the United States (5-6 times a year)
• Proficiency in MS Office, particularly Word and Excel, and Google Suite
• Experience with databases, especially relational databases such as Microsoft Dynamics CRM, preferred
• Hybrid work schedule; location within easy commuting reach of New York City preferred

Compensation and Benefits

Base salary: $92,700 / year

ACLS offers a comprehensive benefits package; including medical, dental, vision, life, accidental death and disability insurance; generous time off benefits; a retirement savings plan, including employer contributions; and professional development support

ACLS Mission and Overview

Formed a century ago, the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) is a nonprofit federation of 81 scholarly organizations.  As the leading representative of American scholarship in the humanities and interpretive social sciences, ACLS’ core principle is that knowledge is a public good. As such, ACLS strives to promote the circulation of humanistic knowledge throughout society. In addition to stewarding and representing its member organizations, ACLS employs its endowment and $34 million annual operating budget to support scholarship in the humanities and social sciences and to advocate for its central role in the twenty-first century.

Summary

Working closely with the President and the Vice President, the Senior Director of US Programs will lead the strategic direction and operations of the US Programs department at ACLS. ACLS operates an evolving set of programs that support scholars in the fields of the humanities and social sciences represented by ACLS member societies. US Programs awards typically support individual and collaborative research, workshops and other development programs, and convenings in support of awardees. The Senior Director will lead the administration and design of these programs; be responsible for program assessment and communications with past grantees, reviewers, advisers, and college/university administrators; and assist ACLS leadership in managing relations with funders. As a member of senior staff, the Senior Director will collaborate with colleagues within the organization and across ACLS networks to foster forward-looking change in the institutional structures and practices that shape the work of the humanities and social sciences at a challenging time for higher education. The Senior Director will also assess grantmaking operations across the organization, seeking to optimize coordination and collaboration.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Direct the operations and oversee the budget of US Programs, including direct supervision of program staff and management of consultants and advisors
• With assistance from US Programs staff, design, implement, assess, and report the activities and outcomes of US Programs’ extensive portfolio, including:
  • Strategies to make programs more accessible, equitable, responsive, and effective
  • Peer-review processes
  • Reporting, stipend payments, project monitoring, publicity

• Design and oversee the implementation of program activities beyond competitions, such as workshops for fellows, program analysis and field-relevant research projects, and meetings with program funders and/or other program partners
• Lead the assessment and refinement of ACLS award competitions across the organization
• Work with the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer to identify and implement solutions for various program-related organizational processes associated with technology, human resources, and financial services
• Coordinate select award-related activities with ACLS member societies and institutions
• Stay abreast of current challenges facing humanistic study, especially as they affect ACLS constituencies, and shape US Programs accordingly
• Represent ACLS in national grant-making networks and other organizations
• Collaborate with leadership and staff of funding organizations
• Work with the President, the Vice President, and the Chief Development Officer to secure funding for initiatives and programs, including identifying relevant donors and crafting program proposals that align  the funders’ identified areas of interest with ACLS priorities and capacities
• Assist the President and Vice President in preparing reports to constituencies, including learned societies and the ACLS Board
• Help encourage and inspire ACLS staff and ACLS networks (learned society executive directors and delegates, members of the University Consortium and Associates networks, fellows, and funders) to envision and work towards a more inclusive and vibrant ecosystem for the humanities and social sciences

Qualifications

• PhD in humanities or social sciences
• Leadership, strategy development, and management experience
• Superior written and oral communication skills, with the ability to adapt communication style to different audiences
• Ability to multi-task and prioritize long-term projects and short-term assignments in a deadline-driven environment
• Excellent interpersonal skills and facility both for working collaboratively with a team and independently
• Analytical and creative problem-solving capacity
• Ability to take initiative and respond flexibly to rapidly evolving and unexpected conditions
• Ability to maintain clear and rational judgment in high pressure or complex situations
• Proficiency in MS Office, particularly Word and Excel; experience with using relational databases, such as Microsoft Dynamics CRM preferred
• Interest or experience in issues and challenges facing the humanities and humanistic social sciences
• Hybrid work schedule; location within easy commuting reach of New York City preferred

Compensation and Benefits

Base salary range: $175,000 – $200,000 / year

ACLS offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, life, accidental death and disability insurance; generous time off benefits; a retirement savings plan, including employer contributions; and professional development support.