Director of Tennessee Center for Local Governance: Baker School - UTK

The Director will build a new Tennessee Center for Local Governance at the Baker School. With support from the Dean and Baker School faculty, the Director will set vision, strategic direction, and administrative and thought leadership to support the Center's mission: strengthening subnational government capacity by applying Baker School expertise to the needs of local and state governments and mission-aligned non-profits. The Director will work closely with Baker School faculty and public-sector leaders to design research partnerships, translate Baker faculty scholarship into practical tools, and create high-impact experiential learning opportunities for students. The position emphasizes relationship-building, research translation, evidence-based policy making and teaching and mentoring. The Director will both lead independent research and help structure research projects and relationships led by affiliated Baker faculty. 

Academic Programs and Outreach

• Works with Baker School faculty, leaders from nonprofits and local and state government officials to identify, design, and sustain long-term applied research partnerships and projects.

• Coordinates strategic research initiatives drawing on faculty expertise across the Baker School.

• Translates faculty research into public goods for use by leaders in public and nonprofit organizations including policy briefs, toolkits, frameworks, and implementation resources.

• Oversees the development of data products and research dissemination tools (e.g., dashboards, reports, web-based resources) that serve as ongoing assets for local, state, and nonprofit partners.

• Teaches and/or co-teaches courses, seminars, or workshops at the Baker School, as appropriate.

• Mentors students in applied policy research, professional communication, and public-sector problem solving.

• Work in conjunction with program directors to design and oversee consulting and capstone projects for undergraduate and graduate students, offered as coursework and/or extracurricular programming.

• Oversees professionally focused programming, including internships, public-sector consulting clubs, speaker series, and practitioner panels.

Program and Operations Management

• Provides overall leadership and strategic direction for the Center.

• Directs the day-to-day operations of the Center, ensuring alignment with the Baker School’s academic mission and strategic priorities.

• Supervises professional staff and student employees; provides training, mentoring, and performance feedback.

• Plans, prioritizes, and manages programmatic activities to ensure goals are met and projects are successfully executed.

• Develops and implements unit policies, procedures, and workflows that support applied research, teaching, and engagement activities.

• Evaluates program effectiveness and implements improvements to research initiatives, academic programming, and external partnerships.

• Builds and sustains strong relationships with local and state policy leaders, serving as the primary liaison between the Center, faculty, students, and external partners.

• Ensures compliance with applicable university, state, and federal rules and regulations.

Business and Financial Management

• Oversees the Center’s budget, including planning, allocation, and monitoring of resources to support academic programs and strategic initiatives.

• Supports the development and management of external funding, including grants, contracts, and sponsored research agreements.

• Provides oversight of fiscal policies, transactions, and reporting in collaboration with Baker School administration.

• Allocates resources strategically to support faculty research partnerships, data product development, and student consulting initiatives.

• Ensures responsible stewardship of financial resources and compliance with university policies and applicable legal requirements.

Required Qualifications

• Education: Master’s degree in Public Policy, Public Administration, or a related field

• Experience:

  • Minimum of 10 years of leadership experience in local or state government, public administration, or a related field

  • Demonstrated success managing complex stakeholder environments and advancing strategic initiatives

  • Experience developing partnerships with public and nonprofit sector stakeholders

  • Experience managing budgets, projects, or externally funded initiatives

  • Experience teaching