Director of Strategy, Academic Initiatives

Department

BFI - Administration

About the Department

Inspired by our namesakes, Nobel Laureates Gary Becker and Milton Friedman, who believed that economic research could help improve the world, the Becker Friedman Institute for Economics (BFI) aims to foster frontier research and apply those findings to achieve global impact. Rooted in core values of service, rigor, and innovation, BFI brings together researchers from the Booth School of Business, the Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics, the Harris School of Public Policy, the Law School, and the entire University of Chicago Economics Community to leverage robust data, apply cutting-edge analytical tools, and uncover novel insights on the world’s most difficult economic problems. BFI then bridges the divide between academic researchers and relevant policy makers by translating and packaging rigorous research into accessible formats and proactively sharing those findings with decision-makers and thought leaders in business, government and nonprofit institutions. In this way, BFI has the potential to play a significant role in meeting the most difficult challenges facing the global community.

Job Summary

The BFI Director of Strategy for Academic Initiatives, is responsible for the strategic leadership, administration, and expansion of academic initiatives promoted by BFI beginning with the Master’s program in economics (MA Program). The Director will help to support and implement opportunities to expand the academic offerings in Economics, both domestically and internationally. This includes the MA Program as well as any designated sub-degrees, specializations, certificates, or other related credentials. Grounded in academic rigor and focused on practical impact, the proposed offerings align seamlessly with BFI’s mission and the University of Chicago’s legacy of bold, interdisciplinary thinking. This role includes close collaboration with faculty overseeing curriculum development, student recruitment and support, faculty hire/coordination, budgeting, and program marketing. The Director ensures that the program meets UChicago standards, aligns with institutional goals, and provides students with a world-class education in economics.

In addition, this leader works closely with the Dean of Students and the Associate Deans of Admissions, Academic and Faculty Services, Career Services, and Student Life, within the Social Sciences Division as well as the Chair of the Economics Department to set the direction and tone for designated academic initiatives. The Director participates actively in the overall leadership, serving as the day-to-day face of these initiatives for donors, supporters, as well as prospective and current students. The Director manages a small, dedicated team within BFI who support the expansion of these academic initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Develops strategic management plans for the expansion of the MA Program and leads execution for the ongoing success of other designated initiatives, working in close collaboration with the Director and Executive Director of BFI, SSD Deans and Associate Deans, and Chair of the Economics Department. Visible to students, faculty, and other program administrators as the primary contact for all matters related to associated initiatives on strategies for growth and development.
• Proposes and provides strategies for a new suite of academic and professional programs designed to train students in rigorous applied economics, policy and data science.
• Proposes and provides strategies for new international programs abroad over the next 2-5 years, including developing collaborations and partnerships with governments and international institutions to provide local programming to international students both onsite and abroad.
• Manages a small team of staff members who provide essential services to ensure success.
• Executes and delivers the approved programs using practical considerations for launching, managing and scaling the programs in a phased and sustainable manner.
• Pilots then scales for expansion.
• Provides start-up strategies and oversite of dedicated administrative team to coordinate program delivery.
• Establishes and advances networking with partners for student placement including, collaborations with government agencies, international institutions, and private sector partners; placement support through career services, internships, and alumni networks, such as SSD Partners; and applied projects with real-world stakeholders embedded in program design, connecting students to faculty.
• Responsible for risk and mitigation of faculty capacity constraints, differentiation from existing programs, and enrollment.
• Supports faculty assessment of curriculum, providing data, convening meetings, and supporting the academic success of the stude