Executive Director, CANDLE

Job Description, CANDLE Executive Director

To date, what is happening in the brain has not been firmly connected to what is happening in the classroom. The mission of the USC Center for Affective Neuroscience, Development, Learning and Education (CANDLE) is to bring educational innovation and developmental affective neuroscience into partnership, and to use what is learned to guide the transformation of schools, policy, and the student and teacher experience for a healthier and more equitable society. By inventing new study methods and launching a transdisciplinary conversation about the goals and processes of education in the modern era, CANDLE integrates research in schools and laboratory settings, leveraging the expertise of both practitioners and scientists. Located in USC Brain and Creativity Center, the Center serves as a dynamic hub for translating this research back to educators and policy-makers. 

A core focus for the Center is to ensure that the science that is developed is put into practice and policy for the betterment of the educational system.  CANDLE conducts synergistic field and laboratory research to learn more about how educators and students think and feel, and how these thoughts and feelings are related to their brain development, deep learning, health and achievement in various contexts, now and over time. We document live teaching and learning while simultaneously capturing physiological data, and then follow up in the lab with interviews, authentic learning and teaching activities, and brain scans. 

CANDLE provides a much-needed forum for scientists and educators to work together by facilitating in-depth conversations, professional learning centers and scientific gatherings. The Center helps educators answer the “so what?” question about neuroscience—what neuroscience means for structures and practices in schools and how neuroscience informs the professional toolkit needed by teachers in contemporary classrooms. CANDLE also helps neuroscientists know what kind of work is needed most by educators in the field.

Summary

Reporting to the Chair and Founding Director of the Center, The Executive Director directs the overall operations for CANDLE, ensuring financial, operational, program and strategic goals are achieved. Directs short- and long-term strategic planning efforts, goals, objectives, and performance standards. Ensures the center stays consistent with its core purpose of ensuring robust research programs in the service of educational practice and policy.  Serves as a center spokesperson, cultivating positive, long-term relationships with partners, scholars and journalists, and promoting stories reflecting the center’s public contributions. Works with senior leaders to plan and direct center budgets and fundraising for programs and projects. Participates in ongoing professional development to remain current and engaged in appropriate fields of study.

This position is 100% grant-funded and is on the UPC campus with a hybrid work schedule.

Duties and Accountabilities

• Directs the Center’s overall operations, ensuring financial, operational, program and strategic goals are achieved. Manages program designs and policy development, exercising judgment in selecting methods, techniques and protocols. Works closely with center, school and university leadership, the center’s advisory boards, donors, education, research, political and civic leaders, and other external stakeholders.

• On behalf of the Chair, oversees the implementation of Center initiatives, programs and processes, all produced in collaboration with Center leadership, thought leaders, and university community members.

• Helps foster and shape engaging, in-depth dialogues on public policy issues centered around the center’s mission and short- and long-term agendas. Works in coalition with thought leaders, both established and emerging. Develops and maintains relationships with local, national, and/or global innovators, educators, change makers, scholars, and organizations. Builds the center’s network and develops strategic partnerships, increasing opportunities for collaboration and fundraising with other parties for shared goals.

• Develops and deploys strategic communication plans and outreach campaigns.  Directs short- and long-term strategic planning efforts, goals, objectives, and performance standards.

• Develops and guides effective communications, marketing, and public-relations strategies aimed toward the university, internal/external stakeholders, and the general public.

• Promotes student engagement, exploring and addressing the adequacy, consistency, and availability of center courses, services, and activities.

• When necessary, serves as center spokesperson at internal/external events, meetings, and conferences, and for news matters where the Chair is not available.

• Leads senior staff in the planning and directing of center budgets and fundraising for programs and projects, participating in the processes as needed to support the organization’s financial infrastructure.

• Responsible for oversight of all center resources regarding finances, human resources, and technology. Partners with appropriate departments and relevant university stakeholders to analyze data critical to developing, monitoring and assessing the center. Participates in the development of appropriate reports, as requested and/or determined by the advisory board and/or center leadership.

The successful candidate will have:

• Experience developing strategic plans and roadmaps and aligning resources to meet established organizational objectives.

• Experience building out programs from concept to implementation.

• Advanced knowledge of continual improvement processes for incremental or breakthrough advances.

• Experience and success developing project proposals, tracking results, resolving issues and presenting value add.

• Experience driving cross-functional programs and managing competing priorities.

• Ability to mentor team members on program planning, improvement processes, data collection and reporting.

• Proven success leading a team with demonstrated leadership values and coaching skills.

• Ability to drive change and develop transformative environments for strategic growth.

• Demonstrated excellent relationship-building skills.

• Excellent presentation, communication, and collaboration capabilities and demonstrated high-level writing ability.

• Proven planning and organizational skills, effective time management abilities and a growth mindset.

JOB QUALIFICATIONS:

Preferred Education:

• EdD, PhD

Preferred Experience:

• 10 years

• University administration experience

Other Skills:

• Budget development and analysis

• Communication -- written and oral skills

• Conceptualization and design

• Conflict resolution

• Consulting

• Development/fundraising

• Interpretation of policies/analyses/trends/etc.

• Interviewing

• Knowledge ofapplicable laws/policies/principles/etc.

• Managerial skills

• Marketing

• Negotiation

• Networking

• Organization

• Strategic Planning

• Problem identification and resolution

• Project management

This position's annual base salary range is $180,000-$200,000. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

Applications should be submitted via usccarreers.usc.edu and should include the following:

• Resume

• A cover letter (Our system will allow you to add additional documentation by clicking the “upload” button in the same section where you attach your resume.)

Minimum Education: Doctorate, Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education Minimum Experience: Over 10 years, Combined education/experience as substitute for minimum experience Minimum Field of Expertise: Education and experience directly related to field of research. Expert knowledge of field, statistical research, and fundraising.