Academic Director

World Learning

Lilongwe, Malawi

RESPONSIBILITIES

The academic director is responsible for the design, planning, delivery, and supervision of the academic program offered by SIT at its assigned program location in consultation and support of SIT departments including the Office of the Provost & Dean of Faculty, Global Operations, Human Resources, and Office Student Health, Safety, and Well-being.

Overall responsibilities include:

ensuring inclusive academic excellence of the program in line with SIT's academic policies
creating an inclusive & safe learning environment for students, staff, and local faculty
managing the program site and supervision of local staff, budget planning and oversight, and financial reporting
representing SIT at the program location and developing and maintaining positive relationships with SIT and local partners

The academic director must remain current in their areas of expertise and familiar with in-country issues and practices in higher education. Academic directors are expected to be active members of the SIT community, giving service to the institution, and acting as a thought leader in institutional initiatives.

Key Responsibilities:

Academic Management:
- General management and oversight of program delivery of the undergraduate program in collaboration with SIT Office of the Provost & Dean of Faculty, Office of Global Operations, and Office of Student health, Safety, and Well-being.
- Teaching one three-credit course or equivalent, serving as faculty of record for the other courses, hiring guest lecturers to teach on the program, advising the students on their independent study projects, and, when applicable, working with the internship coordinator to ensure the highest quality experience for the students.
- Curriculum development and academic oversight in consultation and support from the Office of the Provost & Dean of Faculty and in accordance with SIT policies.
- Advising in matters regarding academic program delivery and scheduling.
- Designing and delivering the students' on-site cross-cultural orientation and teaching components of the thematic and project-based courses, in their areas of expertise, as appropriate.
- Designing and coordinating an experiential educational experience including in and out of the classroom activities. Facilitating the linkages between and among each of these various components and program excursions.
- Generally guiding and advising students in both their cross-cultural learning processes and academic experiences including the Independent Study Project and, when applicable, internship, thus serving as an educator/teacher in the broadest sense by assisting students to draw substantive connections from among different aspects of the experience.
- Conducting the program review and academic evaluation at the end of the program and incorporating feedback to enhance program academic quality.
- Serving as thought leader by maintaining an active agenda of research and knowledge production and publication in peer-reviewed journals.
Program & Operations Management:
- Managing program administration and operations in compliance with local laws and regulations and in consultation with and support from SIT's Office of Global Operations.
- Serve as in-country entity representative for compliance purposes as required.
- Negotiating cost-effective program services and managing the program budget.
- Collaborating with the World Learning Human Resources, Legal Counsel, and Office of the Provost & Dean of Faculty in recruitment and termination decisions regarding program support staff.
- Supervising local program staff, including mentoring, training, and regular performance evaluations.
- Maintaining regular communication including submitting detailed and timely reports to various departments, including Human Resources, Office of Global Operations, and Office of the Provost & Dean of Faculty.
- Serving as a liaison between SIT students and local national and program partners.
- Supporting the Office of Global Operations in negotiating and maintaining updated agreements with local partner organizations as needed.
- Participating, when requested, in the writing and editing of program materials, advertising materials, catalog copy, country information.
- Participating in SIT training and faculty workshops as required.
Student Health and Safety and Well-Being:
- Playing a critical role in providing and connecting students to relevant support services locally and in collaboration with SIT Office of Student Health, Safety, and Well-Being.
- Providing an inclusive learning and teaching environment for all students.
- Serving as point person for students on medical, personal, and security concerns in collaboration with SIT's Office of Student Health, Safety, and Well-Being and local staff.
- Providing care to the students and, in consultation with SIT Office of Student health, Safety, and Well-Being, directing them to appropriate resources for emotional and mental health support.
- Maintaining up-to-date program contingency plans, based on current and reliable information concerning health and safety risks of the local environment.
- Communicating emergency procedures and protocols to student participants, program staff, and homestay families.
- Providing culturally appropriate strategies and advice to maximize safety and well-being.
Serving on periodic SIT task forces or learning communities in collaboration with other faculty.
Other duties as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS

Required Experience/Education:

Terminal degree (PhD) in development studies, sustainability studies, social sciences, cultural studies, political science, or a related discipline.
Academic and practical knowledge of Malawi.
Advanced proficiency in English and French writing and speaking.
Legal right to work and reside in Malawi.

Required Skills:

Effective communication skills.
Computer literacy.
Excellent intercultural skills to communicate effectively with students, host communities, and program partners.
A demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and access, including the ability to interact with a culturally and ethnically diverse population of students, faculty, and staff from around the world, and to understand and support different lived experiences including but not limited to first generation and non-traditional students, international students, veterans, students with disabilities, and low-income families.

Required Competencies:

SIT faculty must be attuned to the educational philosophy and expectations of SIT and possess both commitment to academic excellence and the personal leadership qualities required by the program. Among the latter are cultural sensitivity and adaptability; empathy; intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm for challenge; tact and diplomacy in working with students from the United States and local nationals and students; organizational ability; budget management skills.
Experience working successfully in a remote team environment and comfortable using a variety of technologies and virtual platforms.
Proven ability to be flexible, collaborative, and patient plus a sense of humor.
Proven ability to create an inclusive learning space for students and staff.
Demonstrated ability to use empathy and authenticity to support and connect students experiencing emotional, mental, or socially challenging situations in a new environment with appropriate resources.
Must be able to meet the physical demands of this position.

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