Director of University Partnerships

Position: Director of Partnerships (Full-time, exempt)

Start Date: Flexible by November 15, 2025

Location: Remote in USA with significant travel in North America; New York City office also available

Pay: $175-200k

Travel: 25-40%

Heterodox Academy (HxA) fosters a culture of open inquiry on college campuses, where the pursuit of truth requires three essential conditions: the free exchange of ideas, viewpoint diversity, and constructive disagreement. As the importance of these conditions has become apparent, HxA now has the opportunity to partner with presidents and other senior leaders at major colleges and universities across North America. To seize this opportunity for impact, HxA seeks a Director of University Partnerships to join our leadership team and drive institutional change by equipping college and university presidents with the tools, resources, and strategic guidance needed to build thriving cultures of open inquiry on their campuses.

The role is designed for a seasoned and credible leader who shares HxA’s principled commitments and understands the complexities of institutional governance and academic culture. The Director of University Partnerships will serve as HxA's primary liaison with university leadership, developing deep partnerships with presidents and senior administrators to accelerate meaningful campus transformation. This position requires both strategic acumen and operational excellence to create lasting change at the institutional level of selected colleges and universities, and build a larger movement of college presidents taking bold action for open inquiry.

This role will report to HxA's Executive Director and will manage one direct report to start. The position requires regular travel to university campuses to engage directly with presidential leadership teams and HxA’s campus communities.

Specific Duties:

Institutional Engagement and Partnership Development

Build and maintain strategic relationships with college and university presidents across diverse institutional types, in alignment with HxA’s Open Inquiry U Agenda
Conduct regular campus visits to assess institutional needs, culture, and readiness for open inquiry initiatives
Serve as trusted advisor to presidents, provosts, chiefs of staff, and senior administrators on implementing evidence-based practices for fostering intellectual diversity and constructive disagreement
With presidents’ support, advise and coordinate with college and university boards of trustees
Create connections between mission-aligned administrators and their local HxA members and HxA campus communities, finding opportunities for principled collaboration wherever possible

Resource Development and Customization

Contribute to planning, scoping, and refining resources developed by HxA, including policy models, faculty trainings, survey instruments, and implementation guides, working closely with HxA research and communications teams
Monitor needs and opportunities on campus, where advice and resources from HxA can equip mission-aligned institutions to make positive change
Design and oversee faculty training programs and professional development offerings for campus leadership

Strategic Communications and Thought Leadership

Represent HxA at national higher education conferences and convenings of university leaders
Author thought leadership content on institutional change strategies for academic audiences
Work closely with HxA's President and Executive Director to shape organizational strategy and messaging
Build coalitions with other organizations working on complementary institutional change efforts

Program Management and Team Leadership

Manage and develop one direct report focused on program operations, with additional support from operations team
Coordinate cross-functional initiatives involving research, communications, and member engagement teams
Track program outcomes and institutional impact metrics

Experience Desired:

Required Qualifications:

6+ years of experience in university administration, preferably with direct experience working as, with, or for a college president, provost, or other senior leader
Demonstrated track record of effective change leadership in complex organizations
Deep understanding of academic governance, faculty culture, and institutional decision-making processes
Exceptional relationship-building and communication skills with senior executives
Strong project management and people management ability

Alternative Pathway:

Faculty members with significant academic leadership experience (department chairs, deans, center directors) will be considered with equivalent leadership and institutional change experience

Preferred Qualifications:

Knowledge of relevant issues in academic culture, including intellectual freedom, viewpoint diversity, constructive disagreement, academic governance, and campus climate
Experience with organizational change management methodologies
Public speaking and thought leadership experience
Advanced degree in relevant field

Essential Attributes:

Strong alignment with HxA's mission and values
Comfort with significant travel and ability to build relationships across diverse institutional contexts
Strategic thinking combined with hands-on operational capabilities
Ability to work effectively in a small, nimble organization

To Apply: Submit an original cover letter explaining your interest in working for Heterodox Academy and your approach to institutional change in higher education; resume; and relevant work samples via this form.

The final salary offer will be determined based on the candidate's experience, qualifications, and other relevant factors. The stated range reflects the anticipated lower and higher bounds of the possible salary.

HxA also provides strong benefits, including contributions to medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance; employer contributions to retirement; paid time off; and professional development opportunities.

Heterodox Academy is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.