Career Center

The Center for Austrian Studies (CAS) at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities invites applications for the position of Administrative Associate 3 (Job Code 8208A3). This position has the working title Assistant Director, and functions as Publications, Research, and Program Coordinator for the Center. This is a 100%-time, 12-month, continuous position subject to the University's Civil Service Rules, with an anticipated start date in summer 2023. 

The position requires in-depth knowledge of one or more Central European languages, as well as an area of scholarly expertise within the broader field of Central European/Austrian studies. The successful candidate must be able to work independently and collaboratively with the CAS Director, faculty, librarians, staff, students, and community members to develop and manage research, teaching, and public engagement programs at all stages. This includes creating and fostering new projects, identifying internal and external funding opportunities, overseeing grant writing and management, and contributing to the Center’s scholarly programming, publication, and educational initiatives.

Functioning in the capacity of Assistant Director and in consultation with the Director, the Publications, Research, and Program Coordinator creates, develops, and manages annual programming of the Center, and develops and manages Center operating budgets.  They work with the CLA grants team to identify internal and external grant opportunities, and they oversee grant budgets and expenditures, and manage reallocations if necessary.

The Center for Austrian Studies is affiliated with the Institute for Global Studies (IGS) and the West Bank Administrative Hub in the College of Liberal Arts. The Publications, Research, and Program Coordinator contributes to the leadership and operations of IGS in areas of expertise and need.

Duties & Responsibilities

Publications Management – 40%

The Publications, Research, and Program Coordinator is responsible for overseeing multiple research-related projects, including publications, that require in-depth subject matter knowledge, creating project plans in concert with the Director, ensuring that resources and scholars are in place to meet Center research and programmatic objectives.

• Center for Austrian Studies Annual Report. Coordinate publication of Annual Report; collect and present the center’s activities and publications, including the impact of these activities; coordinate distribution to stakeholders, scholars, and donors; gather data on activities, attendance, publications; write summary of activities, publications, and impact; liaise with stakeholders, including Austrian government agencies.
• Austrian Studies Newsmagazine. Coordinate publication of The Austrian Studies Newsmagazine; plan content; solicit stories from internal and external contributors; edit text to ensure quality, clarity, consistency, correct grammar, and formatting; manage layout; coordinate and oversee publication and distribution, including online publication and mailing of hard copy.
• Central Europe Yearbook. Serve as Managing Editor for online journal Central Europe Yearbook. Prepare Yearbook for publication; solicit contributions; oversee peer review process, coordinate online publication with University Libraries, accepted submissions for publication, including text editing, layout, graphics, links. https://pubs.lib.umn.edu/index.php/cey/

Research & Scholarly Coordination – 30%

Support Director in the formulation and implementation of research and scholarly activities of the Center, drawing on expertise that complements the expertise of the Director and affiliated faculty. Discuss and plan new avenues of investigation. Ensure quality of academic content and effective execution of programs.

• CAS Research Initiatives. Develop and implement CAS Research Initiative Program (long-term research programs with international teams of scholars, focused on changing thematic projects, such as environment, sports, violence); ensure that initiatives lead to identified outcomes that further the scholarly mission of the center, such as publications, sourcebooks, podcasts, web publications, course materials.
• Seminar Fellows Program.  Coordinate Seminar Fellows Program, which brings together emerging scholars (graduate students & junior scholars) to enhance their individual work and to create networks and research collaborations; formulate and implement workshops or colloquia in Minnesota, the US, and abroad; connect emerging scholars with established scholars.
• National Conference Coordination.  Support and coordinate the global positioning of the Center for Austrian Studies across regional, national, and international scholarly communities; coordinate meetings of the Society for Austrian and Habsburg History (SAHH) at the American Historical Association Annual Meeting; coordinate conference groups and research panels at annual national conferences including, but not limited to: International Congress on Medieval Studies, Sixteenth Century Studies Conference, ASEEES Annual Meeting.
• Annual Speaker Program.  Develop and coordinate annual calendar of scholarly programs, activities, and events; determine format, logistics, and venue needs; produce publicity and manage communications, coordinate logistical support and integrate with IGS workflows, and oversee budgets and manage financial and payments processing.
• Visiting Scholars. Coordinate annual visiting scholars, including invitations, onboarding and logistical support for CAS visitors, including Austrian Federal Ministry Doctoral Fellow, Austrian Fulbright, Graz Faculty Exchange, etc; manage affiliations, visas, and health insurance needs, and integrate with IGS workflows.
• Prize Competitions.  Administer Center prize competitions, including CAS Book Prize (biennial), CAS Dissertation Prize (biennial), CAS Graduate Student Summer Research Prize (annual); publicize competitions, solicit submissions, establish and coordinate selection committees, review criteria and award processes, manage announcements and communications about awards, etc.
• Board Meetings. Coordinate meetings of CAS Advisory Board and Graduate Student Board; schedule meetings, develop agendas and prepare materials, produce, distribute and archive minutes and reports, etc.

Program Coordination – 30%

Functioning in the capacity of Assistant Director and in consultation with the Director, the Publications, Research, and Program Coordinator creates, develops, and manages annual programming of the Center, and develops and manages Center operating budgets. They work with the CLA grants team to identify internal and external grant opportunities, and they oversee grant budgets and expenditures, and manage reallocations, and serve as the primary liaison between key partners at the IGS Hub and integrate center activities into IGS workflows.

Program Administration

• Manage the hiring and training of new Center staff (graduate assistants and undergraduate students), coordinate hiring and training and integrate with IGS workflows; consult with graduate assistants; supervise undergraduate student workers.
• Administer fellowship and scholarship processes including advertising fellowships, the selection of recipients, the communication of results, set-up of awards, maintaining records.
• Develop and execute evaluative practices for Center initiatives, disseminate results.
• Support affiliate faculty and graduate students in executing, regional, national, and international conferences and symposia.
• Maintain a strong understanding of current projects by attending workshops and meeting with organizers and participants.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with University leadership, development officers, and donors and effectively share strategic plans, goals, and successful and promising initiatives.

Financial Management

• Determine and monitor program budgets and facilitate payments and disbursements.
• In collaboration with the director and accountant, set, monitor, and oversee annual Center and program budgets; facilitate and monitor payments and disbursement, including, if warranted, re-prioritize and re-allocate funds throughout the budget year.
• Assist the director with donor management and fundraising in furtherance of the Center’s mission.
• Identify internal and external funding sources to support the research and programmatic activities of the Center.
• Write grant proposals to supplement endowment funding for the research and programmatic activities of the Center.
• Oversee grant-based event planning and execution in coordination with the Centers and other partners. Approve grant expenditures and recommend rebudgeting when necessary and appropriate.
• Make purchases and oversee the timely and accurate processing of Center financial paperwork.
• Liaison with IGS accountant, executive accounts specialist, and administrator on Center financial needs and support.

Communications

• Manage support staff and project leaders in the organization and execution of programs and events.
• Manage facilities, technology, and hospitality needs for Center events; liaison with IGS for needed support.
• Curate and develop communication strategies and manage their execution, including social media, website newsletters, email list distribution, and management of archived materials.

Required Qualifications

B.A./B.S. degree with at least four (4) years of professional work experience or a combination of related education and professional work experience to equal eight (8) years; often the senior-most staff contributor in the Center for Austrian Studies to whom graduate assistants and other staff go to for publications, research, and programmatic guidance.

Preferred Qualifications

Master’s Degree or Ph.D. in the humanities or humanistic social sciences with a scholarly emphasis within the broader field of Central European/Austrian studies, and in-depth working knowledge of German and/or other Central/Eastern European languages are strongly preferred. The successful candidate also must have:

• a proven ability to work independently and collaboratively with a broad range of diverse stakeholders, including academic leaders, faculty, librarians, researchers, support staff, and community members to develop and manage research, teaching, and public engagement programs at all stages;
• demonstrated successful experience completing complex administrative functions (financial/budgeting, curricular, student services, human resources) in a research university or 4-year liberal arts college; and
• strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills. communication skills.

About University of Minnesota Twin Cities

The University of Minnesota, founded in the belief that all people are enriched by understanding, is dedicated to the advancement of learning and the search for truth; to the sharing of this knowledge through education for a diverse community; and to the application of this knowledge to benefit the people of the state, the nation, and the world.

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