The University of New Hampshire (UNH) seeks a skilled leader who brings leadership, vision, and expertise to advance IOD’s mission to improve knowledge, policies, and practices related to the lives of people with disabilities and their families. The Director will work closely with college deans and academic leaders inside the university system as well as state leaders, policymakers and local communities outside of the university.
The Organization
The Institute on Disability (IOD) was established in 1987 to provide a university-based focus for the improvement of knowledge, policies, and practices related to the lives of people with disabilities and their families. Through innovative and interdisciplinary research, academic, and service initiatives, the IOD builds local, state, and national capacities to support people with disabilities in their pursuit of independence, productivity, community inclusion, and overall quality of life. The IOD works to ensure all people are fully engaged members of communities and is committed to the inclusion and independence of people with disabilities throughout their lifespan. In its governance and research, teaching, and service activities, the IOD prioritizes the participation of people with disabilities, the community, family members, and individuals from diverse backgrounds.
The IOD is comprised of approximately 100 full or part-time faculty and staff, conducting over 100 projects funded by multiple federal, state, and foundation grants and contracts, with a combined annual budget of more than $11 million. For more information on IOD, please visit https://iod.unh.edu/.
The University of New Hampshire is one of four member institutions of the University System of New Hampshire (USNH), which—along with Plymouth State University, Keene State College, and Granite State College—educates nearly 35,000 students annually and has more than 90,000 living alumni across the state of New Hampshire. UNH is one of only nine land-, sea-, and space- grant institutions in the nation. For 150 years, UNH has provided comprehensive, high-quality undergraduate programs and graduate programs of distinction, as the flagship public research University of the state of New Hampshire.
The Position
Reporting to the Dean of the College of Health and Human Services (CHHS), the Director will engage in the UNH academic realm and also the communities that the IOD serves. The Director oversees a management team comprised of five senior managers.
Leadership Outlook and Near-Term Priorities
The near-term priorities for the next 12-18 months include:
- Continuing to oversee the current project portfolio.
- Providing leadership and management to IOD employees.
- Building IOD’s reputation on campus and with state and national audiences.
- Implementing key strategies per the strategic plan (just finished year one of the 5-year plan).
- Building strategic partnerships on behalf of IOD.
- Diversifying revenue streams and partnerships with new funders (state and federal).
- Continuing to advocate on behalf of local communities’ disabilities needs.
- Publishing research and thought leadership on behalf of IOD and UNH.
Key Responsibilities
The Director will help the IOD function seamlessly across three different offices in New Hampshire. S/he will ensure that programs and projects continue to run in a sustainable manner and be responsive to policy shifts at the local, state and federal level. Primary responsibilities include:
Leadership and Management
- Manage the 100-person IOD team.
- Oversee the Institute’s $11M project portfolio that includes state and national projects.
- Oversee grants, finances, and human resources, ensuring that the internal infrastructure is in place to support the Institute’s projects.
- Stay on top of disability trends and political shifts that have implications on IOD’s work.
Community Engagement and Advocacy
- Collaborate with departments, centers, and Institutes in and outside of CHHS.
- Participate in strategic College, University, state, and federal policy activities.
- Engage with diverse external stakeholders including relevant New Hampshire State Departments (e.g., Health and Human Services, Department of Education, Vocational Rehabilitation, etc.) and consumer advocacy groups in the state of NH.
- Liaise with state and national organizations, including Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), and NH’s Developmental Disabilities Network partners (Disability Rights Center and NH Council on Developmental Disabilities, People First and other self-advocacy groups).
- Develop relationships and build partnerships with business, providers, policymakers and consumers to further IOD’s strategic priorities.
- Participate as a member of the CHHS Executive Committee.
Research and Thought Leadership
- Provide knowledge and expertise on disability issues, policies, and best practices via publications and speaking opportunities.
- Continue to advance the Institute’s diverse and growing body of research, scholarship, and knowledge translation activities within CHHS and UNH.
- Communicate about the research and issues facing children and adults with disabilities on a local, state and national level.
Experience, Skills, and Attributes
The Director must be aligned to IOD’s vision of a future where all people, including individuals living with disabilities, are fully engaged members of communities and where culturally appropriate supports that lead to independence, productivity, and a satisfying quality of life are available to individuals and families across the life span. The Director will bring creative ideas about how to achieve this vision of the future through a collaborative approach. S/he will bring the following experiences and attributes to IOD:
- Applied experience in or with disability focused agencies or organizations.
- Active grant-funded research, scholarship and grant development related to disability.
- Management and team building experience; approaches to foster workplace culture that value intellectual curiosity, academic freedom, and diverse perspectives.
- Relationship building experience at the national and state levels.
- Understanding of systems transformation in supporting progressive policy, legislative, and service outcomes, equal access, and opportunity, and quality of community life affecting persons with disabilities.
- Experience managing grants and financial and human resources from diverse sources.
- Demonstrated ability to create a vision and collaboratively develop and implement a strategic plan.
- Expertise and experience in the administration of research, training, outreach, technical assistance, resource development/leverage, and dissemination.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills.
- Political savviness.
- Problem-solving skills; ability to think outside the box and connect ideas to vision.
- Demonstrated commitment to diversity, inclusiveness, and cultural and linguistic sensitivity.
- Experience commensurate with Associate or Full Professor ranking.
- Terminal degree required.
Salary will be competitive and commensurate with experience.
Application Process
To apply, e-mail resume, cover letter and salary requirements to: UNH-IOD@marcumllp.com (e-mail applications are required). Only complete applications will be considered. For other inquiries, please contact Ginna Goodenow-Schirf at Ginna.Goodenow@Marcumllp.com. Resume reviews begin immediately.
The Institute on Disabilities provides equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, pregnancy or recent childbirth or related medical condition, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, the use of a guide or support animal because of blindness, deafness or physical handicap of any individual, citizenship, veteran or military status, genetic information, marital status, familial status, domestic or sexual violence victim status, possession of a GED instead of a high school diploma, or any other protected characteristic under applicable federal, state or local laws.
About Raffa – Marcum’s Nonprofit and Social Sector Group
Raffa – Marcum’s Nonprofit and Social Sector Group is working to advance The Institute on Disabilities’ search. Founded in 1984 and recently merged with Marcum, Raffa is, and always has been, a mission-driven professional services firm seeking to do more for nonprofits and socially conscious companies.