Program Director for Humanities, Arts, Education, and American Institutions

Cambridge,

THE SEARCH

The American Academy of Arts and Sciences seeks a Program Director for Humanities, Arts, Education, and American Institutions ("Program Director"). The Program Director works with Academy members and senior staff to oversee and develop multidisciplinary projects in these areas. The projects are carried out by commissions and committees composed of members, other leaders in these fields, consultants, and Academy staff. The Program Director will manage, coordinate, and contribute intellectually to these initiatives.

Founded in 1780, the American Academy is one of the nation's oldest learned societies, with 4,600 Fellows and 600 Foreign Honorary Members. Through studies, publications, and programs, the Academy provides authoritative and nonpartisan research for decision-makers in government, academia, and the private sector, producing findings that lead to constructive action. Its four program areas are: Humanities, Arts, and Education; American Institutions and the Public Good; Science, Engineering, and Technology; and Global Security and International Affairs.

The Program Director reports to the Academy's President, Dr. Jonathan Fanton. The successful candidate will be an experienced administrator and manager, with the ability to work collaboratively and effectively with the Academy's members and stakeholders. He or she will have a demonstrated record of success in complex and high-visibility project management, excellent organizational abilities, and strong oral and written communication skills. A PhD is required.

The American Academy of Arts and Sciences has engaged Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to assist with this search. Inquiries, nominations, and applications should be directed in confidence to the firm as indicated at the end of this document.

Program Director, Arts, Humanities, Education, and American Institutions American Academy of Arts and Sciences

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

When the Academy was established by the Massachusetts legislature in 1780, the War for Independence had not ended and the Constitution was yet to be drafted. Its founders, led by and James Bowdoin, were already looking to the future, anticipating the republic's needs for new knowledge and practical ideas.

In 1780, 62 individuals signed their names to the Charter of the American Academy. The first members included clergymen and merchants, scholars and physicians, farmers, and public leaders. In addition to Adams and Bowdoin, founders included Samuel Adams; John Hancock, Governor of Massachusetts; and Robert Treat Paine, Attorney General of Massachusetts and, with Hancock, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Before the turn of the century, the Academy's membership included , , , and . During the nineteenth century, , Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, John J. Audubon, Louis Agassiz, , , and , among others, were elected to the Academy.

Today, the Academy convenes leaders from government, academia, and the private sector to anticipate, examine, and address the critical issues facing our global society. The Academy's strength lies in the intellectual leadership of its members and the wide range of expertise they bring to its studies and publications. Over 4,600 Fellows (based in the US) and 600 Foreign Honorary Members are drawn from the full range of disciplines and professions: arts, humanities, mathematics, biological and physical sciences, and the social sciences, and business, government, medicine, and public affairs. Among the Academy's members are more than 250 Nobel laureates and 60 Pulitzer Prize winners.

For more information about the American Academy, please visit www.amacad.org.

ACADEMY ACTIVITIES

As an independent research center, the Academy is known for multidisciplinary, nonpartisan research that promotes useful knowledge and advances the public good. Drawing from every field of research and professional practice, the Academy's studies often help pioneer new fields that transcend disciplinary boundaries. The Academy shares its research and recommendations through publications, domestic and international policy forums, and events around the country, including meetings, lectures, panel discussions, and informal gatherings.

The Academy is currently pursuing projects in four program areas:

The Humanities, Arts, and Education The Academy conducts research and develops policy recommendations to advance the humanities in academic scholarship and in the workforce, to support the arts, and to

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Program Director, Arts, Humanities, Education, and American Institutions American Academy of Arts and Sciences

strengthen the education system. This work also examines public perceptions of these fields of study and their broader impact on the nation. Among current projects in this topic area are the Commission on the Future of Undergraduate Education (chaired by Roger W. Ferguson, Jr. and Michael S. McPherson); the Commission on Language Learning (chaired by Paul LeClerc); the Humanities Indicators; and The Lincoln Project: Excellence and Access in Public Higher Education (chaired by Robert J. Birgeneau and Mary Sue Coleman), which is also part of the American Institutions and the Public Good program area.

American Institutions and the Public Good The Academy's founding purpose was to promote a "strong and virtuous" nation. Efforts in this area have involved research to advance scholarship on democracy, promote good citizenship, and foster civil society. Other recent topics have focused on immigration policy, the independence of the judiciary, incarceration, the future of the media, and race, equity, and equality. A recent project, Stewarding America (chaired by Norman J. Ornstein), examined the civic institutions that are critical for modeling good citizenship and evaluated the role these institutions play in the American democratic system.

Science, Engineering, and Technology Academy projects in this area advance critical thinking about the evolving landscape for scientific research. Studies focus on increasing public understanding of current research and technological change, and on helping society adapt effectively to and make meaningful use of new scientific knowledge. Areas of interest include productivity in science and technology; the of digital media and their impact on social norms and institutions; and public understanding of, and trust in, science and medicine.

Global Security and International Affairs Academy work in Global Security and International Affairs focuses on emerging challenges to international peace and security, with particular attention to military technological advancements, relations among great powers, nuclear weapons, and threats arising from fragile and failing states. Current projects include the Global Nuclear Future; New Dilemmas in Ethics, Technology, and War; and Civil Wars and International Order.

Findings from these projects, as well as original research, are published by the Academy and influence scholars, policy-makers, and other leaders in higher education, government, the arts, business, public affairs, and philanthropy.

The Academy's publications include:

Dædalus, Journal of the Academy Dædalus was founded in 1955 as the Journal of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Each quarterly issue contains multidisciplinary, authoritative essays centered on a single theme; recent topics have included judicial independence, the global nuclear future, mass incarceration, the alternative energy future, the modern American military,

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Program Director, Arts, Humanities, Education, and American Institutions American Academy of Arts and Sciences

race and inequality, and the future of the Internet. Issues are often related to current Academy projects, highlighting findings and recommendations from Academy research.

Bulletin, Magazine of the Academy First published in 1948, each quarterly issue includes reports on Academy research and projects, edited transcripts of presentations by Fellows and other experts, information on upcoming events, and details of members' noteworthy achievements.

Research Papers and Monographs The Academy publishes research papers and monographs to advance scholarship on a particular topic, report findings from Academy research, and provide recommendations for scholars, policy-makers, and the general public. The authors include the principal investigators for Academy projects in addition to other experts.

LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE

Dr. Jonathan Fanton became President of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in July 2014. He has been charged by the Board to "lead the Academy intellectually and administratively" as it approaches its 250th anniversary in 2030. Before joining the Academy, Dr. Fanton was Interim Director of the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College. He previously was President of The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation from 1999 to 2009 and for seventeen years was President of The New School for Social Research. Earlier, he was Vice President of Planning at The University of Chicago. He taught at Yale University and was Special Assistant to President Kingman Brewster. Dr. Fanton was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1999.

The President's senior staff is comprised of program and administrative executives. In addition to the Program Director for Arts, Humanities, Education, and American Institutions, the senior staff includes the Chief Communications Officer, the Chief Operating Officer, the Chief Advancement Officer, the Director of Publications, and the Program Director for Science, Technology, and Global Security. The Academy's 45-person staff operates from the House of the Academy in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The Academy benefits from three governance bodies. The 17-member board of directors has legal and fiduciary responsibility for the Academy, while the 19-member council provides guidance on the academic work of the Academy. The 25-member trust focuses on assessing the impact of the Academy’s studies, development and public affairs.

ROLE OF THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR FOR ARTS, HUMANITIES, EDUCATION, AND AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS

The Academy's members, its relationships with leading organizations in the public and private sector, and its standing as a nonpartisan institute enable the Academy to conduct research

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Program Director, Arts, Humanities, Education, and American Institutions American Academy of Arts and Sciences projects that will have credibility and influence. It is the Program Director's role to ensure that these projects are designed, staffed, coordinated, and managed well; to support the committees and commissions who carry out the projects; and to shepherd projects from their genesis to completion and dissemination.

In the course of this work, the Program Director works closely with Academy members and other experts. He or she coordinates their activities and is frequently a substantive contributor to the content of these projects.

OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

The chief opportunity for the Program Director lies in the ability to contribute to work that will have broad and positive impact on society. The Academy convenes individuals from every field and profession and fosters collaboration between the academic, business, and government sectors. The Program Director facilitates the participation of these distinguished leaders and organizations.

In this context, the Program Director will:

Work collaboratively with internal staff to ensure the success of projects. The successful execution of the Academy's projects depends in large measure on the shared efforts of its staff. The Program Director will confer with the President and other colleagues to develop the membership of each committee and commission, prepare for each meeting and event, and ensure that participants are kept up to date. The Academy has a lean but talented staff; the Program Director must be able to integrate well with the team.

Facilitate and support the work of committee and commission members. The members of the Academy's committees and commissions are successful and busy professionals, and their engagement with Academy projects is predicated on the ability of the Program Director to attend to important details. He or she must be able to translate the broad goals of each project into detailed action steps, and will provide the information, attention, and resources they need to ensure steady progress.

Marshal and steward the creative and intellectual resources of Academy stakeholders and staff. In broad terms, the goal of the Academy is to engage its membership in service to society, through research that leads to constructive action. In overseeing projects, the Program Director has the opportunity to deploy and steward its members, its standing, and its influence. In addition, the Program Director will manage and mentor Academy staff in these program areas.

Communicate the Academy's goals, purpose, and work. Internally, the Program Director will work with colleagues to prepare briefings, correspondence, memoranda, and speeches. Externally, he or she must have an understanding of the Academy's institutional voice and point of view, and be able to communicate from that position as the

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Program Director, Arts, Humanities, Education, and American Institutions American Academy of Arts and Sciences occasion warrants. The Program Director will also collaborate with members and staff to identify, cultivate, and maintain relationships with foundations, universities, and other organizations that will partner with the Academy on its work.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

This position calls for demonstrated administrative talent, strength in project management and collaboration, and well-developed intellectual and emotional intelligence.

The successful candidate will bring many of the following professional qualities and personal characteristics:

Intellectual curiosity, depth, and confidence: intellectual versatility and abilities that will earn the trust and respect of the President, advisory bodies, staff, and members.

Superior organizational abilities: extraordinary attention to detail, and superb project management skills.

Excellent written and oral communication skills: a clear and effective writing style; an ability to be persuasive; tact, diplomacy, and poise.

Collegiality and a collaborative bent: aptitude for working in a contained environment with a small staff; flexibility and adaptability; the ability to function independently and as a member of a team.

Personal qualities: ability to remain focused and calm under pressure; willingness and inclination to lead from behind the scenes; strong personal integrity and work ethic.

Education and experience: an earned doctorate; a professional history that demonstrates ability to contribute effectively to the Academy's mission and work.

APPLICATIONS, INQUIRIES, AND NOMINATIONS

All inquiries, nominations/referrals, and resumes with cover letters should be sent electronically and in confidence to:

Anita Tien, Vice President Cortney Tunis, Associate Isaacson, Miller 263 Summer Street , Massachusetts 02210 www.imsearch.com/5641

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Program Director, Arts, Humanities, Education, and American Institutions American Academy of Arts and Sciences

The Academy is committed to providing a work environment in which all applicants and employees enjoy equal employment opportunities. All employment-related decisions are made without regard to race, color, religious creed, sex, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status, or any other basis which is unlawful under applicable federal, state, and local laws.

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