Working Title: Associate Director – Civic Discourse Initiatives

State Role Title: N/A

Position Type: Administrative & Professional (Non-teaching Faculty)

Position Status: Full-Time

FLSA Status: Exempt: Not Eligible for Overtime

College/Division: Office of the President Unit

Department: 520128 - BCT FOR IHE

Pay Rate: Commensurate with Experience

Specify Range or Amount:

Is this a JMU only position? No

Is this a grant-funded position? Yes. This is a grant-funded position and is contingent upon continued funding.

Is this a Conflict of Interest designated position? No

Beginning Review Date: 3/28/2026

About JMU:

Mission
We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives.

Vision
To be the national model for the engaged university: engaged with ideas and the world.

Who We Are
Situated in the heart of Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is a vibrant community with a population of approximately 52,000. Harrisonburg is conveniently located approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA.

JMU is a selective, public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and supportive environment for students, faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 21,000 undergraduate and 1,800 graduate students, with over 1,000 full-time instructional faculty.

JMU offers thriving programs in the liberal arts, science and technology, and professional disciplines at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels. JMU has achieved national recognition for the high quality of its academic programs, focus on maintaining strong student/faculty interaction, and innovative faculty research.

General Information:

Are you passionate about strengthening democratic culture, elevating student voices, and building a campus community capable of engaging across differences? The Madison Center for Civic Engagement at James Madison University is seeking an innovative and dynamic Associate Director of Civic Discourse Initiatives to lead one of the nation’s most comprehensive campus-based civic discourse programs.

This is a high‑impact role for a collaborative educator, facilitator, and program builder who thrives in a fast‑paced environment and cares deeply about preparing the next generation of students for using constructive dialogue in a complex world.

About the Role:
The Associate Director will spearhead the Madison Center’s signature free-speech and deliberative dialogue initiative, Better Conversations Together, our immersive first year effort; supporting faculty and student leadership development; and shaping campuswide and nationwide dialogue opportunities.

You will also play a key leadership role in managing two major grants civic discourse grants, coordinating multi-institutional partners, faculty fellows, external organizations, and assessment teams to advance national work in deliberative pedagogy.

This position is hands‑on, student‑centered, and deeply collaborative—ideal for someone who brings both vision and operational excellence.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Lead and Evolve Better Conversations Together:
*Oversee program components, including orientation deliberations, workshops, events, and collaborative programming with campus partners.
*Develop and refine student learning objectives; coordinate assessment with JMU Center for Assessment and Research Studies (CARS); and use data to continuously strengthen program quality.
*Provide real‑time facilitation coaching to Democracy Fellows and ensure program delivery at the highest standard.
*Design new civic discourse programming that expands the university’s capacity for constructive dialogue.

Supervise and Train Democracy Fellows:
*Provide leadership, mentorship, and professional development to 10–15 undergraduate student facilitators.
*Deliver ongoing facilitation training, hold structured weekly team meetings, and support student success and readiness for future careers.

Coordinate Nationally Recognized Grant Initiatives:
*Support the Madison Center's national faculty fellows for deliberation program and partner in issue‑guide development, research, and deliberative pedagogy training with fellows.
*Manage logistics for monthly meetings, virtual workshops, and biannual convenings.
Align higher‑ed and K–12 civic discourse projects in collaboration with national grant partners.
*Coordinate assessment efforts with JMU CARS and JMU Center for Advancement Research in Education (CARE), ensuring full implementation across anchor campuses and partner institutions.

Qualifications:

We are looking for a candidate with deep expertise in civic discourse, dialogue facilitation, and democratic engagement who can lead both people and programs with clarity and creativity.

Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
*Master's Degree
*Expertise in constructive dialogue, debate, and/or deliberation—both facilitating and teaching others.
*Experience teaching college‑level civic discourse, leadership, or related coursework.
*Demonstrated ability to design deliberative forums, dialogue experiences, and assessment strategies.
*Strong project management skills and ability to oversee complex, multi-partner initiatives.
*Experience supervising staff or students, designing professional development, and leading student‑focused programs.
*Capacity to create innovative workshops, curriculum, and tools that help communities navigate difficult conversations.
*High proficiency with platforms such as Excel, Qualtrics/QuestionPro, MS Teams, BeInvolved, and Canva or comparable platforms.
*Exceptional communication, relationship-building, problem-solving, and organizational skills.

Additional Posting Information:

JMU’s Dual Career and Community Resources Program is available for candidates that will be relocating to the area. For more information, please visit https://bit.ly/2OTF1NG.

Conditions of Employment:  

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.

E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.

EEO Statement:

James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.

We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.

Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.

Reasonable Accommodation:

If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance searching or applying for jobs please contact us at (540) 568-3597 or jobs@jmu.edu. You may also visit the JMU Human Resource Office, located at 752 Ott Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 and we will be happy to assist you.