Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit
The faculty, students, and staff of the African Studies Center, work to provide the University and the people of North Carolina with a campus hub for interdisciplinary inquiry and communication on Africa. Our activities include sponsoring a wide variety of activities, bringing together interested faculty and students from a large number of academic disciplines.
We focus on interconnected issues of political change, expressive culture, gender, sustainability, health, and Islam. We are located in the FedEx Global Education Center on the UNC Campus and are part of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Position Summary
The African Studies Center is a National Resource Center (NRC) funded by Title VI of the US Department of Education based at UNC Chapel Hill. Funding for the NRC supports initiatives to provide educational and outreach programs at local, regional, and national levels for K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses, media, government, and the general public. Title VI and the CAS will fund the Outreach Manager position. This role will support the Center’s work in enhancing the content on Africa at K-14 institutions in North Carolina. The Outreach Manager will be supervised by the Center’s Associate Director and will work with the Center’s Director, Business Manager, and the Center’s partners, UNC Area Studies Centers, ASA Outreach Council, and university and state-wide partners.
K-14 Outreach Responsibilities: Initiate and manage outreach programs to schools and educators at the elementary, secondary, and postsecondary levels; coordinate state-wide initiatives in global education; manage signature outreach programs, including the annual ASA Outreach Council teacher workshop, the joint collaborative activities with other UNC area centers, and the Oak funded K-5 digital learning of contemporary Africa. The Outreach Manager will participate in educational conferences and professional development opportunities related to African Studies and global education; prepare resources on Africa for use in the K-14 classroom; work effectively to facilitate partnerships with a variety of organizations through communication and formal presentations at various schools, workshops, and conferences; ensure appropriate website updates; manage outreach budget; monitor and evaluate K-14 outreach programs; attend and supervise some evening and weekend event, and develop relationships with educational networks across North Carolina and the country. Oversee outreach activities hosted at UNC. Additional duties as needed.
Events Responsibilities: Closely related to Outreach Responsibilities; collaborate with Director and Associate Director to plan and implement public, K-14, and university educational events. Duties include communication with participants (speakers, performers, etc.) to determine needs and develop checklists and schedules, reserve rooms, plan and order refreshments, create press releases and flyers, oversee implementation of events, and gather and record information on events for the Center reports.
Minimum Education and Experience Requirements
Bachelor’s degree and one year of experience related to the area of assignment; or equivalent combination of training and experience. All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.
Required Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience
- Academic training in African studies or International Education, or relevant experience.
- Experience in workshop/conference planning and coordination.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Adobe Creative Cloud.
- Excellent oral and written communication, proofreading, and editing skills.
- Ability to work independently and follow through on multiple simultaneous projects without close supervision.
- Ability to interact with diverse personalities, including faculty, staff, students, K-14 educators, representatives of government agencies, and the general public – professionally and with discretion.
- Understanding of K-12 and community college curriculum.
- Knowledge of current educational policies and pedagogies.
- Previous experience working with grants.
- Ability to work effectively and productively with colleagues and contribute to a work team.
- Demonstrated organization of work that facilitates timely and efficient completion of assigned tasks.
- Must have a valid driver’s license and access to a vehicle for travel across North Carolina.
Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience
Degree in the field of African studies or International Education. Proficiency in an African language (with Kiswahili, Wolof, or Yoruba as a priority). Previous travel, living, and work experience in Africa.
Required Licenses/Certifications
Special Physical/Mental Requirements
Campus Security Authority Responsibilities
Not Applicable.
Position/Schedule Requirements
Night work occasionally, Weekend work occasionally