Director of mentoring & distance scholar development - graduate school - utk

The Director of Mentoring and Distance Scholar Outreach leads the UT Mentoring Initiative (UTMI), the Graduate School's mentor training and development program, and extends the Graduate School's professional development and wellbeing programming to graduate students and postdoctoral scholars who are not physically present on the Knoxville campus, including online and statewide learners. This position leads the design and delivery of UTMI content, working alongside Faculty Fellows, and ensures mentoring content serves scholars pursuing careers within and beyond the professoriate. The Director also represents the Graduate School on cross-campus initiatives, and supports delivery of Next Level Grad programming for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars under the leadership of the Associate Dean of Scholar Development and Wellbeing and in coordination with the broader Graduate School team. This position reports to the Associate Dean of Scholar Development and Wellbeing.

RESPONSIBILITIES

UT Mentoring Initiative (UTMI) Leadership & Content Development

• Creates, leads, and delivers UTMI's evidence-based mentor training curriculum in partnership with Faculty Fellows, developing holistic, high-impact content that prepares scholars for careers within and beyond the professoriate.
• Maintains and evolves the program's tiered recognition system and serves as the university's primary spokesperson for mentoring excellence at UT.

Distance & Statewide Scholar Outreach

Extends UTMI and Next Level Grad programming to graduate students and postdocs studying online or located outside Knoxville, adapting content for virtual and asynchronous delivery and building partnerships with UT System sites to reach scholars across the state.

Faculty Fellow UTMI Program Oversight

• Recruits and develops a cohort of Faculty Fellows who deliver mentor training, coordinating their facilitator training and service.
• Partners directly with Fellows on delivery, assessment, and refinement of training sessions, ensuring UTMI's programming stays current and effective.

On and off-Campus Partnerships

Focuses on building and sustaining partnerships with faculty, staff, and units both in Knoxville and beyond to advance a stronger mentoring culture at UT and supporting distance and statewide scholars.

Assessment & Continuous Improvement

Assesses UTMI and distance/statewide programming outcomes, creating reports and dashboards from original data to continuously refine content and delivery and track engagement and impacts.

Graduate & Postdoctoral Programming Delivery Support

Partners with the Associate Dean and the broader Graduate School team as needed to deliver Next Level Grad professional development and wellbeing programming, aligning mentoring content and events with the Scholar Development and Wellbeing Coordinator's and Scholar Governance & Advocacy Coordinator's work.

Miscellaneous

• Supports Graduate School signature events (Grad Fair, Appreciation Weeks, 3MT, etc.) as needed, alongside other Graduate School staff.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required Qualifications

Education

Master’s Degree Required

Experience

Significant experience in graduate/postdoctoral professional development, mentoring, or faculty development in a higher education setting.

Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

• Knowledge of evidence-based mentoring practices and mentor training design/facilitation (e.g., CIMER curricula)
• Ability to personally design and deliver high-quality training content, while also leading and collaborating with faculty partners who are not direct reports
• Knowledge of career paths and professional development needs for scholars pursuing careers within and beyond the professoriate
• Ability to design and deliver programming for distributed/online audiences
• Ability to build and sustain partnerships across campus and statewide sites
• Ability to analyze tracking and impact data and translate it into initiative and delivery improvements
• Exhibit strong oral, written, and public-facing communication skills
• Ability to represent the Graduate School effectively on university committees and cross-campus initiatives
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent initiatives independently, keeping supervisor informed of progress and potentially controversial matters

Preferred Qualifications

Education

Doctoral Degree Preferred

Experience

• Experience facilitating CIMER or similar evidence-based mentor training
• Experience developing professional development content applicable to careers beyond the professoriate
• Experience developing or delivering online/distance graduate or postdoctoral programming
• Experience working with faculty in a developmental or coaching capacity
• Experience with mentoring facilitation; experience designing distance/online scholar programming; experience managing student and/or faculty-facing initiatives.

Work Location

Location: Knoxville, TN

Onsite, Hybrid, or Remote – Onsite

Compensation and Benefits

• UT market range: MR10
• Anticipated hiring range: $85 – 95K
• Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here
• Find more information on UT Benefits here

Application Instructions

To express interest, please submit an application with the noted below attachments:

• Resume
• Cover Letter

About The College/Department/Division:

The Graduate School at the University of Tennessee Knoxville is a dynamic office that provides a wide range of services to students and academic units from recruitment to graduation. While prospective students are exploring graduate education, we are here to provide insight into the programs available and the process for applying. Once a student has decided to submit an application, we manage the admissions process in coordination with the academic units. During the time a student is enrolled at UTK, the Graduate School monitors student progress and provides support for student success. As students approach graduation, we evaluate records and verify the awarding of all degrees.

Graduate education is one of the components that makes UT a great university. The Graduate School is a full partner in supporting the university’s mission, vision, and the values embodied in the Volunteer Spirit.

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has shaped leaders, changemakers, and innovative thinkers since its founding in 1794. The university is home to more than 38,000 students and 10,000 statewide employees—the Volunteers—who uphold the university’s tradition of lighting the way for others through leadership and service.

UT Knoxville offers over 900 programs of study across 14 degree-granting colleges and schools. As Tennessee’s flagship land-grant university, its footprint spans the entire state. The university holds the highest Carnegie classification for research activity and has deep partnerships with industry leaders and the US Department of Energy’s largest multidisciplinary laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The Knoxville campus serves and recruits for UT Knoxville, including the Institute of Agriculture and the Space Institute, as well as the UT Institute of Public Service.

UT Knoxville considers its employees its number one asset. With values that focus on work-life balance, compensation, and innovation leadership, all Vols are supported to advance professionally. Employees have access to career development and coaching, continued education, and an extensive list of development and training possibilities. The Volunteer employee experience implements structures and practices to attract and retain top-tier talent, fostering a strong staff community and supporting a culture of involvement and engagement for everyone.

The university holds a strong commitment to its land-grant mission of learning and engagement, with a tradition of service and leadership that carries that Volunteer spirit throughout the state and around the world. It has been ranked nationally as “Best Employer for New Graduates,” “One of America’s Best Large Employers,” and “Best Workplace for Women,” and has been designated as “Best Place for Working Parents” by Forbes Magazine.

Apply today and join the Tennessee Volunteer community!