Summer Academic Director

A**cademic Director**
**(appointment at relevant faculty rank)**
**SIT Spain: Sustainable Urban Development & Social Justice**

**Reports to**: Provost & Dean of Faculty
**Salary Range**: USD$10,000.00 - $13,000.00
**Anticipated Start Date**: April 2024
**Term of Employment**: Flexible, Anticipated April to August, to complete program tasks, program dates: June to August
**Base of Designation**: Bilbao, Spain
Conditional on: Enrollment, Applicant's legal right to work and reside in Spain

**About SIT Programs**
SIT undergraduate and graduate programs in all disciplines utilize a decolonial approach to curriculum, decentering Western modes of knowledge production, creation, and dissemination while elevating the ideas and work of local and regional scholars, activists, NGO practitioners, artists, and community members. SIT places an equal commitment on the creation of inclusive teaching and learning environments which welcome students from all identities and neurodiverse ways of learning.
SIT learning centers across the world are committed to building and implementing sustainability practices to leverage carbon footprints and contribute to the well-being of the communities where they are immersed.

The program themes vary from development and social change to arts, environmental studies, post-conflict transformation, health, and human rights. All SIT programs emphasize field study while examining critical global issues in keeping with the broader organizational missions of peace and social justice. SIT's educational model focuses on cultural immersion as its primary heuristic component and uses theories of decolonial experiential education to inform its curricula and augment student learning.

**About SIT Faculty**
SIT faculty are employees who must meet or exceed academic standards. These standards include possession of appropriate degrees from recognized academic institutions or the equivalent in professional experience; demonstrated excellence in teaching/training; research and publications in industry recognized media; experience managing and supervising staff; and potential for significant contributions to the field and to World Learning/SIT.

SIT strives to be respectful of, and compliant with, local labor and employment laws. When circumstance warrant, the academic director will have a local employment contract through an affiliated local entity or as determined by SIT. The position is full-time for the entire contract period.

**RESPONSIBILITIES**
The academic director is responsible for the design, planning, delivery, and supervision of the academic program offered by SIT at its assigned program location in consultation and support of SIT departments including the Office of the Provost & Dean of Faculty, Global Operations, Human Resources, and Office Student Health, Safety, and Well-being.

Overall responsibilities include:

- ensuring inclusive academic excellence of the program in line with SIT's academic policies
- creating an inclusive & safe learning environment for students, staff, and local faculty
- managing the program site and supervision of local staff, budget planning and oversight, and financial reporting
- representing SIT at the program location and developing and maintaining positive relationships with SIT and local partners

The academic director must remain current in their areas of expertise and familiar with in-country issues and practices in higher education. Academic directors are expected to be active members of the SIT community, giving service to the institution, and acting as a thought leader in institutional initiatives.

**Key Responsibilities**:

- **Academic Management**
- General management and oversight of program delivery of the undergraduate program in collaboration with SIT Office of the Provost & Dean of Faculty, Office of Global Operations, and Office of Student health, Safety, and Well-being.
- Teaching one three-credit course or equivalent, serving as faculty of record for the other courses, hiring guest lecturers to teach on the program, advising the students on their independent study projects and, when applicable, working with the internship coordinator to ensure the highest quality experience for the students.
- Curriculum development and academic oversight in consultation and support from the Office of the Provost & Dean of Faculty and in accordance with SIT policies.
- Advising in matters regarding academic program delivery and scheduling.
- Designing and delivering the students' on-site cross-cultural orientation and teaching components of the thematic and project-based courses, in their areas of expertise, as appropriate.
- Designing and coordinating an experiential educational experience including in and out of the classroom activities. Facilitating the linkages between and among each of these various components and program excursions.
- Generally guiding and advising students in both their cross-cultural learning processes and academic experiences incl