Program Development Officer - Military Veterans

The Program Development Officer is a full-time benefits eligible unclassified exempt professional staff position that reports to the Director of Operations and Strategic Initiatives, and works closely with Senior Associate Director, Public Education Director, in concert with Director to lead development of K-12 student curriculum, identify appropriate partnerships to cultivate audience and leverage Dole Institute of Politics and Dole Archives programming and content, and related fundraising.

Educating new generations, including K-12 programming, is one of three areas of strategic development at the Dole Institute. This position is of critical strategic importance at this stage of DIOP institutional planning. Initially it will be responsible for the transformation of - and oversight for - institutionalization of curriculum development, audience development, and funding development first for K-12, with potential for growth into other program areas with demonstrated successes.

A successful candidate will demonstrate thorough knowledge of the Dole Institute's many initiatives and be adept at creating, managing, and executing multiple projects in a deadline-driven environment while paying attention to detail and maintaining a high-level of interpersonal and communications skills to internal and external stakeholders. The ideal candidate will be a people-oriented strategic thinker with leadership experience in civics-oriented educator communities, experience developing audiences and partnerships to expand program reach, developing curriculum materials to complement state and federal standards, using historical documents, and teaching in formal and informal settings. The candidate will excel at internal and external communications and work well in a team setting.

The Dole Institute of Politics (DIOP) celebrated the 20th anniversary of its founding as an institute dedicated to the promotion of political and civic participation as well as civil discourse in a bi-partisan, balanced manner in 2023. As we begin our next 20 years, we are looking for an experienced Program Development Officer.

By providing a forum for discussion of political and economic issues, fostering public service leadership, and encouraging participation in the political process, the Institute emphasizes that politics is an honorable profession and provide opportunities for all to interact with political leaders, practitioners and authors. The Dole Institute also emphasizes that only through political and civic participation can citizens redirect the course of our nation.

Senator Bob Dole's legacy at the University of Kansas was established in 1997 upon the gift of his papers to KU. The Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics was dedicated in 2003 in KU's West District and became home to the Senator Elizabeth Dole legacy upon the gift of her papers in 2017.

The Dole Institute is home to a museum dedicated to the legacies of Senators Bob and Elizabeth Dole, featuring the largest stained-glass American flag in the world, a memory wall dedicated to Kansas veterans of WWII, and the recently renovated Elizabeth Dole Gallery and Reading Room.

The Robert and Elizabeth Dole Archive and Special Collections department is responsible for collections, research, and exhibits at the Dole Institute. Both Senators' personal papers and congressional materials are publicly available for research, attracting scholars from all over the world.

In addition to a competitive salary, KU offers great benefits to employees with up to 176 hours of paid vacation per year, 8 hours of sick leave earned every month, nine paid holidays plus one discretionary day, a retirement program, medical & dental insurance, life and disability insurance, other benefit plan options and State of Kansas discounts offered by various vendors. KU also offers employees educational and professional development opportunities. KU is a great place to work!