Director of Experiential Learning

Position Overview

The Director of Experiential Learning serves as the strategic and operational leader responsible for implementing, scaling, and overseeing the university-wide Experiential Learning for All initiative. This position collaborates across academic and administrative units to develop centralized infrastructure, establish systems and processes, implement quality measures, and coordinate university-wide tracking to ensure equitable student access while supporting college ownership of learning. The Director also partners with internal and external stakeholders to integrate high-impact experiential opportunities into degree requirements, academic advising, career mentoring, and the broader Boldly Butler strategic vision.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Integration: Lead the university-wide integration of the Boldly Butler Strategy's Experiential Learning for All initiative across all colleges and academic programs.
• Program Expansion: Scale existing high-impact practices—such as internships, study away, research, and treks—to build a robust, inclusive, and scalable experiential portfolio.
• Stakeholder Collaboration: Partner with deans, department chairs, and faculty to align experiential opportunities with curriculum design, modern teaching pedagogies, and academic goals.
• Infrastructure and Process Design: Develop, refine, implement, and maintain centralized infrastructure, including operational processes, systems, and workflows necessary to support scalable growth and student onboarding. External Relations and Pipeline Development: Cultivate and maintain strategic relationships with alumni, corporate partners, non-profits, and regional entities to expand external project placement and networking opportunities.
• Barrier Reduction: Develop and administer equitable support initiatives to eliminate cost, travel, and structural barriers, ensuring all students can participate in off-campus or global programs in diverse experiences.
• Data Assessment & Reporting: Establish a robust data-informed ecosystem to track, assess, and report on the scale, efficacy, and career-readiness impact of experiential initiatives.
• Team Management: Provide operational and professional leadership to a dedicated team of direct reports managing day-to-day experiential programming and operations.
• Fiscal Stewardship: Manage operational budgets and carefully allocate philanthropic gifts or grant funds to optimize student-facing experiential programming.
   

Required Qualifications

• Education: Master’s degree in a relevant field or experiential-focused field. A terminal degree (Ph.D., Ed.D., J.D.) is preferred. 
• Equivalent executive leadership experience and demonstrated impact on higher education strategy may be considered in lieu of an advanced degree.
• Experience: 5+ years of progressive leadership experience overseeing high-impact student outcomes, experiential learning programs, career development, or strategic academic/administrative initiatives in higher education or complex organization settings.
• Highly Organized Strategic Implementer: Translate institutional vision into effective action by executing complex initiatives, developing implementation plans, and anticipating operational challenges before they arise.
• Flexible Systems Thinker: Demonstrate strong systems thinking, recognizing connections across the institution, understanding the complexity of organizational systems, identifying opportunities for alignment, and balancing institution-wide consistency with the flexibility needed to meet the unique needs of individual colleges, departments, and programs.
• Relationship Management and Influence: Cultivate relationships and build trust to facilitate cross-functional collaboration, ensuring decisive action and forward progress when navigating competing priorities among diverse stakeholders.
• Data-Informed Decision Making: Skilled in data and assessment, using evidence to inform decisions through data collection, analysis, dashboard development, and institutional assessment practices.
• Exceptional Execution: Demonstrates project management and organizational skills that enable meticulous attention to detail, robust documentation, and rigorous follow-through.
• Communication Skills: Effectively engages faculty across colleges, academic leadership, administrative leaders, community partners, and executive leadership, serving as a bridge between academic and operational perspectives to ensure shared understanding and successful implementation.
   

The successful candidate will demonstrate experience in:

• Leading complex institutional initiatives
• Project management and prioritization
• Organizational change
• Higher education administration
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Data analytics and reporting
• Continuous improvement
• Strategic implementation
• Process design
• Stakeholder engagement – internal and external
• Continuous improvement mindset
   

Preferred Qualifications

• Ph.D. or Ed.D. in a relevant field or experiential-focused field
• Established track record of utilizing donor-backed funds or successfully implementing large-scale comprehensive campaign goals (such as the Boldly Butler initiatives).
• Deep understanding of modern assessment methodologies regarding the scholarship of teaching and learning.
• Active involvement or volunteer leadership within national experiential education or career development associations.
• Evidence of interdisciplinary data management
   

BU Benefits and Perks

Please check out Butler’s Total Rewards website to learn more about our benefit offerings, which include:

Paid Time Off and Holidays:

• 28 days of paid time off (vacation and PTO days) per Fiscal year
• 8 Paid Holidays
  • In addition, a paid Winter Break between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day
• Paid Parental Leave (after 1 year of full-time employment)

Health:

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans including disability and life insurance programs

Retirement:

• 10% employer contribution after 1 year of full-time employment

Tuition Assistance:

• Tuition Exchange Program for Dependents
• Remission of tuition for classes taken at Butler for employees, spouses, and dependent children.
  • Eligibility after 9 months of full-time employment
  • Employees & spouses- undergraduate/graduate degrees
  • Dependents (under age 26)- undergraduate degree
  • Covers tuition only

Butler Facilities Access, Discounts and Perks:

• Access to Butler’s on-site fitness facility and libraries for full-time staff and faculty
• LinkedIn Learning Courses
• Free premium subscription to the Calm App
• Free subscription to the WSJ, The Economist, and NYT
• Discount at the College Bookstore
• Discount on select Athletic and Arts/Events Center Performances