Director of Academic Program Services and Professional Development

We are looking for a leader to direct the professional development, career services, and quantitative research work of the Modern Language Association. The Director of Academic Program Services and Professional Development at the Modern Language Association is a member of the MLA’s senior management team, working with a staff of professionals in the humanities, tech, and business fields who produce the MLA Annual Convention; MLA publications, including PMLA and the MLA International Bibliography; and seminars, workshops, and online events. The director will also work with dedicated MLA members who volunteer their time and expertise to help the MLA produce webinars, convention sessions, summer seminars, institutes, and workshops on a wide range of topics. 

Reporting to the association’s executive director, the director will manage a team of MLA employees in the areas of career and professional development programming and resources, institutional member relations and services, and the MLA Job List. They will also oversee the MLA’s research and development of surveys and reports on academic enrollments, programs, and job placement. The ideal candidate will have experience in a nonprofit, in higher education, or in a corporate setting, and a demonstrated track record of managing employees and helping them thrive as a team to meet organizational goals. It will be helpful to point to experience developing, sustaining, and assessing the success of programs and securing grants. 

Required Qualifications

• Graduate degree in humanities
• At least five years of management experience, including staff supervision
• Experience developing, sustaining, and assessing programs
• Experience working with financials to determine return on investment and costs
• Ability to work in a collaborative environment and promote teamwork within a unit and with other units

This full-time position includes travel and an expectation of at least two days on-site at the MLA’s New York offices each week. The MLA provides generous vacation and sick time, flexible work hours, a 403(b) retirement plan, and individual health and dental plans with no shared premium cost. You must be able to work legally in New York State. Please submit a cover letter, along with a CV or résumé, to DirAPSPD@mla.org. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.