Center for Energy, Transportation, and Environmental Policy Director - Baker School - UTK

The Staff Director of the Center for Energy, Transportation, and Environmental Policy (CETEP) reports directly to the CETEP Faculty Director and serves as the primary staff leader responsible for the day-to-day operational, programmatic, and administrative functions of the Center. Both the Faculty Director and the Staff Director operate under the broader purview of the Baker School's Associate Dean for Research.

The Staff Director translates the vision and direction of the Faculty Director and implements the strategic direction established by the Faculty Director, translating vision into operational reality across grants and contracts management, budget oversight, center programming, policy engagement, and external partnerships. This position is the operational backbone of CETEP, ensuring that the Center's research mission, stakeholder relationships, and student engagement activities advance efficiently and in alignment with Baker School priorities. The Staff Director supervises student workers and research staff, facilitates the Center's advisory structures, and serves as the primary point of operational contact for internal and external partners across the energy, transportation, and environmental policy landscape.

Research Enterprise and Grants and Contracts Management:

• The position identifies and monitors relevant external funding opportunities from federal agencies, foundations, and corporate entities, assesses their fit with CETEP’s research mission in energy, transportation, and environmental policy, and makes recommendations to the Faculty Director and affiliated faculty.
• Actively coordinate the preparation and submission of grant proposals, providing direct support to the Faculty Director and affiliated faculty. This includes developing or compiling proposal materials, providing narrative support, coordinating budget development, gathering required compliance documentation, managing deadlines, and facilitating submission through the Baker School Grants and Contracts Specialist. Faculty remains responsible for the substantive research components of proposals.
• Acts as CETEP’s primary point of contact with the Finance & Administration team for active awards. They monitor center-level activity and project needs, provide information and documentation, flag issues, and coordinate resolution. They work closely with the Baker School Finance & Administration team, which retains primary responsibility for the university’s formal financial administration and reporting functions, including budget tracking, effort reporting, sponsor reporting deadlines, and closeout activities.
• Grants and Contracts Management: Serves as the center-side lead for the lifecycle of center grants and contracts. In close coordination with the Faculty Director, Associate Dean of Research, Baker School’s Grants and Contracts Specialist and the UTK Division of Research Administration teams, this role drives proposal development and compiles necessary budgets and materials. The Staff Director ensures completeness and accuracy of submissions and proactively resolves project issues. While this role manages internal coordination and preparation, final institutional compliance and formal submissions remain under the purview of authorized university offices.
• Participates in periodic meetings with university research administration partners, sponsors, and external collaborators to coordinate active projects and resolve issues. In this role, the Staff Director serves as CETEP’s operational representative, providing project information, identifying issues and potential solutions, coordinating next steps, and overseeing CETEP’s follow-through while identifying opportunities for future projects or partnerships.
• Prepares and delivers funder- and sponsor-facing written communications, including progress reports, sponsor updates, and research briefs tied to specific grants and contracts; this function is intended specifically to cover grant- and sponsor-related communications associated with individual awards, distinct from broader external and public-facing communications handled in coordination with Baker School communications staff.

Center Programs, Events, and Policy Engagement:

• Serves as the accountable center-side leader for all CETEP programming conferences, convenings, policy dialogues, and public events. The Staff Director is accountable for CETEP’s overall programming portfolio and determines center-level programming needs and priorities in consultation with the Faculty Director. Meanwhile, the Baker School Director of Events holds responsibility for execution, logistics, scheduling, vendor and partner coordination, event production, and programming calendar development.
• Provides strategic direction to the Director of Events on CETEP programming priorities by translating the Faculty Director's overall strategic vision into concrete programming priorities.
• Serves as the center-side decision-maker for these priorities, approves the annual and recurring programming schedule, and acts as the primary authority the Director of Events routes through for center-specific programming questions while the Director of Events handles execution.
• The position develops and provides center-specific content and subject-matter information for newsletters, web content, social media, and other communications.
• Facilitates and directs policy engagement activities, including coordinating the development of policy briefs, reports, and other public-facing products by drafting or assembling content. This involves collaborating closely with affiliated faculty and research staff to leverage their substantive expertise, partnering with the Director of Events, and ensuring appropriate faculty and communications staff review the content based on the product's nature and audience.
• Supports the Faculty Director by translating the Center's overarching strategic direction into actionable programmatic objectives, implementation plans, and progress tracking.
• Participate actively in periodic management and leadership meetings to do more than just relay information. The Staff Director provides vital center updates, identifies operational issues and opportunities, recommends strategic improvements, and coordinates the follow-through on decisions affecting CETEP.

Budget and Administrative Operations:

• Oversee and manages the CETEP budget at the center level in close coordination with the Baker School Finance & Administration Team; tracks expenditures, monitors fund balances, forecasts future needs, and recommends resource allocations while the Baker School team retains responsibility for university-level financial administration, accounting, compliance, and transactional processing.
• Serves as the primary operational point of contact with the Baker School's Budget team, and Grants and Contracts Coordinator on all center financial, personnel, and contract matters. In this role, they initiate and coordinate center needs, provide required information and approvals, monitor progress, and identify and resolve center-level issues.

Campus and External Partnerships:

• Actively recruits UTK students into the CETEP research mission as a strategic priority, including through direct outreach to academic departments, participation in student-facing events, and structured pathways connecting students to research, programming, and fellowship opportunities
• Builds and sustains campus partnerships as a core center priority, including strategic relationships with other UTK colleges, institutes, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and relevant state and federal agencies, with the goal of integrating CETEP into the broader UTK research ecosystem
• Represents CETEP at relevant campus, regional, and national convenings as directed by the Faculty Co-Director

Required Qualifications:Education

• Bachelor's Degree — fields such as public policy, public administration, environmental policy, energy policy, political science, business administration, or a related field.

Experience:

• Minimum of four years of progressively responsible experience in research administration, center or program management, policy engagement, or a related field in a university, research organization, government agency, think tank, or nonprofit setting.
• In lieu of a bachelor's degree, eight additional years of related experience will be considered.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of research administration processes, including pre- and post-award grant management in a university or research organization setting
• Knowledge of energy, transportation, and/or environmental policy landscape, including key federal agencies, foundations, and stakeholders
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent projects and deadlines in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment
• Ability to develop and execute programmatic and operational plans in alignment with the strategic direction set by leadership
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare policy-relevant content, grant narratives, and professional reports
• Skill in budget monitoring, financial tracking, and expenditure management
• Ability to supervise and mentor student workers and research staff
• Ability to build and maintain productive relationships with internal and external partners, including faculty, funders, policymakers, and community stakeholders
• Strong organizational and analytical skills with attention to detail and accuracy
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a team environment

Preferred Qualifications: Education:

• Master’s degree in public policy, public administration, environmental policy, energy studies, or a related field.

Experience:

• Experience in a higher education or research center environment.
• Experience with federal grant pre- and post-award administration.
• Demonstrated experience in policy engagement, convening, or external partnership development.
• Prior supervisory experience.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of University of Tennessee systems, including DASH, Cayuse, and Agiloft
• Knowledge of federal grant compliance requirements under Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200)
• Experience with policy engagement, public communications, or stakeholder convening in an energy, transportation, or environmental policy context
• Familiarity with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Tennessee state energy and environmental agencies, or relevant federal agency partners

Work Location: Knoxville, TN on campus

Compensation and Benefits:

• UT market range: MR11
• Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here
• Find more information on UT Benefits here

To express interest, please apply with the noted below attachments.

• Resume
• Cover Letter

Your Future Awaits - The Baker School of Public Policy and Public Affairs