Fast Facts
The Constructive Dialogue Institute is seeking a Director of Organizational Change and Effectiveness to lead transformative initiatives across client organizations, focusing on large-scale strategic change and fostering collaboration. This role is crucial in driving sustainable organizational improvements and managing change within higher education institutions.
Responsibilities: Key responsibilities include leading complex change initiatives, implementing change management strategies, designing leadership training programs, and nurturing stakeholder relationships to ensure successful project outcomes.
Skills: Required skills include extensive experience in organizational change management, strong project management abilities, advanced strategic thinking, and exceptional communication and facilitation skills.
Qualifications: Candidates should have 5-7 years of experience in change management, an advanced degree (MS, MBA, PhD or equivalent), and preferred experience in higher education and understanding of its political challenges.
Location: This position is located in New York, NY, US; remote work is not specified, suggesting some in-person presence may be required.
Compensation: $140000 - $180000 / Annually
About CDI
The Constructive Dialogue Institute (CDI) is a mission-driven non-profit dedicated to equipping the next generation of Americans with the mindset and skills necessary to collaborate across lines of difference to solve increasingly complex problems facing us as a society. We work with U.S. colleges and universities using a comprehensive approach, including providing curricular programming for students, professional development for faculty and staff, and strategic guidance to leadership. Our goal is to foster constructive dialogue at every level of the institution and to create the conditions for lasting organizational change. CDI was co-founded by psychologist Jonathan Haidt, the bestselling author of The Righteous Mind and The Anxious Generation.
CDI is at a pivotal moment of growth, having more than doubled the number of partners we work with in 2024, and with plans to double our reach again in 2025. As an emerging thought leader in bridge-building and dialogue, we’re excited to carry this momentum forward, broadening our reach to empower even more learners to engage constructively across differences.
Summary
As a project lead specializing in complex, multi-stakeholder projects at CDI, you will lead transformative initiatives across client organizations, leveraging your expertise in systems thinking and organizational effectiveness to drive sustainable outcomes. Your role will encompass guiding large-scale projects, fostering collaboration, and building organizational capacity for long-term success.
Responsibilities
Organizational Change Management:
- Lead complex, large-scale strategic change initiatives, driving campus climate transformation for CDI partners.
- Create and implement comprehensive change management strategies that align with transformation objectives, mitigating risks and reducing resistance.
- Work with campus leaders to conduct impact analyses, assess change readiness, and identify sponsors and key stakeholders.
- Design and facilitate leadership training programs, equipping senior leaders with the skills to champion and sustain systems-level transformations.
- Create communication plans to convey the case for change and progress of change initiatives.
- Monitor and report on the effectiveness of change management activities, adjusting strategies as needed.
System-Wide Project Management
- Spearhead the implementation of large-scale systems change initiatives, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and timelines.
- Coordinate cross-functional efforts across CDI teams, monitoring progress through analytics and uptake metrics to ensure sustained momentum and success.
- Troubleshoot barriers to implementation and offer tailored solutions to maintain project integrity and performance.
Stakeholder Engagement
- Build and nurture strong relationships with clients and key stakeholders, establishing trust and credibility.
- Anticipate stakeholder needs, proactively address concerns, and ensure client satisfaction through high-touch engagement.
- Leverage stakeholder engagement to spot emerging needs and areas where Propeller can add value, fostering potential for future projects.
Building Organizational Capacity
- Cultivate and develop change management expertise within CDI and client organizations.
- Contribute to thought leadership by crafting tools, frameworks, and strategies that advance CDI’s reputation as a leader in systems change.
- Share insights via higher education conferences, op-eds, and social media to demonstrate thought leadership and disseminate best practices in change management.
Qualifications
- 5-7 Years of Experience in Organizational Change Management: A proven track record in leading and implementing large-scale organizational change initiatives focused on culture, climate, or related areas.
- Strong Project Management Skills: Ability to manage multiple, system-wide projects simultaneously while delivering high-quality outcomes.
- Advanced Strategic Thinking: Adept at navigating complex organizational challenges, designing integrated solutions, and providing clear, actionable insights.
- Exceptional Communication and Facilitation Skills: Proficient in engaging diverse stakeholders, including C-suite leaders, and leading productive dialogue and training sessions.
- Leadership and Relationship-Building Abilities: Demonstrated ability to inspire and guide teams, foster trust, and align efforts across organizations.
- Advanced Degree (MS, MBA, PhD or equivalent).
Preferred Skills
- Experience in higher education.
- Knowledge of political challenges facing higher education.
Benefits
- Compensation — $140,000-$180,000, depending on experience.
- A Mission-Driven Culture — we practice what we preach, so our work culture is characterized by intellectual humility, continuous improvement, and open-mindedness
- Remote-First — CDI was founded as a remote-first organization, and we work hard to maintain a strong team culture across vast distances
- Unlimited PTO — as well as 13 company holidays
- Other Benefits — employer-supported health, vision and dental plans, subsidized parental leave, 3% 401k match, short- and long-term disability insurance, life and AD&D insurance, $1,000 annual professional development budget.
