Employment

Position Overview

The Atlanta University Center Consortium (AUCC), the world’s oldest and largest association of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), seeks a visionary and collaborative Senior Director of STEM-Social Science (STEM-S) Research and Data Science Initiatives.

This position represents a one-of-a-kind opportunity for a professional to coordinate data science and STEM at four renowned HBCU’s which are adjacently co-located in Atlanta and for that individual to positively impact the future careers of students in the data-related fields. The four institutions are Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine, and Spelman College.

The Senior Director will provide strategic leadership in advancing STEM-S and Data Science education and pedagogies. In addition, they will support and encourage the interdisciplinary research capacity at the four institutions. The Senior Director will serve as the lead facilitator for engaging faculties in integrating data science across STEM-S disciplines while fostering student success, impactful community and industry partnerships, and research excellence.

The Senior Director will continue to develop a Data Science Institute which will strive to be the leader in education, knowledge, and research in data science and big data concepts. This will be accomplished by promoting the emerging data science educational programs and facilitating interdisciplinary industry and government partnerships, and community outreach.

At the AUCC institutions, the Data Science programs offer several minors within a dynamic and interdisciplinary education at the undergraduate (BS) level. Designed to prepare students for success in one of the fastest-growing fields, the unified base curriculum 3 blends core principles and recent innovations from Computer Science, Mathematics, Economics & Finance, and Information Systems & Analytics, as well as the Social Sciences. The academic evolution of the Data Science Initiative will eventually lead to majors in areas of data science. The Senior Director will maintain a strong awareness of each institution’s Data Science efforts, develop a comprehensive dashboard that aligns programs, research, and initiatives across the consortium institutions, and ensure the work advances collective impact and shared benefit for all partners.

Through the AUCC Data Science Initiative, students also benefit from year-round events, workshops, and speaker series that connect them to the latest tools, trends, and realworld applications of data science.

With the ability to translate a collective vision into actionable strategies, the Senior Director synthesizes input from faculty, staff, and institutional leaders to build a cohesive roadmap for the consortium’s success.

Opportunities and Challenges

The next Senior Director will have the opportunity to facilitate an expansion of the unique four-institution academic ecosystem for Data Science where students and faculty in the HBCU environment participate in advancing all areas of education, research, and outreach in the data science field. This academic ecosystem will continue to grow and flourish among the four cooperating institutions in the AUCC and in the Data Science Institute. The opportunities for students and faculty in the field of Data Science are obviously exponentially greater in this ecosystem than that at their home institutions. This additive and synergistic impact is both exciting and transformative for all involved. 4 It is important to point out that the Data Science Initiative has experienced significant progress since being established in 2018. It has supported over 44 AUCC faculty in developing data science research and curricula and has established minors at all four AUCC institutions. It has had strong support internally and has received prestigious external funding from public and private sources, including MasterCard, the United Health Group, Microsoft, Home Depot, and Google—to name a few. Over time, the Senior Director will be able to leverage the previous successes in seeking future support for data science opportunities for the four partner institutions.

The Senior Director will be interfacing continually with the academic leaders, faculty, and students in the four HBCU institutions. A spirit of common destiny and future success will be the goal where everyone is working and interacting in a collaborative environment. The Data Science Institute will continue to present exciting opportunities for individuals to work in cross-disciplinary and innovative research and academic arenas. Future graduates will be empowered to step into the job market with exceptional educational and experiential backgrounds in Data Science.

One of the exciting challenges for the Senior Director will be to set a common vision for success for Data Science in the AUCC that inspires and attracts faculty and students to the academic ecosystem for Data Science. The strategic path forward will involve collaborative and inter-institutional work and will embrace and respect the individual missions and cultures at all of the institutions. The Senior Director will bring exceptional communication and listening skills to facilitate the future success for Data Science at the AUCC. The ultimate goal is for the Data Science Initiative to be one of the leading efforts in cutting-edge education and research in the region and in the nation.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate to set the strategic direction and execution of STEM-S and Data Science initiatives. This will include integrating data science into traditional STEM and emerging fields such as AI, Machine Learning, Bioinformatics, etc. and promoting student research opportunities. In addition, there will be the development of new programs and oversight of existing programs that equip students with critical data science and STEM-S research skills.
• Lead the Data Science Initiative’s operational management, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and effective utilization of resources. In addition, there will be the development and management of a core team to oversee the Initiative.
• Work closely with faculties to facilitate experiential learning opportunities, including internships, co-ops, and research fellowships in collaboration with corporate and governmental partners.
• Facilitate and support faculty development initiatives focused on enhancing research productivity, data science competencies, and grant acquisition.
• Spearhead the transformation of the Data Science Initiative into a sustainable Institute, expanding its influence across member institutions.
• Create and foster a cohesive culture across the four institutions by focusing on regularly bringing together students and faculty in Data Science and STEM in professional and social settings.
• Work with academic and research leaders and faculty to promote new opportunities for research funding and philanthropic support from private and public sources.
• Coordinate and promote the effective marketing and branding of STEM-S and Data Science activities inside the university, to existing and future partners outside the universities in the AUC, and to the general public.
• Represent the AUCC in national forums, conferences, and consortia related to STEM-S education, data science, and HBCU advancement.
• Advocate for the role of HBCUs in shaping the future of STEM and data science through thought leadership and public engagement.

Minimum Qualifications

• Doctorate (Ph.D., Sc.D., or equivalent) in a Data Science, STEM, or a closely related field (math, statistics, computer science, etc.).
• Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in higher education, research administration, industry, or a related setting.
• Deep understanding of issues related to ethics in STEM-S fields, with a passion for advancing equity in higher education.
• Proven ability to build cross-sector partnerships and foster collaborative academic environments.
• Exceptional strategic planning, organizational, and leadership skills.

Preferred Competencies

• Experience working with HBCUs or Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs)
• Demonstrated leadership and success in leading interdisciplinary research initiatives and securing external funding.
• Ability to generate support for common goals among diverse groups of individuals or institutions.
• Knowledge of federal and foundation grant landscapes in STEM-S and data science.
• Familiarity with data science curriculum development and workforce alignment strategies.
• Strong communication and advocacy skills for diverse audiences (academia, industry, government, and community stakeholders) and good listening skills.

About the AUCC Data Science Initiative

The AUCC Data Science Initiative is a collaborative effort designed to create a data-literate workforce equipped to address 21st-century challenges through an interdisciplinary approach. By embedding data science into the core of the Consortium’s academic and research infrastructure, the AUCC aims to foster a new generation of scholars and professionals poised to lead in an increasingly data-driven world.

NOMINATIONS AND APPLICATIONS

AGB Search is pleased to assist the Atlanta University Center Consortium with this leadership search.

To apply for the position of Senior Director, candidates are requested to submit i) a curriculum vitae or resume; ii) a letter of interest that addresses the qualifications and attributes in the profile; iii) contact information for five references (to be contacted at a later date with the candidate’s permission). For best consideration of applications, all materials should be submitted by February 23, 2026, to the AGB Search Portal: bit.ly/4qZiL7n.

Nominations and expressions of interest in the position of Senior Director and Coordinator are encouraged. Please direct them to AUCCDirector@agbsearch.com or to the AGB search consultants listed below.

Kim Bobby, EdD, Principal
kim.bobby@agbsearch.com, 253.861.7738

Jerry Gilbert, PhD, Executive Search Consultant
jerry.gilbert@agbsearch.com, 662.769.1021