Associate Director, Institute for Diplomacy, Security and Innovation

The Associate Director serves as the senior operational and strategic partner to the Institute Director, supporting the growth, external partnerships, and overall visibility of the Institute across Washington and beyond. This role provides leadership in program development, stakeholder engagement, and institutional strategy, with a focus on expanding the Institute’s reach, strengthening relationships with government, industry, and academic partners, and increasing philanthropic support. In all aspects of its work, the position advances the Institute’s mission in alignment with Pepperdine University’s Christian values, contributing to an environment that emphasizes purpose-driven leadership, service, integrity, and the pursuit of meaningful impact. The Associate Director helps translate the Institute’s vision into actionable initiatives that support its mission and long-term sustainability.

Duties

• Strategic Leadership & Institute Growth: Partner with the Director to develop and implement the Institute's strategic priorities and growth initiatives. Identify and pursue opportunities to expand the Institute's presence and influence across Washington, DC and other key regions. Contribute to long-term planning, program development, and institutional positioning. Support the creation and scaling of new initiatives aligned with the Institute and Pepperdine's mission.
• External Partnerships & Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain relationships with external stakeholders, including government entities, policy organizations, academic institutions, and industry partners. Represent the Institute in meetings, briefings, conferences, and other high-level engagements. Lead outreach efforts to develop new partnerships and strengthen existing collaborations. Serve as a key liaison for external constituencies on behalf of the Director.
• Fundraising & Donor Relations: Support fundraising strategy and execution in coordination with University advancement teams. Engage with current and prospective donors, including individuals and foundations. Assist in preparing proposals, briefing materials, and presentations for donor engagement. Contribute to donor cultivation and stewardship efforts to expand philanthropic support for the Institute.
• Program Development & Execution: Oversee and contribute to the design and execution of Institute programs, events, conferences, and initiatives. Ensure programming aligns with strategic goals and enhances the Institute's visibility and impact. Collaborate with internal teams to deliver high-quality experiences for participants and partners. Assess program outcomes and recommend improvements.
• Internal Leadership & Coordination: Provide guidance and direction to administrative and student staff in support of Institute operations. Align internal workflows and priorities to ensure effective execution of Institute initiatives. Coordinate with University departments to support cross-functional collaboration. Assist the Director in managing internal operations and resource alignment.
• Communications & Representation: Contribute to external-facing materials, presentations, and thought leadership content. Represent the Institute in internal and external forums as appropriate. Support efforts to strengthen the Institute's brand, messaging, and visibility.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Uphold University mission through work performed.

The above information has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

Skills and Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., international relations, political science, public policy, business, or related discipline).
• Minimum of 5–7 years of progressively responsible experience in program management, external relations, partnerships, development, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience building and managing relationships with external stakeholders, such as government, academic, nonprofit, or industry partners.
• Experience supporting or contributing to strategic planning, program development, or organizational growth initiatives.
• Proven ability to coordinate and execute complex projects or programs with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience preparing presentations, briefings, or donor-facing materials.
• Experience working collaboratively across teams and engaging with senior leadership.
• Ability to represent an organization in professional settings and engage effectively with high-level external audiences.
• Alignment with Pepperdine University’s Christian mission and values.

Preferred:

• Advanced degree (Master’s or higher) in a relevant field such as international relations, public policy, business, or a related discipline.
• Experience working in or with government, policy organizations, think tanks, academic institutes, or similar environments.
• Experience in donor relations, fundraising, or advancement-related activities.
• Familiarity with Washington, DC-based networks, institutions, or policy ecosystems.
• Experience launching or scaling new programs, centers, or initiatives.
• Experience in higher education or within a university-affiliated institute or research center.
• Demonstrated success in partnership development and stakeholder engagement at a national or international level.
• Supervisory or team leadership experience.

This is a Restricted, Exempt, 40 hour per week position.

Expected Pay Range: $81,000 - $85,000 per year 

The above pay range reflects what Pepperdine University reasonably expects to pay for this position at time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on relevant factors such as work experience, market conditions, education/training, and skill level. In addition to base pay, Pepperdine offers a robust and highly competitive benefits package.

Pepperdine is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of any status or condition protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Pepperdine is committed to providing a work environment free from all forms of unlawful discrimination and harassment. Engaging in unlawful discrimination or harassment will result in appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from the University.

Pepperdine is religiously affiliated with the Churches of Christ. It is the purpose of Pepperdine to pursue the very highest employment and academic standards within a context that celebrates and extends the spiritual and ethical ideals of the Christian faith. While students, faculty, and staff represent many religious backgrounds, Pepperdine is permitted under applicable law and reserves the right to seek, hire, and promote persons who support the goals and mission of the institution, including the right to prefer co-religionists who support Pepperdine's Christian mission.

Qualified individuals should be able to show respect for workplace differences, and have the ability to work effectively with individuals from different backgrounds.

Offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of a criminal, education, and employment screening. The University conducts such screenings in compliance with applicable laws and with the objectives of evaluating risk and supporting a safe environment for students, faculty, staff, and guests; safeguarding key University assets including people, property, information, and the University’s reputation; and providing comprehensive job-related information to University leaders to enable them to make prudent hiring decisions. Individuals will be required to disclose any criminal convictions on a designated form after receiving a conditional offer of employment; failure to disclose accurate information may result in withdrawal of the offer or termination of employment. Qualified individuals with criminal histories will be considered for employment in compliance with applicable laws, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance.

Private research university offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs