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The American Institute of Indian Studies is Hiring a U.S. Director

The American Institute of Indian Studies (AIIS), a member of the Council of American Overseas Research Centers (CAORC), the AIIS has since 1961 furthered the knowledge of India in the United States by supporting American scholarship on India primarily through the awarding of research fellowships for doctoral students and faculty in U.S. universities, and the teaching of India’s numerous languages.  Additional activities include support for international learning experiences, digital scholarship, and for research in the fields of art and archaeology, and ethnomusicology (which are primarily conducted in and through our centers located in India). 


Duties and Responsibilities

The U.S. Director is the chief executive officer of the Institute in the United States and oversees all its operations in close collaboration with the Director General based in India, and the elected President and other officers.

The duties and responsibilities include the following:

  • Write and submit grant proposals for grants that fund AIIS programs in a timely manner

  • Manage AIIS’s federal grants, oversee registers of all expenditures to be assigned to each grant, and prepare interim and final reports

  • Manage the annual Fellowship program in coordination with the Selection Committee

  • Manage the Language Program in coordination with the Language Committee

  • Coordinate with all other committee chairs and facilitate their work

  • Oversee overall financial management of AIIS, in coordination with the Treasurer and the India office staff

  • Provide direction to and coordinate with the contracted CPA who (i) prepares financial reports; (ii) maintains expenditures; (iii) fulfills reimbursement requests; (iv) pays all bills; (v) records deposits; (vi) receives and deposits annual dues, and all donations; (vii) prepares and provides full financial information for the bi-annual Treasurer’s report; and (viii) prepares materials for AIIS’s U.S. audit

  • Work with the auditors on the annual required audit

  • Manage the website (with assistance, when necessary, from a professional website designer) to ensure that all information is accurate and timely; regularly post news items or features on the website to promote the work of the Institute

  • Maintain database on former fellows and language students, their careers and accomplishments, for use in promotional materials and reports to funding agencies.

  • Maintain continual and comprehensive communication, coordination, and consultation about all matters with the Director-General in India and the AIIS President

  • Organize the annual meetings of (i) Fellowship Selection Committee; (ii) the bi-annual meetings of the Board of Trustees; and (iii) the annual AIIS delegates meetings

  • Manage regular communications with AIIS member institutions, including invoices for annual dues, and with applicants, fellows, students, and the general public as necessary

  • Supervise a Communications and Special Projects Coordinator in charge of promoting AIIS in various fora including social media


Qualifications

The successful applicant should have grant-writing and management skills and demonstrated ability to maintain the finances connected with a grantee and funding organization. The capacity to juggle numerous responsibilities with multiple deadlines throughout the year is key to the position. An advanced degree with a focus on South Asia is desirable but not necessary. Candidates who have worked in other international academic and funding organizations and have experience in higher education outreach programs are strongly encouraged to apply.


Salary and benefits are competitive and commensurate with experience and qualifications.

The current U.S. Director’s office is based in the Chicago, but this is not a requirement.  AIIS is open to moving the position elsewhere in the U.S. and to a remote work arrangement as well, but the applicant must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.


Application Instructions

Please send a cover letter describing your interest in and qualifications for the position, and a current c.v. or resumé as a single pdf here. Review of applications will begin October 15, 2024, and will close by November 1, 2024. A decision on the position will be made by December 1, 2024.  It is expected that the successful candidate will be available for part-time training with the present Director beginning in January 2025.


Equal Opportunity Statement

AIIS is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. We value diversity and do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability status, or any other applicable characteristics protected by law.


Further inquiries

Dr. Philip Lutgendorf, Chair of the Board & Search Committee Chair


Learn more about AIIS: https://www.indiastudies.org/

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