Director of Academic Partnerships & Fellowships (Volunteer)

Director of Academic Partnerships & Fellowships (Volunteer)

PromiseResearch | Academic Partnerships, Research Fellowships & Scholarly Engagement

Organization: Mentor A Promise (MAP)

Division: PromiseResearch

Location: Remote with NYC-based collaboration as needed

Commitment: Approximately 5–10 hours per week

Type: Volunteer Leadership Role

Minimum Commitment: 6-month commitment required

Reports To: Chief Research Officer

About Mentor A Promise

Mentor A Promise (MAP) is a New York City–based nonprofit organization serving children and youth ages 5–18 experiencing housing instability through mentorship, literacy, social-emotional learning, educational enrichment, workforce development, creative opportunity, advocacy, housing innovation, and community-centered support.

MAP believes that meaningful solutions emerge when research, practice, lived experience, and academic knowledge work together.

Through collaboration with universities, scholars, researchers, and academic institutions, MAP seeks to strengthen understanding of housing instability and improve outcomes for children and families.

About PromiseResearch

PromiseResearch is MAP's research, policy insights, thought leadership, and knowledge strategy division.

The division serves as the organization's research center and internal think tank, helping MAP better understand housing instability and its impact on children, youth, and families.

Through research, policy analysis, strategic inquiry, and knowledge generation, PromiseResearch informs organizational strategy, advocacy efforts, program development, public education, and systems-change initiatives.

Role Overview

The Director of Academic Partnerships & Fellowships serves as the leader responsible for developing and managing relationships with universities, faculty members, researchers, academic centers, and scholarly institutions.

This role oversees MAP's academic partnership strategy, research fellowship programs, visiting scholar initiatives, faculty collaborations, and university engagement efforts.

Working closely with the Chief Research Officer, PromisePublic, PromiseMeasure, PromiseLearning, and external academic partners, the Director helps build a strong network of scholars and institutions that contribute research, expertise, innovation, and thought leadership to MAP's mission.

The ideal candidate is relationship-oriented, strategic, organized, and passionate about connecting academic knowledge with community impact.

Key Responsibilities

Academic Partnership Strategy

• Develop and lead MAP's academic partnership strategy
• Establish relationships with universities, colleges, and research institutions
• Identify opportunities for collaborative research and knowledge exchange
• Strengthen MAP's visibility within academic communities
• Expand institutional partnerships that advance organizational goals

Faculty & Research Collaborations

• Build relationships with faculty members, researchers, and academic leaders
• Support collaborative research initiatives and special projects
• Facilitate connections between MAP and subject matter experts
• Identify opportunities for academic engagement and consultation
• Strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration opportunities

Fellowship Programs

• Develop and oversee research fellowship programs
• Support recruitment, onboarding, and engagement of fellows
• Create meaningful fellowship experiences aligned with MAP's mission
• Coordinate fellowship projects and deliverables
• Strengthen opportunities for student and professional researchers

Visiting Scholars Program

• Establish and manage visiting scholar initiatives
• Engage academic experts and practitioners in research and thought leadership activities
• Coordinate scholar presentations, discussions, and collaborative projects
• Promote knowledge-sharing opportunities across the organization
• Expand MAP's network of academic advisors and contributors

Research & Knowledge Exchange

• Support collaborative research projects involving academic partners
• Facilitate dissemination of research findings and insights
• Promote learning opportunities between practitioners and researchers
• Strengthen MAP's research ecosystem and thought leadership efforts
• Support scholarly publications and presentations when appropriate

Cross-Divisional Collaboration

• Partner with PromiseMeasure on research and evaluation initiatives
• Collaborate with PromisePublic on policy and advocacy research
• Support PromiseLearning educational partnerships and research opportunities
• Work with leadership to identify strategic academic collaborations
• Align partnership efforts with organizational priorities

Leadership Responsibilities

The Director provides leadership and oversight for:

Academic Partnerships

Responsible for:

• University partnerships
• Institutional relationships
• Academic engagement
• Strategic collaborations

Faculty Collaborations

Responsible for:

• Research partnerships
• Faculty engagement
• Subject matter experts
• Scholarly networks

Fellowship Programs

Responsible for:

• Research fellows
• Student researchers
• Fellowship recruitment
• Fellowship management

Visiting Scholars

Responsible for:

• Scholar engagement
• Knowledge exchange
• Academic presentations
• Thought leadership initiatives

Potential Reporting Structure

Partnership Managers

Fellowship Coordinators

University Relations Coordinators

Academic Engagement Specialists

Research Fellowship Associates

Visiting Scholar Program Coordinators

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in higher education, research administration, nonprofit leadership, university relations, academic partnerships, or related fields
• Strong relationship-building and stakeholder engagement skills
• Experience working with faculty, researchers, or academic institutions
• Excellent communication and partnership development abilities
• Strong organizational and project management skills
• Passion for research, education, and community impact

Why This Role Matters

Research is stronger when diverse perspectives come together.

Universities generate knowledge.

Communities generate insight.

The Director of Academic Partnerships & Fellowships helps bridge these worlds by creating opportunities for scholars, researchers, students, and practitioners to collaborate in ways that strengthen understanding, innovation, and impact.

This role helps ensure that MAP remains connected to emerging research, academic expertise, and future leaders committed to improving outcomes for children and families.

Success Measures

• Growth of university and academic partnerships
• Number and quality of faculty collaborations
• Expansion of fellowship and visiting scholar programs
• Research contributions generated through partnerships
• Academic engagement and participation levels
• Strength of MAP's academic and research network

Leadership Participation

The Director of Academic Partnerships & Fellowships is expected to:

• Attend divisional leadership meetings
• Conduct regular check-ins with direct reports
• Participate in research planning and strategy discussions
• Support cross-divisional collaboration and organizational priorities

Volunteer Expectations

• Approximately 5–10 hours per week
• Minimum 6-month commitment required
• Maintain timely and professional communication
• Collaborate through MAP systems and communication platforms
• Support MAP's safeguarding standards, mission, and organizational values
• Foster an inclusive, supportive, and mission-driven culture

What You'll Gain

• Leadership experience building academic and research partnerships
• Opportunity to shape MAP's fellowship and scholarly engagement strategy
• Collaboration with researchers, faculty members, universities, and nonprofit leaders
• Professional references and letters of recommendation
• Meaningful impact supporting children and families experiencing housing instability

How to Apply

Interested candidates should apply directly through Idealist and include their resume and cover letter.

Please highlight experience involving higher education, university partnerships, research administration, fellowship programs, academic engagement, nonprofit leadership, or related disciplines.

Help connect research, scholarship, and community impact to create stronger opportunities for children and families through Mentor A Promise.

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with our organization. At this time, volunteer opportunities are limited to individuals based in the United States due to legal, safeguarding, data-privacy, and programmatic requirements. We appreciate your interest in our mission and your understanding of these constraints.