Director - Indiana University Public Policy Institute

Director – Indiana University Public Policy Institute

Tenured Full / Tenured Associate Professor Faculty Position

The Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs (“O’Neill School”) at Indiana

University (IU) seeks an accomplished scholar and visionary leader to serve as the director of the

Indiana University Public Policy Institute (“PPI”) and join the faculty as a full-time, tenured Full or

Associate Professor. This is a rare opportunity to lead a premier policy institute at a top-tier urban

research institution, driving high-impact policy analysis and public engagement at local, state, and

national levels. The O’Neill School has a presence on both the Bloomington and Indianapolis

campuses, with PPI operating across both locations. The faculty position (including the tenure home)

will be based on the Indianapolis campus.

The O’Neill School seeks a dynamic and forward-thinking leader to advance policy research, secure

external funding, and foster partnerships that translate academic insights into real-world impact. The

director will be responsible for setting strategic priorities, developing and securing competitive

external grants, overseeing research initiatives, and building cross-disciplinary collaborations. This

position offers a unique opportunity to shape public policy through rigorous scholarship and broad

dissemination of knowledge. The director will engage with policymakers, government agencies,

nonprofits, industry, faculty, and students to ensure that PPI’s research informs decision-making and

contributes to effective policies that benefit society. A strong emphasis is placed on evidence-based

solutions that address critical public challenges.

The director will oversee the daily operations of PPI, including fiscal management, staff coordination,

and strategic planning while ensuring compliance with university policies, federal regulations, and

ethical standards in all research activities. In collaboration with PPI staff, the director will be

responsible for reports, proposals, and other documentation to communicate PPI’s progress and impact

to school leadership, advisory board members, and external partners. The director will be responsible

for the leadership and management of 12 full-time staff (i.e., policy analysts, project managers, a

graphic designer, and a technical writer).

The successful candidate will demonstrate expertise through a proven track record of externally funded

research/community programs and experience leading research teams. Candidates with a portfolio of

funded projects from a diverse set of sponsors (e.g., federal, state, local, and foundations) and/or

experience leading multidisciplinary teams are highly desirable. The director will benefit from

philanthropic foundation resources that partially support the operational mission of PPI and enable the

director to implement strategic initiatives. The director will also seek external resources to further

support the work of PPI.

The director will work collaboratively with the dean’s office of the O’Neill School to shape the

organizational structure and mission of PPI. It is expected that the director will cultivate partnerships

with the O’Neill School’s faculty in Indianapolis and Bloomington. Moreover, a core value of PPI is

to engage in policy-relevant research and education that involves community partners and thus, the

director will be expected to collaborate with state, local, and industry stakeholders as potential clients.

The O’Neill School welcomes candidates with research specialization in the academic disciplines and

policy work represented across the O’Neill School and PPI. We foster a highly interdisciplinary

research environment. Candidates with a Ph.D. in a variety of areas such as public administration,

economics, public policy, criminal justice, sustainability, urban policy, leadership and management, or

resilient communities (as examples) are encouraged to apply.

Established in 1992, PPI produces thoughtful, policy-related research, analysis, and community

engagement. Sponsors and clients of PPI utilize research to enhance their programs and services, to

develop strategies and policies, to evaluate the impact of their decisions, and ultimately to help the

people they serve. The PPI is home to four unique research centers: (1) Center for Health and Justice

Research, (2) Center for Research on Inclusion and Social Policy, (3) Manufacturing Policy Initiative,

and (4) Center for Civic Literary.

Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs

The O’Neill School is the largest public administration and policy school in the United States. In

Indianapolis, the school offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees in public affairs, criminal justice, and

organizational leadership. In addition, O’Neill’s Executive Education program provides both credit

and non-credit programming to a broad portfolio of clients. Only blocks away from the state capital,

municipal government, and countless non-profit and industry organizations, the O’Neill School is

centrally located to foster community partnerships to enhance research, teaching, and service

opportunities. According to the 2023-24 U.S. News and World Report Rankings of Best Public Affairs

Graduate Schools, the O’Neill School on the Indianapolis campus ranks nationally in the following

area: Nonprofit Management (#2), Environmental Policy & Management (#13), Urban Policy (#17),

Local Government Management (#20), Public Management and Leadership (#23), Public Policy

Analysis (#32), and Overall Best Graduate Program (#36).

Indiana University Indianapolis

Indiana University Indianapolis (IU Indianapolis) is one of the premier urban research universities in

the country. Classified as a Research 1 (R1) institution by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions

of Higher Education, IU Indianapolis secures annually over $50 million in external research support

801 West Michigan Street • BS 3025 • Indianapolis, IN 46202 • (317) 274-4656 • oneill.indianapolis.iu.edu

across more than 2,000 awards and 56 unique research centers and institutes. IU Indianapolis is home

to 17 degree-granting schools, which serve more than 25,000 students from over 100 countries around

the world. IU Indianapolis is the state’s urban research and academic health sciences campus whose

mission is to advance the state of Indiana and the intellectual growth of its residents to the highest

levels nationally and internationally through research and creative activity, teaching and learning, and

civic engagement. By offering a distinctive range of bachelor, master, professional, and Ph.D. degrees,

IU Indianapolis promotes the educational, cultural, and economic development of central Indiana and

beyond through innovative collaborations and external partnerships. IU Indianapolis’s accelerated

pathway toward continued success is articulated in our bold IUI 2030 Strategic Plan.

Indiana University Bloomington

Founded in 1820, Indiana University Bloomington (IUB) is the quintessential Big Ten research

institution. Located in Bloomington, IN (just 50 miles south of Indianapolis), IUB is home to more

than 48,000 students across 16 degree-granting colleges and schools. It constantly strives to embody

its mission to create, disseminate, preserve, and apply knowledge through its commitments to cuttingedge

research, scholarship, arts, and creative activity. As one of the leading research universities in the

country, IUB secures over 3,000 research grants a year totaling almost $800 million annually. IUB has

articulated its plan toward continued excellence in the IUB 2030 Strategic Plan. Nestled in the rolling

hills of south-central Indiana, and home to 85,000 residents, the city of Bloomington offers the feel of

a college town with many of the amenities of a large city. From off-Broadway plays and musicals, the

LOTUS World Festival of Music, quick access to 250,000 acres of public recreation lands, outstanding

public schools and a reasonable cost of living, Bloomington offers much to all.

City of Indianapolis

As the state capital, Indianapolis encompasses a metropolitan population of 1.9 million making it the

14th largest city in the United States. This diverse city boasts a high quality of life, low cost of living,

and easy commutes. Indianapolis has six thriving Cultural Districts, each offering a distinct mix of

shopping, dining, and entertainment. Named “the biggest and boldest step by any American city” by

Project for Public Spaces in New York City, the $63 million Indianapolis Cultural Trail is an

internationally acclaimed eight-mile biking and walking trail that connects all six of Indy’s Cultural

Districts. Indianapolis is one of the country’s most walkable cities, with numerous parks, paths, and

recreational amenities promoting a healthy and active lifestyle. It is home to outstanding cultural

institutions as well as companies such as Eli Lilly & Co, Roche Diagnostics, Salesforce, and Dow

AgroSciences. Indianapolis, often called Indy, is home to the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball

Association (NBA), Indiana Fever (WNBA), and the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football

League (NFL) and is widely recognized for hosting the Indianapolis 500, the world’s oldest major

automobile race taking place each year on Memorial Day weekend. Indianapolis also hosts regularly

major sports events such as the NCAA Final Four. Traveling to and around Indianapolis is easy,

convenient, and affordable. Indianapolis International Airport (IND) is approximately 15 minutes from

downtown and has been named the best airport in North America by Airports Council International for

seven consecutive years. Known as the Crossroads of America, Indy is within a day’s drive of over

half of the country’s population.