Master's degree in organizational development, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, or related field
5+ years of experience in organizational development or transformational change
Certifications in Design Thinking, Human-Centered Design, or Change Management preferred
Expertise in human-centered change and design thinking methodologies
Strong project management and facilitation skills
Responsibilities
Lead university-wide transformation initiatives using human-centered approaches
Engage the community in shaping change through systems thinking
Integrate talent capability building into transformation efforts
Facilitate workshops and design sessions to address complex challenges
Manage OD initiatives from discovery through implementation
Build trusted partnerships across academic and administrative units
Foster relationships that promote continuous learning and innovation
Benefits
Opportunity to lead impactful university-wide initiatives
Collaborative work environment with diverse perspectives
Focus on professional development and continuous learning
Engagement in a culture of innovation and inclusive excellence
Access to resources and support for personal and professional growth
Full Job Description
Job Description
Boston University's Organizational Development & Learning (OD&L) team is seeking a Director of Organizational Development. Reporting to the Assistant Vice President, the Director will lead a team of OD specialists and bring demonstrated change and transformation capabilities to university-wide initiatives. The Director will advise academic and administrative leaders, facilitate strategic design and collaboration, and guide complex efforts from discovery through sustained adoption. The role will apply human-centered, systems, and design thinking approaches to strengthen organizational effectiveness, build stakeholder ownership, and advance a culture of learning, innovation, and inclusive excellence.
Responsibilities include:
Human-Centered Strategic Change & Transformation
Lead university-wide transformation using human-centered and design thinking approaches.
Apply systems thinking and participatory practices to engage the community in shaping change.
Integrate talent capability building into transformation.
Use stakeholder insights to guide design, implementation, and measurement.
Address adoption barriers and build ownership for sustained success.
Facilitation, Design Thinking & Innovation
Lead workshops, retreats, and design sessions that engage diverse perspectives.
Apply design thinking, journey mapping, prototyping, and dialogue to address complex challenges.
Evaluate outcomes and refine approaches using feedback and data.
Project Leadership
Lead OD initiatives from discovery through sustained implementation.
Manage scope, timelines, and stakeholder engagement.
Embed the human-centered approaches into planning and execution.
Build readiness, mobilize champions, accelerate adoption, and sustain results.
Partnership & Collaboration
Build trusted partnerships across academic and administrative units.
Connect diverse voices to co-create solutions and advance strategic priorities.
Foster relationships, continuous learning, innovation, and inclusive excellence.
Required Skills
Required Education
Master's degree in organizational development, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, or related field
Preferred Education
Certifications in Design Thinking, Human-Centered Design, Dialogic OD, Change Management
Required Experience
Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in organizational development, transformational change design and management, or related areas.
Preferred Experience
Experience in higher education or mission-driven organizations is a plus.
Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities
Demonstrated expertise in human-centered change and design thinking methodologies.
Demonstrated expertise in dialogic and humanistic OD approaches.
Proven ability to lead strategic planning and team development initiatives in complex organizations.
Exceptional facilitation, coaching, and consulting skills.
Project management skills.
Effective Written, verbal, and interpersonal communication.
About Boston University
Boston University (BU) is a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. The university is nonsectarian but maintains its historical affiliation with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1839 by Methodists with its original campus in Newbury, Vermont, before moving to Boston in 1867. The university now has more than 3,900 faculty members and nearly 33,000 students, and is one of Boston's largest employers. It offers bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, doctorates, and medical, dental, business, and law degrees through 17 schools and colleges on two urban campuses. BU is a member of the Boston Consortium for Higher Education and the Association of American Universities.
