Systems Synthesis Advisor

Systems Synthesis Projects are a culminating experience for students in the Master of Science in Public Policy and Management (MSPPM), Washington DC program at Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College. These projects, conducted in lieu of a thesis, provide students with hands-on experiences that parallel the activities and issues they will encounter in the workplace. Working with a client organization, diverse groups of students spend seven months (Oct - May) addressing an issue of importance to the client.

Under the guidance of a systems synthesis advisor, the students identify the issue, gather and analyze data, and prepare findings and recommendations for the client. It also allows students to integrate the skills learned from their coursework at Heinz--including economics, statistics, management science, financial analysis, organizational management, policy analysis, database management, oral and written communication skills and others-as they tackle important policy and management problems. The project provides students with "real-world" experience in teamwork, analysis, project management and client relations.

General role of project advisors:

As an advisor you are tasked with providing guidance, but not control of the project. The project team, consisting of 4-6 master's students, will lead the direction of the project. The project advisor's role consists of providing guidance to the project team in the following ways: assisting the team with effective teamwork and project management strategies, providing feedback and guidance on project direction and deliverables (i.e. presentations to an advisory committee, final report, and poster board), and assigning a grade to each student.

Timeline for Projects:

Students are enrolled in Systems Planning during the Fall Semester October 25- Dec 13, 2024, and in Systems Synthesis during the Spring semester from Jan 13 - May 2, 2025. Advisors must be available to meet with students weekly on Fridays during the workday (approximately 1-3 hours each Friday), attend ALL formal presentations with the client/advisory board, provide regular feedback and coaching to students, and respond in a timely manner to student inquiries via email or phone at other times during the week. Some interactions can be done virtually, but regular in person meetings are expected throughout the year.

You should demonstrate:

* Effective, engaging, and compelling culturally responsive communication, with the capacity to guide students and engage with clients as needed.

* Innovation, integrity, and expertise in consulting and/or project management.

* A strong sense of collaboration and enthusiasm for guiding a student-led team and providing feedback at multiple points in the project

* A strong grasp of the challenges within a consulting project including the ability to help scope projects.

Salary range: $6K-8K

* Master's or PhD degree in relevant fields preferred * Experience in engagement with students * Experience working with client-based projects * Demonstrated success in similar positions with positive references.