Assistant Director of Academic Programs

Job Summary

The Department of English in the College and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at the University of Virginia seeks an Assistant Director of Academic Programs to partner with faculty leadership to provide strategic planning to ensure all programs are delivered with excellence and offer an exceptional student experience. The Assistant Director’s primary focus initially will be on the Writing and Rhetoric program with potential to expand programmatic leadership across the department over time.

Candidate Profile

• You are seeking an academic programs leadership role because you believe wholeheartedly in the academic mission.
• You have experience with undergraduate and graduate education, both as a student and as an administrator.
• You understand the creative process and how it comes to life in writing.
• You hold the full arc of the student experience in mind: from the undergraduate writer trying to find their voice to the doctoral candidate navigating the final stages of their program.
• You balance the need for consistency with nuance and patience in how you work with colleagues and students.
• You excel at turning ideas into results.
• You understand the ways in which curricular decisions shape the identity of programs.
• You are also a strategic creator.
• You build systems that sustain and convert data into information that gets used.
• You move fluidly between strategy and execution, and you know which mode the moment calls for.
• You make things happen when decisions are made.

Key Areas of Responsibility

• Program Management and Student Success
  • Serve as the primary support and strategic partner to the Director of Writing and Rhetoric and other faculty leaders.
  • Manage teaching assignments, course scheduling, and enrollment in partnership with faculty leadership and university partners.
  • Manage Writing and Rhetoric operations including operational and administrative leadership for Writing Across the Curriculum and the Writing Center.
  • Oversee student services functions including onboarding, orientation, advising support, registration coordination, and milestone progression.
  • Partner with faculty program directors to monitor student performance, engagement, and well-being, addressing concerns proactively and holistically.
  • Maintain knowledge of university policies and procedures.
• Assessment, Data, Reporting, and Continuous Improvement
  • Provide operational leadership for program assessment and reporting.
  • Monitor program metrics including enrollment trends, student progression, and operational performance.
  • Prepare analyses and reports for academic leadership and use data to drive continuous improvement across programs and team functions.
• Team Leadership
  • Supervise, mentor, and develop a team of academic programs professionals, fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement in service delivery and program operations.
  • Set clear expectations, support professional growth, and conduct regular performance evaluations.

Qualifications

• Master's degree
• 6+ years of relevant professional experience
• 2+ years formal management experience required.
• PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
  • Advanced degree in English, Writing, Creative Writing
  • Experience teaching Writing or Creative Writing
  • Experience working in an academic Writing Center

Location and Start Date

This position is located in Charlottesville, VA. The anticipated start date is mid-July, 2026.

Hiring Range

The anticipated hiring range is $85,000 – 95,000 commensurate with education and experience. This is an exempt-level, benefited position.

Application Information

To apply, please apply online, by searching for requisition number R0083948. Internal applicants may search and apply for jobs on the UVA Internal Careers website. Complete an application online with the following documents: CV/Resume Cover letter Upload all materials into the resume submission field, multiple documents can be submitted into this one field. Alternatively, merge all documents into one PDF for submission. Applications that do not contain all required documents will not receive full consideration.

Contact Information

For questions about the application process, please contact Michele Jarman, Academic Recruiter. To learn more about UVA and in the Charlottesville area, visit UVA Life and Embark CVA.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.