Associate Director

About the role

The Associate Director will provide leadership and strategic oversight for a portfolio of online programs delivered in partnership with prestigious universities. This role will manage a team of Senior Program Delivery Managers, Program Delivery Managers, and Delivery Specialists ensuring exceptional program execution and learner experience at scale.

Responsibilities

• Oversee program delivery operations and key success metrics for a portfolio of programs, to ensure alignment with university partner expectations and Emeritus standards.
• Optimize resource allocation across programs to support high-quality delivery and scalability.
• Drive continuous improvement through scalable solutions and innovative learner support strategies.
• Establish and track KPIs related to portfolio success and learner satisfaction.
• Manage portfolio budgets to optimize resource allocation, track program costs, and ensure financial targets are met.
• Own and grow learner referral program, partnering with Revenue leadership to drive incremental referral growth and reporting results to senior stakeholders.
• Lead and develop a team of Senior Program Delivery Managers, Program Delivery Managers, and Delivery Specialists. Foster a culture of excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Provide mentorship and professional development opportunities to support career growth within the team.
• Establish and maintain clear performance metrics to measure team success.
• Oversee Success Coach operations and effectiveness to support learner success.
• Design and implement data-driven automation solutions and process improvements to improve efficiency and reduce manual workflows.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives focused on friction points in the learner journey and team operations.
• Maintain portfolio-level university partner relationships, leveraging program performance data to provide insights and recommendations.
• Align cross-functional teams (Technology, Design, Product, Admissions, Outreach) to ensure a seamless learner journey and high-quality program delivery.
• Influence platform development in collaboration with the Technology team to better support academic delivery needs.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred.
• 7+ years of experience in program delivery, executive education, EdTech, or online learning delivery, with at least 3 years in a people leadership role.
• Proven track record of building, managing and developing high-performing teams, including senior individual contributors.
• Experience delivering for high-profile, executive-level audiences including senior leaders, C-suite, and board level participants.
• Strong operational discipline with the ability to oversee multiple complex, high-stakes programs simultaneously at scale.
• Fluency with data to drive decisions, diagnose issues, and improve performance across a portfolio.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with comfort representing Emeritus to senior external stakeholders and influence cross-functional stakeholders, build alignment, and drive outcomes across teams.

Qualifications

• Required Qualifications:
• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred.
• 7+ years of experience in program delivery, executive education, EdTech, or online learning delivery, with at least 3 years in a people leadership role.
• Proven track record of building, managing and developing high-performing teams, including senior individual contributors.
• Experience delivering for high-profile, executive-level audiences including senior leaders, C-suite, and board level participants.
• Strong operational discipline with the ability to oversee multiple complex, high-stakes programs simultaneously at scale.
• Fluency with data to drive decisions, diagnose issues, and improve performance across a portfolio.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with comfort representing Emeritus to senior external stakeholders and influence cross-functional stakeholders, build alignment, and drive outcomes across teams.
• Preferred Qualifications:
• Experience working with US, UK or EU universities and faculty.
• Background in academic program management or operations.
• Familiarity with learning management systems and community platforms such as Canvas and Slack.
• Experience in change management, process improvement, or launching new programs or markets at scale.
• Understanding of global education markets and trends.
• Event management and community-building experience.