Lead Academic Program Manager (Department Chair), WGU School of Technology – Cyber Security

About the role

The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.

Primary Responsibilities

• Product strategy: Conduct market research, competitive analysis, skills and competency definitions, segmentation analysis, and positioning. Define the product roadmap for one or more academic programs.
• Product development: Lead cross-functional work with subject matter experts, the program development team, and the broader organization to build degree programs that deliver strong student outcomes and labor market relevance.
• Post-launch performance: Track KPIs including applicants, enrollment, progress, retention, key financial metrics, and alignment with employer needs.
• Stakeholder alignment: Align cross-functional stakeholders on priorities, decisions, and execution.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in a business or technical field. In lieu of a master's, a bachelor's degree plus 7 years of directly relevant experience will be considered.
• 4+ years in product management, product marketing, program or operations management, or a customer-facing role (e.g., sales) with accountability for measurable business outcomes.

Our Ideal Candidate Has

• Experience owning a product, program, or major initiative across its full lifecycle, including voice of the customer.
• Strong analytical skills: proficient with data analysis, able to synthesize insights, and communicate data-driven recommendations to inform decisions.
• Experience managing or developing educational programs, products, or similar complex initiatives with measurable outcomes.
• Ability to navigate process-heavy organizations without letting process stifle innovation.
• Exceptional writing and presentation skills that apply across a wide range of audiences, from students to senior leaders, with the ability to tailor communication to the audience.
• 3–5 years of professional experience in Cybersecurity and/or Artificial Intelligence (AI).
• PREFERRED: Experience with curriculum and/or assessment development, Up-to-date knowledge of a broad range of technologies, especially Cyber Security, risk assessment, AI application to cybersecurity, Agile methodologies, and technology product management. Experience with online program marketing, SEO, or digital acquisition metrics.

Additional Information

• Full-Time Regular Positions (classified as regular and working 40 standard weekly hours): This is a full-time, regular position (classified for 40 standard weekly hours) that is eligible for bonuses; medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare; health savings account and flexible spending account; basic and voluntary life insurance; disability coverage; accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages; legal and identity theft coverage; retirement savings plan; wellbeing program; discounted WGU tuition; and flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual, flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual, 11 paid holidays, and other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave.

Disclaimer

The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It’s not all-inclusive.

Accommodations

Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at recruiting@wgu.edu.

Equal Employment Opportunity

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic as required by law.