Manager, Program Operations

About the role

The Manager, Program Operations is a department level operational owner of the academic planning lifecycle, the end-to-end framework spanning demand planning, schedule build, gate review, registration operations, activity pay, and post-term analysis.

Responsibilities

• Manage annual and semester course planning, demand projections, and section sufficiency, aligning section supply to enrollment trends, program goals, and growth objectives
• Leverage historical enrollment data, cohort progression patterns, curriculum tracks, and student pipeline data to build term-based projections before each schedule build cycle
• Develop and manage course schedules using data-informed planning, continuously improving processes
• Develop and maintain annual and semester cohort calendars and scheduling milestones
• Surface course gaps and section shortfalls each term to inform affiliated faculty hiring decisions before the schedule build begins
• Conduct audits of course assets, academic assignments, and instructor records to ensure compliance and data accuracy
• Identify process improvement opportunities through data analysis and present findings to leadership
• Build and enter course schedules into the SIS, ensuring course caps, waitlists, program attributes, meeting times, modality, and dates are accurate
• Administer availability surveys, section sufficiency reviews, and instructor invitations; manage the full scheduling production cycle through publication
• Participate in gate review prior to registration opening by verifying schedule accuracy, confirm instructor assignments are complete, flag unresolved conflicts, and escalate before the schedule is published
• Monitor registration in real time, tracking fill rates against projected demand; escalate sections trending off-projection with a recommended response before decisions become reactive
• Manage waitlist activity, surface unmet demand signals, and coordinate with the Registrar’s office on protocols
• Track and document post-publish schedule changes, instructor modifications, room changes, modality shifts, cancellations and communicate to relevant stakeholders
• Identify and implement workflow improvements across programs for operational efficiency
• Understand system integrations across the institution and with external partners to troubleshoot issues and support continuity
• Lead the hiring and onboarding of affiliated faculty, optimizing the process for efficiency and a high-quality faculty experience. Serve as a primary point of contact for instructors, fostering a culture of continual improvement through feedback and process evaluations
• Collaborate with faculty and academic leadership on staff teaching assignments in alignment with operational deadlines and program needs
• Develop and deploy assignment invitations and contracts in alignment with program goals
• Work across departments to assess and deploy systematic processes for hiring coordination, activity pay, course registration, and data integrations
• Project future course planning needs based on course analysis, faculty availability, and staffing gaps; advise academic leadership on hiring projections
• Collaborate with the Registrar’s office and academic affairs on affiliated faculty compliance, audit functions, and job profile standards
• Partner annually with central offices to review affiliated faculty activity status and determine active or offboarding decisions, ensuring records are accurate and compliant
• Serve as a key consultant and informant, for program planning, including projections, forecasting, and automation
• Collaborate with central offices on reporting, dashboards, and planning tools that support scheduling and demand modeling
• Serves as a key consultant and informant, for program planning, including projections, forecasting, and automation

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university required; Master’s degree preferred
• 5–7 years of experience in higher education, academic operations, or a related field required; exceptional candidates with 4 years and directly relevant experience will be considered
• Experience with various platforms including Banner, Workday Student and HCM, Argos, Salesforce, and PM tools required
• Experience working with faculty and academic leadership required
• Experience in course scheduling, demand projection, or academic planning operations preferred
• Experience developing and maintaining stakeholder relationships and managing expectations required
• Experience with affiliated faculty hiring, onboarding, and activity pay processes preferred
• Experience managing high volume workloads in a deadline-driven environment with the ability to manage multiple timelines simultaneously required

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Analytic, technical, and problem-solving skills with the ability to synthesize data from multiple sources to inform planning decisions required
• Advanced Excel skills; familiarity with data analytics and AI platforms preferred
• Deep understanding of the academic planning cycle: demand projection, schedule build, gate review, registration, and post-term analysis required
• Superuser experience with student information systems, communication relationship management and project management platforms required
• Ability to devise solutions with limited information and use experience or precedent to resolve issues required
• Fluency in developing, documenting, and implementing standard operating procedures required
• Detail-oriented with strong time management and organizational skills required
• Experience managing budgets, payment processes, and reconciliations preferred
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; ability to work effectively with personnel at all levels required
• Able to handle sensitive issues and maintain confidentiality required
• Able to work autonomously in a fast-paced team environment required
• Fluent in Microsoft Office, Adobe, Google Suite, and project management tools required
• Familiarity with continuous improvement methodologies such as Lean or Six Sigma preferred

Physical Abilities

• Generally sedentary; movement throughout the area required from time to time
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions

Work Environment

• Usual office conditions; exposed to moderate noise levels

In-office Expectations

• This position is primarily remote with occasional days in the office.
• Employees must reside in authorized states as outlined in the Remote Work Policy.
• Preference will be given to employees who live within commuting distance of an Emerson physical location.

Compensation

$66,270.00 - $81,200.00 annually, commensurate with experience.

Grade of Position

S-23-08E

Employment Category

Regular

Scheduled Weekly Hours

36.25