Practice Education Specialist, Capella and Strayer University

About the role

The Practice Education Specialist functions within the Center of Excellence (COE) reporting to the Program Director. This position supports site-based learning needs and provides effective leadership for site-based learning, experiential learning, conducting site vetting and administration, and/or clinical training experiences to ensure the intended educational outcomes are met. The Practice Education Specialist will serve as a manager overseeing data collection, quality improvement activities, governance, operations tasks, and collaboration with internal and external partners.

Responsibilities

• Ensure high-quality educational experiences for learners and faculty, focusing on site-based learning (SBL) quality and achievement of outcomes.
• Engage in the ongoing review of the program, accreditation SBL Outcomes, and learner performance data; identify improvement opportunities based on regular data review.
• Prepare and submit analytics reports on a schedule determined by accreditation requirements and/or the school, summarizing findings and recommendations and tracking the impact of implemented changes.
• Conduct learner site-based vetting, approvals, and administration.
• Approve and manage affiliation requests.
• Manage affiliation database and ensure accreditors' mandates are met.
• Serve as liaison with multiple internal cross-functional partners across both Strayer and Capella Universities, including the SBL team, Academic Leadership Team, Program directors, Licensure Team, School Curriculum Committee, Advisory Councils, Honor Society Liaison (if relevant), and other committees as assigned.
• Resolve multi-faceted problems involving courses, faculty, regulatory, or administrative issues.
• Maintain communications with preceptors/clinical faculty/clinical coordinators/site supervisors, including site vetting, orientations, and evaluations.
• Maintain communications with learners, including site-based learning issues, audits, and evaluations.
• Develop and provide SBL faculty and learner orientations/training as defined by university leadership and/or specialized accreditation and as needed.
• Contribute to specialized accreditation processes, self-study development, and maintain relevant learner manuals and accreditation SBL standards and outcomes assessments.
• Ensure SBL processes are designed per accreditation standards and followed by all involved.
• Conduct audits of SBL processes to ensure continuous quality improvement and learner success.
• Teach or mentor as assigned.
• Perform all other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Minimum of 3 years' experience in clinical coordination/clinical placement in an academic or clinical setting.
• Significant experience managing and working with remote teams and a matrix environment.
• Minimum of 3 years teaching in an accredited program or related field; online higher education teaching experience preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite programs.
• Ability to travel by air as required/needed (10% of time).
• Must be able to lift 25 lbs.
• Must be able to work more than 40 hours per week when business needs warrant.
• Must be authorized to work in the United States; visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Qualifications

Education

• Nursing (non-NP): MSN from an accredited Nursing program, required. An earned doctorate from a regionally accredited institution in Nursing or closely related fields, including Leadership in Higher Education and Education, preferred.
• Nursing (ARNP): MSN from an accredited Nursing program, required. An earned doctorate from a regionally accredited institution in Nursing or closely related fields, preferred.
• All degrees must be conferred from an institution accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Certificates, Licenses, and Registrations

• Nursing (non-NP): Must hold an active, unencumbered Registered Nurse license (preferably a compact state license). Additional state licenses may be required.
• Nursing (ARNP): Must hold an active, unencumbered Registered Nurse license (preferably a compact state license). Must hold an active, Board-Certified Nurse Practitioner License. Must maintain clinical practice as defined by state licensure, AANP and/or ANCC. Additional state licenses may be required.

Skills

• Education: Knowledge of program/course quality data and implementation of recommendations relevant to improving learner outcomes. Ability to maintain program compliance with all regulatory rules and national program accreditation standards. Familiarity with program development and evaluation. Ability to advise and assess learning effectiveness and quality of the education experience.
• Navigation: Resolve multi-faceted problems involving courses, faculty, regulatory, or administrative issues.
• Adaptability/Flexibility: Open to change. Drive results despite ambiguity.
• Innovation: Creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
• Stress Tolerance: Accepting constructive criticism and dealing with high-stress situations.
• Leadership: Ability to operate independently (leading, collaborating, and executing) in a highly ambiguous, matrixed environment with high interdependencies. Be a doer, focused not just on thought partnership but on getting things done and executing independently and with others. Lead by listening, be highly collaborative, and productively contribute opinions to critical decision-making processes. Act independently to achieve results in support of business goals and strategies within a program area.

Work Environment

• Typical office setting.
• Mobility within the office including movement from floor to floor.
• Travel via plane, car, and metro may be required to perform this job.
• Access information using a computer.
• Effectively communicate, both up and down the management chain.
• Effectively cope with stressful situations.
• Regular, dependable attendance and punctuality are essential functions of this job.

Pay

$85,000.00 - $95,000.00 is the expected starting pay for this position. The actual base pay offered may vary depending on multiple factors including job-related knowledge/skills, experience, business needs, geographical location, and internal pay equity.

Benefits

• Comprehensive package of benefits for employees scheduled 30 hours or more per week, including medical, dental, vision, life, and disability plans.
• Well-being incentives.
• Parental leave.
• Paid time off and certain paid holidays.
• Tax-saving accounts (FSA, HSA).
• 401(k) retirement benefit.
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
• Tuition assistance.
• Entertainment and retail discounts.
• Non-exempt employees are eligible for overtime pay, if applicable.