Program Chair (Educator Preparation Programs)

Job Description

This role helps disrupt higher education by providing relevant, high quality, innovative programs. This role is a dynamic and future-thinking leader who provides input on the vision, strategy, and roadmap to achieve this exciting and transformative mission. Ensures the integrity, academic excellence, student success, national reputation, and continuous improvement of assigned educational programs through leadership, influence, innovation, partnerships, and the advancement of the discipline.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

• Provides weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly, and ad hoc reporting related to student success metrics that speak to quality, continuous improvement process review, and program analysis
• Participates as an interdepartmental influencer, effective change leader, accountability partner, and curriculum manager within the various meetings and functions of the position
• Works in concert with faculty and leadership to ensure multiple items are reviewed and addressed entirety of the programs while ensuring curricular matrices are also enabled
• Identifies and enlists employers and industry representatives to serve on program advisory committees
• Creates, measures, and communicates outcomes assessments
• Ensures courses of study clearly outline student learning objectives, outcomes, competencies, and assessments
• Responsible for course playbooks, faculty readiness, learning guides, and implementation
• Sets requirements for faculty quality and sufficiency
• Provides feedback for performance evaluations
• Solicits faculty perspective and insights through regular meetings, as well as provide updates to faculty on program, department and college concerns
• Participates through ongoing involvement in external professional, regulatory and/or accreditation organizations and professional certifications
• Provides subject matter expertise to program, course and assessment design and development; supporting new and revised curriculum proposals
• Learns leads matrixed cross functional teams across multiple departments to achieve expected outcomes
• Works with cross functional teams to ensure program and course content is relevant to workforce needs, rigorous, responsive, and aligns to defined student competencies
• Integrates the curricula and operations of the department with those of the program
• Coordinates outreach and research on the development of additional degree programs and certificates
• Represents WGU at the domain level, helping to cultivate positive public perception while maintaining working relationships with colleagues at area transfer institutions to identify and communicate opportunities for expanding articulation opportunities and potential gaps
• Reviews and monitors student and course feedback to ensure the student voice is represented and provides recommendations for content improvement
• Partners with design and development to plan regular and substantive faculty-student interactions and community of care support at program and course level
• Communicates with stakeholders across multiple teams and departments, providing a bridging function across all program management and support teams

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• In-depth knowledge of program curriculum requirements as well as the science of learning and teaching concepts in program efficacy
• Working knowledge of accreditation and regulatory standards
• Ability to work effectively in a highly matrixed organization
• Ability to build relationships and influence at all levels, both internally and externally
• Proven ability to analyze data to identify trends and drive innovation
• Sound judgement and decision-making skills
• Strong oral and written communication skills

Job Qualifications

• Minimum Qualifications: Master's degree in education or a related are from an accredited institution
• Proven track record of successful faculty development and program leadership within program curriculum as well as general practices across higher education
• 5 years of demonstrated teaching excellence in a variety of courses at the post-secondary level in an online context
• 2 years of leadership or supervisory experience
• Leadership and supervisory experience in a post-secondary institution preferred
• Experience in curriculum design, implementation, and oversight
• Comfort with data, analysis, and reporting both verbally and in documented formats

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer

Additional Information

• 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.