Academic Initiatives Program Director

The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Inc.; Baton Rouge (LA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Baton Rouge Community College (BRCC) in Baton Rouge, LA, seeks an Academic Initiatives Program Director to provide strategic leadership for Early College Academy, dual enrollment, and secondary partnerships. The role oversees pathway design, enrollment, and credential mapping to accelerate student success.

Responsibilities include developing partnerships, ensuring compliance with state regulations, and collaborating across academic divisions to align pathways with workforce needs and transfer

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Education or a related field is required.
• Minimum of 2 years of related professional experience in college or high school settings.
• Experience substitution: a Bachelor’s degree with additional 3 years of relevant experience accepted.
• Knowledge of dual enrollment, open‑door admissions, FERPA, and state higher‑ed regulations is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for BRCC’s Early College Academy, Dual Enrollment, and secondary partnership initiatives.
• Lead the development and expansion of Early College Academy models enabling concurrent high school and credential attainment.
• Oversee enrollment management, student progression, and credential mapping to maximize completion.
• Develop long-range strategic plans, goals, and performance metrics aligned with workforce needs.
• Ensure compliance with Board of Regents, LCTCS, accreditation standards, and policies.
• Collaborate across divisions to ensure seamless student experiences and data-driven improvements.
• Supervise the Dual Enrollment Navigator team and support student success initiatives.
• Coordinate stakeholder engagement with school districts, state agencies, and community partners.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Project management

Educational partnerships

Education

Master’s degree in Education or related field

Bachelor’s degree with 3 years relevant experience

Job description

Academic Initiatives Program Director

Baton Rouge Community College (BRCC)

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Advancing Academic Excellence, Inspiring Innovation, and Empowering Student Success.

Under the direction of the Executive Director of Academic Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives, the Director of Academic Partnerships provides strategic leadership for Baton Rouge Community College's Early College Academy (ECA), Dual Enrollment, and secondary partnership initiatives. The Director leads the design, implementation, expansion, and continuous improvement of comprehensive early college pathways that enable high school students to simultaneously earn associate degrees, technical diplomas, certificates, and industry-based credentials while completing their high school diploma.

The Director serves as the College's primary liaison with local school districts, charter schools, state agencies, and community partners to develop innovative educational partnerships that expand access to postsecondary education and strengthen workforce talent pipelines. The position is responsible for ensuring that academic pathways are strategically aligned with workforce priorities, transfer opportunities, Board of Regents requirements, LCTC policies, and institutional strategic goals.

The Director oversees all operational aspects of BRCC's Early College Academy and Dual Enrollment, including pathway development, enrollment management, student progression, academic quality, data analysis, partnership development, compliance, and continuous improvement. The Director directly supervises the Dual Enrollment Navigator team and ensures a highly coordinated, student-centered support model that promotes persistence, credential attainment, and seamless transition to postsecondary education.

Key Responsibilities

40% Strategic Leadership and Early College Academy Administration

• Provides strategic leadership, vision, planning, implementation, and continuous improvement for BRCC's Early College Academy, Dual Enrollment, and secondary partnership initiatives.
• Leads the development and expansion of Early College Academy models that support high school students in earning associate degrees, technical diplomas, certificates, and industry-based credentials concurrent with high school graduation.
• Directs the operational management of one of the College's largest enrollment initiatives, serving more than 2,000 dual enrollment and Early College students annually.
• Develops long‑range strategic plans, annual goals, performance metrics, and enrollment targets aligned with institutional priorities and regional workforce needs.
• Ensures compliance with Louisiana Board of Regents, Louisiana Community and Technical College System, accreditation standards, institutional policies, and applicable federal and state regulations.
• Oversees pathway design, curriculum sequencing, course scheduling, instructional capacity planning, and credential mapping to maximize student completion and efficient progression.
• Collaborates with Academic Affairs, Student Development, Enrollment Services, Institutional Effectiveness, Financial Aid, Workforce Development, and instructional divisions to ensure seamless student experiences.
• Develops and evaluates policies, procedures, operational guidelines, and quality assurance measures supporting Early College Academy operations.
• Monitors enrollment, persistence, completion, associate degree attainment, industry‑based credential completion, transfer outcomes, and return‑on‑investment measures using institutional data to drive continuous improvement.

30% Partnership Development, Program Expansion, and Stakeholder Engagement

• Serves as the College's senior representative for Early College Academy and Dual Enrollment partnerships with school districts, charter schools, private schools, state agencies, and community organizations.
• Develops and maintains executive‑level relationships with superintendents, principals, counselors, district leadership, and other educational stakeholders.
• Leads negotiations and implementation of partnership agreements, memoranda of understanding, and collaborative initiatives supporting student success.
• Identifies opportunities for expansion into new school districts, career pathways, workforce sectors, and underserved populations.
• Collaborates with academic divisions to develop innovative degree pathways aligned with transfer institutions and regional workforce demands.
• Works with Marketing and Public Relations to promote Early College Academy opportunities through strategic communications, recruitment events, presentations, publications, and digital media.
• Represents BRCC at local, regional, and statewide meetings related to dual enrollment, college access, career pathways, and workforce development.

25% Leadership, Personnel Management, and Student Success

• Provides leadership, supervision, coaching, and performance management for the Dual Enrollment Navigator team.
• Establishes performance expectations, monitors outcomes, and promotes a culture of exceptional customer service, accountability, continuous improvement, and student success.
• Oversees implementation of BRCC's Navigator model within the Early College Academy, ensuring proactive advising, pathway coaching, and personalized student support.
• Collaborates with Navigators to monitor student progression toward associate degrees, industry-based credentials, certificates, and technical diplomas.
• Reviews enrollment, retention, persistence, completion, and credential attainment data to identify intervention opportunities and improve student outcomes.
• Coordinates professional development and ongoing training for Navigators, counselors, instructors, and school partners.
• Supports recruitment, onboarding, credential verification, and orientation of dual enrollment instructors.
• Develops reporting mechanisms and executive dashboards that inform institutional leadership regarding program effectiveness and strategic decision‑making.

5% Other Duties as Assigned

• Help Performs other duties consistent with the responsibilities of the position.

Minimum Qualifications

Education

• Master’s degree in Education or a related field required.

Experience

• 2 years of related professional experience working in a college or high school setting.

Experience Substitution

• Bachelor’s degree in Education or a related field accepted with an additional 3 years of the specified experience.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Advanced

• Strong listening, interpersonal, and communication (oral and written) skills.
• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously, set priorities, and meet deadlines.
• Knowledge of high school dual credit requirements and secondary‑postsecondary articulation.
• Understanding of the open‑door admissions policy and philosophy of a comprehensive community college.
• Knowledge of distance education and hybrid learning environments.
• Knowledge of the educational needs of diverse populations.
• Knowledge of state regulations for Dual Credit, Dual Enrollment, and Early High School; Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance standards, and the Federal Education Right to Privacy Act (FERPA).
• Knowledge of formulation of transfer and articulation agreements and MOUs within high school and college environments.

Proficient

• Computer skills.
• Ability to stay abreast of current and developing trends (video, voice, data, and computing technologies).
• Enthusiasm and the ability to thrive in an atmosphere of constant change.

Preferred Experience

• 5+ years of Dual Enrollment experience.

Benefits

As a member of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, BRCC has an attractive benefits package with a wide variety of benefit options. Benefits offered include retirement, multiple medical insurance options, supplemental insurances (dental, term life, disability, accident, vision, etc.), Tax Saver Flexible Benefits Plan (saves tax dollars on some childcare and medical expenses), holidays (14 per year, typically includes longer break at Christmas), generous annual (vacation) and sick leave benefits and Employee Assistance Program. Specific benefits depend on job category, percent effort, and length of employment.

Why Join BRCC?

Baton Rouge Community College offers a collaborative work environment, a commitment to employee development, and the opportunity to support the mission of student success through strong institutional operations.

Passing pre‑employment criminal background screen is required as a condition of employment.