Academic Program Development Specialist - 528135

Inside Higher Ed; Tuscaloosa (AL); On-site; USD 62,300 - 81,000; Full time

Job summary

A major university in Alabama is seeking an Academic Program Development Specialist who will assist in developing effective assessment processes for student learning and manage proposals for new programs. The ideal candidate will possess a Bachelor’s degree along with relevant experience in higher education accreditation, excellent communication skills, and the ability to collaborate effectively with various stakeholders. This role plays a critical part in ensuring compliance with accreditation standards and facilitating internal processes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 2 years of experience in higher education accreditation.
• Master’s degree with relevant experience preferred.
• Experience with accreditation and evaluation processes.

Responsibilities

• Assist with developing effective assessment processes for student learning.
• Manage proposals for new programs through approval processes.
• Coordinate accreditation-related activities for compliance.

Skills

Curricular development consultation

Regulatory compliance with accreditation standards

Excellent communication skills

Project management

Organizational skills

Microsoft Office proficiency

Statistical software usage (e.g., SPSS, SAS)

Webpage development tools (e.g., Wordpress)

Approval workflow applications (e.g., CIM for programs)

Best practices in curriculum review

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field

Master’s degree (preferred)

Tools

Taskstream

OnBase

Job description

Academic Program Development Specialist - 528135

1 day ago Be among the first 25 applicants

Pay Grade/Pay Range: Minimum: $62,300 – Midpoint: $81,000 (Salaried E10)

Department/Organization: 200001 – VP Academic Affairs Office

Normal Work Schedule: Monday – Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm

Job Summary: The Academic Program Development Specialist assists the University’s academic departments with developing effective processes for assessing student learning, shepherds proposals for new programs and changes through local and state approval processes, assists in the development and implementation of faculty and staff training on assessment management software, and remains current on issues related to the Alabama Commission on Higher Education, The University of Alabama System, SACSCOC and other accrediting agencies, as well as best practices and policy in curricular development and approval and assessment.

Additional Department Summary: Plays a key role in supporting institutional excellence through the coordination and implementation of academic program reviews and accreditation-related activities, ensuring compliance with state and regional accreditation standards. The specialist facilitates communication among internal and external stakeholders and contributes to strategic planning through data analysis and reporting, working closely with academic units, leadership, and governing bodies to manage the lifecycle of academic program proposals and reviews.

Required Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree with two (2) years of higher education accreditation, assessment, evaluation, or institutional effectiveness experience, or Master’s degree with some higher education accreditation, assessment, evaluation, or institutional effectiveness experience.

Skills and Knowledge:

• Ability to consult with faculty and staff on matters of curricular development and approval as applicable to The University of Alabama System, Board of Trustees, and Alabama Commission on Higher Education.
• Ability to work with external agencies to ensure compliance with applicable standards.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work in a collaborative office environment.
• Ability to manage multiple projects independently of supervision.
• Ability to facilitate meetings, meet deadlines, maintain complex schedules, and ensure that others adhere to schedules and deadlines.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Ability to develop and implement professional development opportunities.
• Skill in the use of Microsoft Office, statistical software (e.g., SPSS, SAS), webpage development tools (e.g., Wordpress) and approval workflow applications (e.g., CIM for programs).
• Knowledge of best practices in curriculum review.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience developing and implementing institutional effectiveness initiatives in a major university.
• Experience with SACSCOC, UA System, and ACHE compliance for new programs and other substantive changes.
• Experience with CIM for Programs.
• Experience with accreditation, program review, assessment of student learning outcomes, and curricular approval processes at graduate and undergraduate levels.
• Experience with institutional effectiveness management systems (Taskstream) and document management software (e.g., OnBase).

Background Investigation Statement: Prior to hiring, the final candidate(s) must successfully pass a pre‑employment background investigation and information obtained from social media and other internet sources. A prior conviction reported as a result of the background investigation does NOT automatically disqualify a candidate from consideration for this position. A candidate with a prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags will receive an individualized review of the prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags before a hiring decision is made.

Equal Employment Opportunity: The University of Alabama is an Equal Employment/Equal Educational Opportunity Institution. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment or volunteer status without regard to any legally protected basis and will not be discriminated against because of their protected status. Applicants and employees of this institution are protected under Federal law from discrimination on several bases. More information is available in the EEOC’s ‘Know Your Rights: Workplace discrimination is illegal’ poster.