Director of Accreditation and Assessment

The University of Texas at Austin; Texas; On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Texas at Austin seeks a Director of Accreditation and Assessment to oversee institutional effectiveness efforts, lead accreditation and assessment across units, and ensure compliance with The Commission on Colleges and Universities requirements. You will coordinate campus engagement with accreditors, manage evidence, and guide planning through rigorous data analysis.

Lead the reaffirmation and reporting cycles, supervise evidence retention, and collaborate with senior leaders

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in higher education, educational research, assessment and evaluation, public administration, or a related field.
• At least five years of progressively responsible experience in higher education accreditation, assessment, institutional effectiveness, or closely related work.
• Experience preparing accreditation narratives or reports and organizing supporting evidence; knowledge of The Commission’s Principles of Accreditation and reporting requirements.
• Experience developing or reviewing assessment plans, analyzing qualitative and quantitative evidence, and using findings to improve programs.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership for academic program assessment, unit assessment, and administrative reviews.
• Oversee an integrated assessment system for educational programs and academic, student support, and administrative units.
• Work with faculty and leaders to maintain evidence, strengthen assessment practices, and prepare institutional reports.
• Manage assessment data systems, including implementation, evidence collection, access, and user support; analyze findings for planning and improvement.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Collaboration

Detail-oriented

Education

Master’s degree in higher education, educational research, assessment and evaluation, public administration, or a related field

Tools

Assessment platforms

Vendor management

Job description

Job Duties

Institutional accreditation leadership

Serve as the primary campus resource for matters related to The Commission’s accreditation requirements, policies, procedures, and reporting. Serve as the university’s designated accreditation liaison to The Commission and primary institutional contact for accreditation matters.

Lead university-wide planning, coordination, and documentation for reaffirmation, the fifth-year interim review, annual reporting, substantive change processes, and other reporting requirements.

Draft, review, and edit accreditation narratives, reports, and related institutional documentation.

Coordinate with campus partners to develop and implement internal procedures that ensure continued compliance with accreditation expectations.

Maintain an accreditation calendar and organized evidence repository.

Monitor changes in accreditation requirements and advise leadership on implications for policy, process, institutional planning, and operations.

Coordinate accreditation committees, reviewer visits, and follow-up activities.

Communicate requirements to campus units. Route institutional commitments and official submissions through authorized university leadership.

University assessment and improvement

Provide leadership for academic program assessment, unit assessment, and administrative reviews.

Oversee the implementation and management of an integrated assessment system for educational programs and academic, student support, and administrative units within the assigned institutional scope.

Work with faculty, deans, unit leaders, and university partners to maintain reliable evidence, strengthen assessment practices, and prepare timely institutional reports.

Manage assessment data systems, including implementation, evidence collection, access, and user support. Analyze and communicate findings for planning and improvement.

Provide faculty and staff training on assessment design, curriculum mapping, rubrics, data analysis, and system use.

Coordinate evidence retention with technology and records partners.

Lead the evaluation, selection, and vendor management of accreditation and assessment platforms and tools, and plan and manage their campus launch, training, and ongoing support in partnership with technology and procurement offices.

Partner with the Office of Curriculum and Academic Administration (CAA) on core curriculum assessment, institutional expectations, evidence quality, and accreditation reporting. Coordinate with Institutional Research and other data owners to obtain validated data and avoid duplicate reporting.

Master’s degree in higher education, educational research, assessment and evaluation, public administration, or a related field.

At least five years of progressively responsible experience in higher education accreditation, assessment, institutional effectiveness, or closely related work, including leadership of complex projects involving multiple units.

Demonstrated experience preparing accreditation narratives or reports and organizing supporting evidence; thorough working knowledge of The Commission’s Principles of Accreditation, reporting processes, and substantive change requirements.

Experience developing or reviewing assessment plans, analyzing qualitative and quantitative evidence, and helping faculty or staff use findings to improve programs or services.

Demonstrated project management skills and ability to write, edit, and format professional documents; meet deadlines; manage multiple, complex priorities; and work both independently and as part of a team. Must be detail-oriented.

Ability to work effectively with faculty, senior leaders, and external agencies; exercise sound judgment; and handle confidential information appropriately.

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

Doctorate in a relevant field.

Experience at a large research university.

Leadership of an institutional reaffirmation or interim reporting cycle.

Supervisory experience.

Experience with assessment management systems (including vendor management and campus launch) and Texas public higher education processes.

Institution Description

The Director of Accreditation and Assessment oversees institutional effectiveness efforts including unit and student learning outcomes assessment, functions as the primary campus contact on matters related to institutional accreditation by The Commission on Colleges and Universities (The Commission, formerly SACSCOC), and coordinates campus engagement with specialized accreditors. The Director leads the implementation of academic program assessment, unit assessment, and general education assessment. The Director also has primary responsibility for ensuring and documenting UT Austin’s compliance with accreditation requirements.

The position advances institutional effectiveness and continuous improvement at UT Austin by ensuring that the university maintains compliance with accreditation requirements and that assessment practices produce reliable evidence used to improve academic programs and administrative units. The position advises leadership on accreditation implications of institutional and academic changes and follows approved university decision and submission processes.

The Director of Accreditation and Assessment will report to the Associate Vice Provost for Academic Effectiveness.

Must be eligible to work in the US on a full-time basis for any employer without sponsorship.

Institution: The University of Texas at Austin

Reports To: Associate Vice Provost for Academic Effectiveness

Staff # Reporting to Position: 4

Reports In Office: Accreditation and Assessment

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