Director of Institutional Effectiveness & Assessment

Gardner-Webb University; Shelby (NC); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Retirement matching

Tuition remission

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Short term/long term disability

Life insurance

Paid time off

Paid sick leave

17 paid holidays

Wellness opportunities

On-campus health center

Job summary

Gardner-Webb University in Shelby, NC seeks a Director of Institutional Effectiveness & Assessment to lead assessment practices, accreditation readiness, and a culture of continuous improvement. The role emphasizes student success, retention, and measurable outcomes across the institution.

The Director collaborates with Academic Affairs leadership and Institutional Research to align assessment with strategic priorities, prepare reports, and translate data into action that strengthens academic

Qualifications

• Master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution required; terminal degree preferred.
• Experience in academic assessment, accreditation, or institutional effectiveness required.
• Ability to advise academic and administrative units on outcomes assessment methodology.
• Experience preparing accreditation documentation and institutional reports.

Responsibilities

• Provides leadership and expertise on assessment-related policies, practices, and continuous improvement initiatives across academic and administrative units.
• Consults with Schools, Departments, and administrative offices on development and assessment of student learning outcomes and program-level outcomes.
• Directs the academic program review process in collaboration with academic leadership.
• Provides leadership for accreditation standards related to assessment and institutional planning, including reporting materials.
• Offers guidance on assessment design, documentation, and continuous improvement alignment for programs seeking accreditation.
• Represents Institutional Effectiveness on university committees and strategic initiatives.
• Leads survey administration processes, results dissemination, and reporting in partnership with Institutional Research.
• Contributes to dashboards and reports supporting accreditation, planning, and transparency.
• Designs and delivers training to strengthen assessment literacy and continuous improvement practices.

Skills

Assessment leadership

Data analysis

Communication

Training facilitation

Project management

Education

Master’s degree in education, assessment, higher education leadership, or related field

Terminal degree preferred

Tools

Qualtrics

SPSS

Job description

The Director of Institutional Effectiveness & Assessmentprovides leadership for the University’s assessment practices,accreditation readiness, and culture of continuous improvement,with a focus on advancing student success, retention, completion,and measurable outcomes across the institution. While academicassessment remains the central responsibility of the role, theDirector also supports administrative and co-curricular assessmentand strategic planning efforts to ensure institutionaleffectiveness extends beyond the classroom.

Reporting to the Associate Provost for Academic Affairs, theDirector partners closely with the Director of InstitutionalResearch and campus leadership to align assessment andeffectiveness efforts with strategic priorities, accreditationexpectations, and institutional performance goals. The Directorserves as the University’s primary resource on assessmentmethodology, documentation standards, and improvement processes,helping translate evidence into action that strengthens academicquality, operational effectiveness, and student achievement. TheDirector plays a central role in coordinating institutionaleffectiveness and assessment functions within Academic Affairs,ensuring alignment between academic quality, complianceexpectations, and institutional improvement efforts.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provides leadership and expertise on assessment-relatedpolicies, practices, and continuous improvement initiatives,including closing-the-loop documentation, across academic andadministrative units;
• Consults with Schools, Departments, and administrative officeson the development, refinement, and assessment of student learningoutcomes and program-level outcomes;
• Directs the academic program review process in collaborationwith academic leadership;
• Provides leadership and coordination for accreditationstandards related to assessment and institutional planning,contributing to the development, documentation, and review ofrequired reports, including decennial, interim, and substantivechange materials, in collaboration with the SACSCOC Liaison andcampus stakeholders;
• Provides consultation and leadership support to academicprograms pursuing or maintaining programmatic accreditation,offering guidance on assessment design, documentation, andcontinuous improvement alignment;
• Serves as consultant to the General Education Committee in thedevelopment and assessment of student learning outcomes for thecore curriculum;
• Represents Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment onuiversity committees, task forces, and strategic initiatives asrequested, contributing assessment-informed perspectives toinstitutional decision-making;
• In partnership with the Director of Institutional Research,provides leadership and oversight for institutional surveyadministration processes, including survey design, sampling, datacollection coordination, results dissemination, and reporting;
• In partnership with the Director of Institutional Research,contributes to the development, refinement, and communication ofinternal and external reports, key performance indicators, andeffectiveness dashboards that support accreditation, planning, andinstitutional transparency;
• Designs and delivers training and professional developmentinitiatives that strengthen assessment literacy, documentationquality, and continuous improvement practices across academic andadministrative units;
• Contributes to evaluation and implementation of assessment orcompliance software systems as needed;
• Supports alignment between assessment findings, strategicplanning, and institutional improvement efforts;
• Other duties as assigned.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, and WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Master’s degree from a regionally accredited institutionrequired; terminal degree preferred in education, assessment,higher education leadership, or related field;
• Experience in academic assessment, accreditation, orinstitutional effectiveness required; experience in highereducation preferred;
• Demonstrated ability to advise academic and administrativeunits on outcomes assessment methodology and practice;
• Experience preparing written accreditation documentation andinstitutional reports;
• Proficiency in qualitative and quantitative assessmentmethods;
• Strong written and oral communication skills;
• Ability to provide training and facilitate collaborativeassessment conversations across campus;
• Ability to manage multiple projects and reporting cyclessimultaneously;
• Commitment to continuous improvement, compliance integrity, andacademic excellence.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

Core Competencies

Assessment Methodology, Practices, and Leadership; Academic ProgramReview; Accreditation Processes; Student Learning Outcomes;Continuous Improvement; Strategic Alignment; Communication;Collaboration; Organizational Effectiveness; ProfessionalJudgment.

Required Professional Skills

Qualitative and Quantitative Assessment Methods; ProgramEvaluation; Survey Design and Administration; Outcomes-Based Assessment; Accreditation Documentation; Facilitation and Training;Policy Interpretation.

Preferred

Experience with assessment management or compliance softwaresystems; familiarity with regional accreditation standards andreporting frameworks.

Competitive Benefits:

• Retirement matching
• Tuition remission
• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Short term/long term disability
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Paid sick leave
• 17 paid holidays
• Wellness opportunities
• On-campus health center

Gardner-Webb University is a Christian university committed tohelping individuals become more in faith, learning, and service.Located in Boiling Springs, North Carolina, GWU offers the benefitsof a close-knit community with easy access to Charlotte, Asheville,and the greater Greenville-Spartanburg region. Founded in 1905 androoted in the Baptist tradition, the University now servesapproximately 3,000 students across more than 80 undergraduate andgraduate programs. As a Carnegie Doctoral/Professional institution,Gardner-Webb is dedicated to academic excellence, leadershipdevelopment, and meaningful service to others.

Our community reflects a shared commitment to One Webb, creating anenvironment where people support one another, pursue their purpose,and work together to make a lasting impact. GWU attracts studentsfrom across the nation and around the world and competes in NCAADivision I athletics with 22 teams and more than 500student-athletes.