Ph.D. Program Director: Strategic Leadership & Innovation

Avila University; Kansas City (MO); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tuition remission for employee and/de­

Health insurance

Retirement benefits

Paid time off

Job summary

Avila University is seeking a Director of the Ph.D. in Strategic Leadership and Innovation to provide strategic, academic, and operational leadership for the doctoral program.

You will oversee curriculum quality, student progression, and outcomes while ensuring RSI-compliant online delivery and alignment with accreditation standards. The role coordinates with Faculty Advisors, Dissertation Chairs, and CIPGS leadership to maintain program coherence from admission to dissertation completion,

Qualifications

• Earned terminal doctorate from a regionally accredited institution; Ph.D. preferred.
• Expertise in leadership, innovation, or a field aligned with the doctoral program.
• Demonstrated knowledge of doctoral education, research design, and applied dissertations.
• Familiarity with accreditation standards (Higher Learning Commission) and RSI standards.
• Understanding of curriculum design, assessment, and program evaluation at the graduate level.
• 10+ years experience teaching at the graduate level; some experience overseeing dissertations.
• Record of teaching and scholarship at the Associate Professor level; Professor preferred.
• Demonstrated academic leadership (program director, department chair, or equivalent).
• Experience in online program delivery, faculty supervision, and student success initiatives.
• Evidence of scholarly activity; applied leadership experience preferred.
• Experience serving adult and working-professional learners preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership for the doctoral program and ensure alignment with institutional mission.
• Oversee program design, implementation, and continuous improvement.
• Monitor coherence across admission, coursework, advising, and dissertation phases.
• Maintain academic rigor and relevance in curriculum through regular review.
• Ensure RSI compliance and quality in online delivery.
• Recruit, appoint, and evaluate doctoral faculty including Advisors and Dissertation Chairs.
• Review faculty qualifications for alignment with accreditation standards.
• Support faculty development in teaching, advising and dissertation supervision.
• Monitor faculty workload and ensure appropriate student-to-faculty ratios.
• Lead cohort onboarding and build a community of Ph.D. scholars.
• Oversee student progression and timely completion of milestones.
• Coordinate program assessment with the Director of Assessment.
• Maintain program data for accreditation and institutional reporting.
• Collaborate with enrollment, marketing and student support to improve recruitment and retention.
• Communicate program expectations to faculty and stakeholders.

Skills

Leadership

Online delivery

Faculty supervision

Dissertation supervision

Curriculum design

Program evaluation

Research design

Student success initiatives

Education

Ph.D. degree

Higher education experience

Tools

LMS

Job description

Avila University is seeking a Director of the Ph.D. in Strategic Leadership and Innovation to provide strategic, academic, and operational leadership for the doctoral program.

You will oversee curriculum quality, student progression, and outcomes while ensuring RSI-compliant online delivery and alignment with accreditation standards. The role coordinates with Faculty Advisors, Dissertation Chairs, and CIPGS leadership to maintain program coherence from admission to dissertation completion,