Sr. Assistant Commissioner for Academic

University of Utah; Salt Lake City (UT); On-site; USD 170,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Utah seeks a Sr. Assistant Commissioner for Academic & Technical Education to provide strategic leadership and serve as a senior advisor to the Associate Commissioner for Academic and Technical Education.

The role drives statewide initiatives to enhance collaboration, instructional quality, and long-term planning across the Utah System of Higher Education. Working with provosts, deans, and faculty leaders, this position identifies opportunities, develops strategies, and aligns

Qualifications

• Master's degree or equivalent required.
• 12 years' professional experience in a related field.
• Progressive leadership experience in higher education administration.
• Experience building collaborative relationships across multiple institutions.

Responsibilities

• Lead statewide efforts to strengthen horizontal alignment across USHE institutions via curricular alignment and transfer pathways.
• Conduct strategic reviews of academic and technical programs for quality and workforce relevance.
• Identify opportunities for collaboration and program innovation across institutions.
• Analyze trends in higher education, workforce needs, and technology to inform statewide planning.
• Develop strategic recommendations on program priorities for the Associate Commissioner and Utah Board of Higher Education.
• Support implementation of board priorities related to collaboration, learner mobility, and program excellence.

Skills

Leadership

Executive competency

Emotional intelligence

Interpersonal skills

Communication

Problem solving

Autonomy

Collaboration

Resilience

Adaptability

Education

Master's degree or equivalent

Job description

Sr. Assistant Commissioner for Academic & TechnicalEducation

The Senior Assistant Commissioner serves as a senior advisor to theAssociate Commissioner for Academic and Technical Education andprovides strategic leadership for statewide initiatives thatstrengthen institutional collaboration, instructional quality,faculty engagement, and long-term program planning across the UtahSystem of Higher Education.

Working collaboratively with provosts, deans, faculty leaders, andadministrators, the Senior Assistant Commissioner helps identifyemerging programmatic opportunities, facilitatescross-institutional collaboration, and develops strategies thatstrengthen program excellence while respecting the unique missionof each institution.

Unlike operational positions responsible for committee coordinationand policy implementation, this role focuses on strategicrelationships, academic and technical program innovation, institutional alignment, and long-range planning.

Responsibilities

System Strategy, Alignment, and Program Governance

• Lead statewide efforts that strengthen horizontal alignmentacross USHE degree-granting and technical education institutionsthrough curricular alignment, faculty collaboration, transferpathways, and program quality.
• Conduct strategic reviews of academic and technical educationprograms and institutional portfolios to evaluate quality,workforce relevance, student demand, mission alignment, andlong-term sustainability.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen institutional missionsthrough collaboration, specialization, shared delivery models, andinnovative program offerings.
• Analyze emerging trends in higher education, workforce needs,technology, artificial intelligence, research, and instructionalinnovation to inform statewide program planning.
• Develop strategic recommendations for the AssociateCommissioner and Utah Board of Higher Education regarding programpriorities and development.
• Support implementation of Board priorities related toinstitutional collaboration, learner mobility, and programexcellence.

Faculty Leadership, Shared Governance, and ProgramInnovation

• Develop strong relationships with Faculty Senate leadership andother faculty governance organizations.
• Advise the Associate Commissioner regarding emerging facultyissues, institutional concerns, and opportunities forcollaboration.
• Support statewide discussions and lead initiatives related tofaculty development, shared governance, interdisciplinarycollaboration, academic freedom, workload, tenure, instructionalexcellence, and program innovation.

Institutional Engagement and Collaboration

• Support relationships with chief academic and instructionalofficers, vice provosts, deans, faculty leaders, and administratorsacross Utah's public colleges and universities.
• Build collaborative partnerships that strengthen communicationbetween institutions and the Office of the Commissioner.
• Facilitate conversations that build consensus around complexissues while respecting institutional missions and autonomy.
• Support institutional efforts related to accreditation,continuous improvement, student learning, and evidence-basededucational practices.
• Other duties as assigned.

DISCLAIMER

OCHE has reviewed this job description to ensure that essential functions and primary duties have been included. It is intended to provide guidelines for job expectations and the employee's ability to perform the position described. It is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all functions, responsibilities, skills, and abilities. Additional functions and requirements may be assigned by supervisors as deemed appropriate. This document does not represent a contract of employment, and OCHE reserves the right to change this job description and/or assign tasks for the employee to perform, as OCHE may deem appropriate.

Minimum Qualifications

Education & Experience:

• Master's degree or equivalent work experience in a relatedfield required (one year of education can be substituted for oneyear of related work experience).
• 12 years' professional experience in a related field.
• Progressive leadership experience as a program director,department chair, dean, associate provost, provost, or equivalentin a higher education institution.
• Experience building collaborative relationships across multipleinstitutions.
• Demonstrated success leading institution-wide programmaticinitiatives.
• Familiarity with technical education programs and workforcedevelopment.
• Strong understanding of shared governance, accreditation,curriculum, faculty affairs, and program quality.

Skills & Abilities:

• Leadership and executive competency, including emotionalintelligence, vulnerability, situational awareness, andaccountability.
• Interpersonal and communication skills, including eloquence,empathy, diplomacy, trustworthiness, and wit.
• Thinking and problem-solving skills, including cognitiveflexibility, sense-making, and resilience.
• Work ethic and motivation, including initiative, candor,learning agility, and humility.
• Autonomy and collaboration, including an ability to workindependently and as a member of team.

Preferences

• Terminal degree strongly preferred.
• Experience in collaborating with leaders and faculty atresearch universities, regional universities, community colleges,and technical colleges.
• System-level higher education experience.
• Experience with statewide program planning.
• National involvement in higher education-oriented professionalorganizations.
• Demonstrated success leading program innovation andorganizational change.

Requisition Number: PRN46142B

Full Time or Part Time? Full Time

Work Schedule Summary: 8am – 5pm, Monday thru Friday,Hybrid.

Department: 01379 - USHE Commissioner

Location: Office of the Commissioner - Downtown SLC

Pay Rate Range: $170,000 - $180,000 - Depending onexperience

Close Date: 10/01/2026