Director Professional Education Programs

Department: School of Professional Studies
Salary/Grade: EXS/10

Target hiring range for this position will be between $92,000 to $102,000 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Job Summary:

The Director of Professional Education is responsible for strategic leadership in planning, developing, promoting, and implementing all aspects of non-credit professional development education offered by the School of Professional Studies. This individual is a member of the SPS management team and collaborates with senior leadership to guide strategic direction, identify new growth opportunities, facilitate cross-departmental implementation, and lead continuous improvement activities required to maintain SPS's competitiveness and position as a premier school for adult students. A key responsibility of this position is to develop new and nurture existing industry and academic partnerships to enhance current programming and to identify and develop new programs that respond to market needs for professional education, as well as ensure the academic quality of all non-credit offerings.

This position manages a team of an assistant director and program coordinators who are responsible for program management, curriculum development of their assigned programs and certificates, faculty recruitment, onboarding, and development This position retains oversight for the recruitment of faculty to teach in SPS non-credit programs, including hiring and evaluating faculty and managing contracts for faculty leadership positions. This position also leads collaborative relationships with other departments in SPS (Distance Learning, Student Services, Registrar's Office, Finance, Marketing and Recruiting, Graduate Programs) to develop marketing and recruitment strategies and enable efficient and effective processes and operational support for professional education program offerings. In collaboration with the Associate Dean, this position supports new program creation, development and implementation, including maintaining positive working relationships with educational and professional partners. This role also supports development, implementation and enforcement of academic policy. The Director of Professional Education is responsible for monitoring the professional education program administrative budgets, authorizing expenditures and providing fiscal oversight.

The position will also lead high-level projects that support SPS's mission, as warranted by the Dean or Associate Dean of Academics.

Specific Responsibilities:

• With the Associate Dean of Academics and academic staff, conducts research and develops strategy for the development of new professional development programs and other growth opportunities that align with other programs and overall SPS goals and objectives. Gathers competitive intelligence, conducts market analysis, and evaluates long-term trends in professional education. Prepares the business case for creating new professional program initiatives.
• Manages and conducts ongoing programmatic assessments of the existing professional development portfolio, ensuring that programs are aligned with market demand, industry trends (including corporate and other organizations) and student needs along with revenue goals while maintaining appropriate academic standards.
• Collaborates with program directors, advisory boards, and faculty to maintain academic excellence and quality instruction in all programs
• Oversee staff and faculty relationships (hiring, on-boarding, training, scheduling), including identifying and contacting external industry experts. Ensures that faculty is adequately supported and improves the SPS faculty communication and management process.
• Provide support to improve quality of classroom instruction and student learning outcomes, as needed.
• Develops budgets and pricing strategies for new professional development programs; assists in revenue and expense forecasting and reconciles budgets.
• Partners with appropriate internal SPS and NU staff to track professional development enrollment data and use this data to develop yearly program offerings. Develops a tuition strategy for existing program offerings.
• Provides leadership in the development of academic policies, procedures, and quality standards for on-campus and online professional education students.
• Organizes Professional Development Programs staff duties and business processes & procedures. Hires and develops staff as needed.

Miscellaneous

Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Successful completion of a full course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a Bachelor's or higher degree
• Minimum 5 years of progressively responsible related experience in the management of people, projects, and budgets
• Experience in working in an academic environment directly related to supporting education programs or in corporate training/professional development programs

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree or higher
• 7+ years of experience in the management of people, projects, and budgets
• Experience in developing and launching new programs, teaching, training, or other related activities
• Experience leading a professional development education unit
• Demonstrated competency in strategic planning, leadership, financial stewardship, and organizational teamwork

Benefits:

At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful and competitive benefits. The available benefits package for this position will include health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance; paid vacation and holidays; paid medical/sick and parental leave; tuition benefits for the employee and dependents; pre-tax and flex spending accounts for commuting and dependent care; generous retirement savings options; and wellness programs. For a comprehensive overview of available benefits, including eligibility details, visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.