Academic Program Development Program Director

The Program Director of Academic Program Development is responsible for directing the new academic program development process for the university for graduate and undergraduate programs which includes newly proposed programs, programs changing modalities, or other significant changes to degrees and credentials. The Program Director will work closely with University service units, deans, and academic unit program leadership to direct programs through the strategic stages of program proposal, development and approval for delivery at the University. This position assures the effectiveness of the development process by conceptualizing all deliverables, assessing each stage, collecting stakeholder feedback, and finding areas for continuous improvement.

The Program Director supervises academic program development coordinators to assure an optimized experience from program ideation through the first day of classes the program is offered. The Director will specialize in undergraduate and graduate policy, process, and launch while supporting the full portfolio of program support. The Director is responsible for guiding each proposed program through a multi-step university input, feedback, and data collection process that includes external stakeholders such as the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) and the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The Program Director will report to the Director of University Assessment within the division of Academic Affairs.

70% - Leadership of the Academic Program Development Process

• Direct the academic development process for each individual program proposed to the University for consideration.
• Serve as primary point of contact and process guide/concierge for academic units specific to the academic program development process, policies, and procedures.
• Serve as stakeholder liaison for all undergraduate or graduate academic programs moving through the program development process.
• Develop and monitor timelines and deliverables for the academic development process while holding stakeholders accountable for their actions and keeping stakeholders informed of progress.
• Design and track all process gates and deliverables using university approved systems and platforms for project management.
• Report on key performance indicators of the process while providing strategic direction to the unit and stakeholders on program development timing, scale, and capacity.
• Maintain a list of programs moving to and through the process to executive leadership to establish program portfolio priorities for the institution.
• Create and maintain all process deliverables making updates through continuous improvement. Provide templates to programs moving through the process and provide guidance and support when programs need assistance with deliverables.
• Escalate gate or process violations to supervisor.
• Identify and report on project resource needs (staffing, finances, infrastructure, operational) by reviewing project objectives and schedules.
• Coordinate communication with all project stakeholders providing regular updates or access to status updates upon request.
• Evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of planning methods, techniques, and existing processes to ensure proper functioning.
• Operate in the process workflow technology (Perceptive Content/Image Now/Catalog Information Management/Catalog Information Management) systems.
• Maintain program development records in university approved systems and applications.
• Report to KU leadership the program development portfolio and the progress/timeline of each program on a regular basis. Alert leadership for bottlenecks in the process.
• Serve as the liaison with service units and academic units to assure project progress while providing excellent customer service.

20% - Supervision of Staff

• Recruit, hire, train and supervise full-time staff.
• Support staff in ongoing development and conduct annual performance evaluations.
• Serve as an escalation resource to staff for process stalls or bottlenecks.
• Produce training materials to document process and project protocols, best practices, and efficiencies.

10% - Contributions to Academic Affairs

• Compile final reports and status updates on the academic development ecosystem at KU for executive leadership.
• Serve as member of the Academic Affairs leadership team.
• Serve on Academic Affairs, Jayhawk Global or other relevant committees or team meetings as appropriate.
• Participate in professional development annually to enhance the effectiveness of Academic Affairs Operations.
• Other Duties as Assigned by supervisor.

1. Travel is less than 25% for occasional required meetings with advance notice. Fully remote employees may be asked to travel to campus for required trainings or to professional conferences when applicable.
2. This position is eligible for on campus, hybrid, or fully remote work.

Due to complex state employment laws, the University of Kansas may be unable to hire fully remote workers for this position outside of Kansas. Specifically, we cannot currently offer employment to candidates residing in the following states: California and Delaware. We appreciate your understanding and invite interested individuals from eligible states to apply.

In addition to the online application, the following documents are required to be considered for this position:

1. Cover letter describing how you meet the required and preferred qualifications
2. Resume
3. List of three (3) professional references

Only complete applications will be considered.

Application review begins Friday, July 18th. To ensure consideration please apply no later than Thursday, July 17th.

Cari Alfers; cariell@ku.edu

$90,000

Friday July 18, 2025

Monday August 11, 2025