If you’re passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country—and you’re committed to working hard to play your part in building that future—consider WGU as the next step in your career.

Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

Academic Product Development

• Maintains strategic oversight of new academic program roadmap and product offerings
• Collaborates with external and internal stakeholders across a multitude of organizations to design and execute program offerings that meet intended outcomes and that are market and skill aligned
• Provides thought leadership and makes recommendations for innovations in learning products, learning design, and delivery based on analysis of data and learning science
• Partners cross-functionally for the timely execution of new products, processes, and procedures that support the growth of the school

Research & Insights

• Collaborates with executive leadership to identify key macro-economic and societal trends and produces reports and visualizations to inform strategic decision making
• Oversees ongoing market research for new programs and product proposals, including research on repositioning of existing products, and potential new service offerings
• Directs research projects aimed at elevating the school and the executive team’s thought leadership profile

Partnerships

• Collaborates with regions and partnerships to establish key partnerships and a scalable B2B2C channel that results in new student starts
• In partnership with the Regional Vice Presidents, conducts research to validate local employer and students needs and opportunities as a means of finding “best fit” partners
• Collaborates with regions and partnerships to develop a B2B2C partnership framework and scorecard aligned with the university’s strategy for partnership development

General responsibilities

• Endeavors to incorporate WGU’s leadership principles into all aspects of the individual’s work and interactions with others
• Produces timely, consistent, and accurate reports for stakeholders and executives
• Maintains professional knowledge of innovative and current practices in the areas of learning science, competency-based education, and online learning through analysis of research and participation in conferences
• Provides measurable feedback to direct reports (cross-functional team of managers) and suggestions for improved performance
• Develops appropriate analytics for measuring employee performance and student outcomes
• Establishes a network of strategic relationships with Academy partners and external organizations to remain up to date on new research and strategies and initiatives, and to disseminate this to other leaders as appropriate.
• Represents Academy Academic Programs/Product to external and internal stakeholders at all levels
• Inspire and motivate leaders, managers, teams to meet and exceed expectations. Develops and recruits top talent and future leaders.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skill and Abilities:

• Ability to build relationships and influence at all levels, both internally and externally
• Proven ability to analyze data to identify trends and drive innovation
• Ability to organize, coordinate, and direct team activities and results
• Ability to coach, direct and develop direct reports
• Sound judgment and decision-making skills
• Ability to be an agent of change in a rapidly changing environment
• Strong organizational and demonstrated communication and research skills
• Excellent organizational and project management skills, including the ability to effectively handle multiple tasks and pay attention to detail
• Requires composure under pressure, dealing with ambiguity and comfort working closely with executive leadership.

Competencies:

Organizational Impact:

• Develops and recommends strategies that align with college and university goals.
• Performance leads and impacts college and university results. Work requires extensive knowledge of the University to recognize impact of decisions.
• Responsible for effective and financial analysis and planning for the college.

Problem Solving & Decision Making:

• Responsible for making significant improvements to processes, programs, and systems to enhance the outcomes of the college and university.
• May create and direct policy decisions within scope of responsibility. Accountable for coordinating activities and maintaining relationships with external parties as needed.
• Problems faced are numerous and undefined, and require detailed information gathering, analysis, and prior experience. Solutions to problems typically affect multiple departments.
• Communication & Influence:

• Represents the division or job area as the primary internal contact for operations.
• Influences others to accept the division or job area’s views, practices, concepts, and approaches. Interacts with equivalent level management concerning matters of significance to the University.
• Conducts briefings with senior leadership to gain approval.

Leadership & Talent Management

• Manages a team professionals.
• Oversees hiring, firing, promotion, performance management, employee training, and other personnel decisions of significance within the division or job area.
• May spend time as completing functional tasks, but primarily achieves goals through leading a team.

Job Qualifications:

• Minimum Qualifications:
  • Master’s degree in a relevant field from an accredited institution.
  • Five years in a similar design and product ownership role, demonstrating expertise in marketing, continuous improvement, and thought leadership. Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and scale initiatives.
• Preferred Qualifications:
  • Terminal degree in a relevant field from an accredited institution.
  • Experience in higher education, particularly in online education programs or in rapidly evolving organizations/programs.
  • Expertise in developing curriculum and/or high-stakes assessments.
  • Proven success in leading change management efforts and bringing structure to complex, dynamic situations.

Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.

#LI-TM1

The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs.

At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is:

How to apply: apply online

Full-time Regular Positions (FT classification, standard working hours = 40)

This is a full-time, regular position that is eligible for bonuses; medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare; health savings account and flexible spending account; basic and voluntary life insurance; disability coverage; accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages; legal and identity theft coverage; retirement savings plan; wellbeing program; discounted WGU tuition; and flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual, flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual, 11 paid holidays, and other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave.

The University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.