WGU is looking to solve the problem of expanding access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs by hiring a Lead Academic Program Manager for their Software Engineering program. This role will own the program lifecycle, from research and development to launch and post-launch optimization, with the goal of improving student success, retention, and ROI while ensuring market relevance and profitability.
Requirements
- Strong understanding of Agile/Scrum methodologies
- Experience with product management tools
- Deep understanding of how students learn and combining innovative curriculum and student support strategies to drive student success
- Understanding of the industry trends, job opportunities, local student needs, and educational market trends in the discipline
- Execution focus with the ability to dive-deep and live in the details with a fast-paced weekly execution cadence
- Ability to organize and coordinate activities and results across cross-functional teams
- Proven ability to analyze data to identify trends and drive innovation
Responsibilities
- P&L ownership experience with managing over $25MM + P&L
- Drive a culture of continuous experimentation, measurement, and learning from data to rapidly improve the quality and delivery to students
- Ability to organize and coordinate activities and results across cross-functional teams
- Proven ability to analyze data to identify trends and drive innovation
- Responsible for implementing initiatives and projects established by university or department leadership; establishes strategic and operational plans for department, function, or office with short-term impact on results.
- Leverages a systems-thinking approach for improving existing processes and systems within the department using significant conceptualizing, reasoning, and interpretation.
- Responsible for providing guidance, coaching, and training to other employees in the department, Function, or Office.
Other
- Strong people leader to indirectly lead a diverse team of 25+ people including academic program leaders, instructional faculty, and student coaches/mentors
- Influences Others and Communicates Effectively: Communicates to improve and promote teamwork, decision making, and problem solving. Listens and responds effectively to the reactions and positions of others and encourages the expression of diverse ideas and opinions. Adjusts message and style to fit the audience. Provides timely and helpful feedback. Communicates appropriately to win support with all audiences.
- Collaborates: Works cooperatively with others across the organization to achieve shared objectives. Represents own interests while being fair to others and their areas. Partners with others to get work done. Credits others for their contributions and accomplishments. Gains buy-in, trust and support of others.
- Manages Ambiguity: Deals comfortably with the uncertainty of change. Effectively handles risk. Can decide to act without the total picture. Is calm and productive, even when things are up in the air. Deals constructively with problems that do not have clear solutions or outcomes.
- Drives for Results: Has a strong outcomes-based orientation. Persists in accomplishing objectives despite obstacles and setbacks. Has a track record of successfully achieving goals. Pushes self and helps others achieve results. Has a continuous improvement mindset.
