Academic Pathways Development Specialist

NorQuest College•Edmonton, AB

11d•CA$67,351 - CA$87,454•Hybrid

About The Position

The Academic Pathways Specialist designs, implements, and manages formal articulation and transition pathways connecting K-12 public school systems to NorQuest College. Reporting to the Director, Grants & Academic Initiatives, this role serves as the primary liaison between public school boards and the institution, ensuring secondary students experience seamless, supportive access to post-secondary education through dual-credit, collegiate, and transitional programming. This role contributes to the growth of academic pathways by serving as a vital bridge between K-12 public school systems and NorQuest’s internal programming. The Specialist drives the growth of dual credit offerings, Open Admission Pathways, and transitions from foundational programs (including Language Instruction for New Canadians) into core college programs. To ensure seamless learner mobility, the Specialist collaborates across departments to improve processes and learner mobility. This includes refining data needs to properly report on pathway success and conversion rates. This position needs to process and synthesize information quickly, looking for patterns in programming and developing pathways that contribute to learner success. The successful candidate has a proven record supporting and reporting on academic projects, including communicating success and maintaining high-quality delivery and maintenance.

Requirements

Undergraduate degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Minimum three years of experience managing programs.
Experience with project management, particularly results-based management tools.
Developing and monitoring work plans, quality assurance cycles, and communication cycles while ensuring stakeholders are engaged and informed.
Utilizing best practices and systems thinking to support the operationalization and execution of academic projects and initiatives.
Responding to external partners and providing clarity on timelines, resource availability, processes, and connections to internal and external resources.
Demonstrating innovative thinking while considering existing policies, procedures, and organizational priorities.
Providing leadership to projects and collaborating with internal and external partners to deliver high-quality programming and meet project deadlines.
Planning and communicating goals, priorities, and project intent with stakeholders while maintaining regular communication and alignment.
Building positive relationships with leadership, college departments, external partners, and industry stakeholders through consultation, advice, negotiation, and collaboration.
Managing multiple competing projects and priorities independently while supporting project teams and keeping leadership informed of significant issues and opportunities.

Nice To Haves

Experience working in the Alberta K-12 Education System is considered an asset.
Project management experience is considered an asset.
Management or supervisory experience is preferred.
Experience planning and hosting engagement activities such as webinars, information sessions, and stakeholder events is considered an asset.

Responsibilities

Monitor and improve business processes that support academic pathways activities, including dual credit, transfer agreements, pathways development, and operationalization.
Plan, coordinate, and support projects related to learner mobility, program flexibility, and formal dual credit engagement with public school districts.
Connect and lead program areas in preparation for Dual Credit delivery, liaising with K-12 school boards to ensure operational readiness and role clarity across institutions.
Participate in program brokerage, K-12 articulation agreements, and curriculum-sharing discussions, highlighting opportunities and clarifying processes, roles, and responsibilities.
Utilize data to support decision-making, establish priorities for academic pathways activities, and contribute to reporting on learner mobility and pathway success.
Contribute to the development of processes, frameworks, guidelines, policies, and consultation plans that support Cross-Faculty Education initiatives.
Coordinate and support pathways engagement opportunities, including information sessions, campus visits, virtual experiences, webinars, and learner engagement activities.
Maintain and distribute pathway information and resources for internal and external stakeholders, including K-12 partners and Cross-Faculty Education programming.
Provide guidance and leadership on external awareness of Cross-Faculty projects, working collaboratively with internal stakeholders to support high-quality learning opportunities.
Develop and deliver reports, presentations, dashboards, and grant-related activities that support pathway development, project success, and future program growth.