Academic Specialist

National Defense University•Fort McNair, DC

About The Position

The Academic Specialist supports the National Defense University’s mission by coordinating and administering academic processes for the College of International Security Affairs (CISA), particularly its programs based at Fort McNair. This is a Title 10 Excepted Service appointment for up to two years, with the possibility of extension. The role coordinates academic calendars, course and student processes, documentation, systems, and institutional requirements in partnership with academic leadership, faculty, students, the NDU Registrar, and other College and University offices. The position also supports academic policy implementation and governance, develops and maintains procedures within assigned areas, and coordinates curriculum management, program assessment and review, accreditation, and Joint Professional Military Education requirements. The incumbent must be able to travel domestically and internationally, though travel is seldom required and is less than 10% of the time. The position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a Secret security determination.

Requirements

U.S. citizenship.
Males born after December 31, 1959, must be registered with or exempt from Selective Service.
Must use direct deposit as a federal employee.
Must be able and willing to travel domestically and internationally; travel is seldom required and is less than 10% of the time.
Must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance/security determination.
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
Knowledge of administrative processes, organizational procedures, and coordination requirements in a professional, governmental, or educational environment.
Ability to interpret and apply established academic policies and requirements in support of effective academic administration.
Ability to manage multiple concurrent processes under established policies, procedures, and supervisory guidance; maintain accurate records; track requirements and deadlines; identify emerging issues; and elevate matters requiring supervisory direction with appropriate recommendations.
Ability to coordinate across organizational boundaries and collaborate with leadership, faculty and subject-matter experts, staff and peers, students and customers, and supporting enterprise offices.
Proficiency with common productivity, collaboration, spreadsheet, and data-management applications, and ability to learn specialized academic information and learning-management systems.
Written and oral communication skills sufficient to explain academic requirements and processes; prepare policies, procedures, reports, and decision-support materials; conduct orientations and training; and communicate with varied stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree from an accredited institution, regardless of academic discipline.
Demonstrated experience supporting administration and execution of academic or educational programs, including academic calendars and scheduling, course administration, enrollment and registration, curriculum processes, or other institutional requirements.
Experience using learning-management systems, academic information systems, or comparable systems to support administrative processes and maintain institutional records.
Experience with Joint Professional Military Education or other professional military education programs.
Knowledge of accreditation requirements applicable to graduate education.

Responsibilities

Manage, coordinate, and support recurring academic processes for CISA’s academic programs, particularly those based at Fort McNair.
Develop, integrate, maintain, and coordinate the CISA College calendar and academic calendars and schedules for CISA’s McNair-based programs; reconcile scheduling requirements and constraints, identify conflicts, recommend solutions, coordinate approved changes, and maintain official calendars.
Coordinate course offerings, enrollment, registration, and related academic actions with academic leadership, faculty, the NDU Registrar, and other responsible University offices.
Track recurring academic requirements, actions, and deadlines; identify process issues; recommend courses of action when leadership decisions are needed; and maintain documentation and records for actions requiring review or decision.
Coordinate staffing and documentation of academic actions, monitor them through disposition, and maintain records in accordance with CISA and NDU policies and procedures.
Coordinate academic components of student and faculty orientation, in-processing, and out-processing with operations support staff; guide students and faculty on assigned academic systems, calendars, deadlines, and processes.
Coordinate course administration, including course information and documentation, ordering and distributing books and instructional materials, maintaining course-book orders and inventory, and coordinating copyright permissions with faculty and responsible College and University offices, including the NDU Library.
Administer assigned academic information and learning-management systems, establish and maintain courses and associated information, and assist with enrollment in coordination with the Registrar’s office and service chairs.
Coordinate user access and system-related issue resolution with CISA and NDU offices, and provide faculty and students with guidance on system use.
Coordinate implementation of NDU academic policies, processes, and requirements within CISA’s McNair-based programs; review University guidance, identify implications, coordinate required actions, and recommend actions when leadership direction is needed.
Develop and maintain academic procedures, business rules, and standard operating procedures consistent with established CISA and NDU policy; review processes, recommend improvements, and coordinate approved changes.
Coordinate Academic Policy Council and other assigned governance activities, including agenda preparation and staffing, records maintenance, action and decision tracking, and coordination of approved actions.
Collaborate with other CISA academic-management personnel to coordinate common processes, share practices, and provide continuity and mutual support.
Support academic leadership and faculty with curriculum management, program assessment, program review, and other academic requirements; coordinate related processes, documentation, adaptations, and actions within assigned areas.
Coordinate preparation, staffing, tracking, and maintenance of curriculum and program actions, including curriculum proposals, course changes, and program reviews; track actions through College and University review and approval and coordinate implementation of approved actions.
Support recurring institutional academic requirements, including applicable accreditation and Joint Professional Military Education requirements, and coordinate and maintain related information, documentation, and actions.
Travel domestically and internationally as needed; travel is seldom required and is less than 10% of the time.
Obtain and maintain a Secret security determination to occupy a Noncritical Sensitive position.