Assistant Director of Online Programs and Extension, i-Learning Center

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign•Urbana, IL

13d

About The Position

The Assistant Director of Online Programs and Extension provides leadership across the academic, professional, and extension education portfolio of the Office of Online Programs and Extension (OPE). Working closely with the Director, the Assistant Director makes decisions and takes action within assigned areas of responsibility and contributes to the office’s strategic direction and day-to-day operations. Initial priorities include advancing student outcomes and the student experience in the Master of Veterinary Science (MVS) degree program, and leading coordination for the Executive Veterinary Program (EVP). The role also contributes across OPE initiatives in program development, recruitment and marketing, communications, instruction, student engagement, and extension. Responsibilities will adapt as the portfolio and organizational priorities evolve. The position is a flexible, 75%-100% Academic Professional appointment on a 12-month basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after November 5, 2026. The budgeted salary range at 100% is $60,000-$75,000, with salary commensurate with qualifications and experience and subject to internal equity. The position is not eligible for work-authorization sponsorship and is intended to be eligible for benefits, including health, dental, vision, and life insurance, a retirement plan, paid time off, and tuition waivers for employees and dependents. The position is based in Champaign-Urbana in a normal office setting. Allergies to hay, straw, or animal dander may cause discomfort depending on the location within the College of Veterinary Medicine.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in animal science or a related field.
Licensed veterinary technician (CVT, RVT, or equivalent).
Five years of experience managing day-to-day operations of an office or unit in an academic setting.
Experience managing financial accounts and reports in an academic setting.
Ability to lead and work in multidisciplinary teams.
Demonstrated ability to work in an environment with a high degree of ambiguity.

Nice To Haves

Ten years of experience working in a veterinary clinical setting.
Experience providing clinical instruction.
Experience mentoring students interested in pursuing animal health careers.

Responsibilities

Provide leadership across OPE academic and extension programs, initially focusing on the MVS degree program and coordination of the EVP.
Lead assigned programs and initiatives from planning through implementation and evaluation.
Contribute to curriculum development and map course competencies to degree-program learning objectives and student outcomes.
Develop and lead MVS student career-development initiatives, including internships, employer partnerships, career programming, and job-placement resources.
Contribute to and implement strategies for recruitment, marketing, communications, enrollment, program development, and participant engagement.
Coordinate faculty, staff, students, participants, and external partners to support program delivery, including the EVP, Annual Fall Conference, and other OPE initiatives.
Participate in office-wide planning and decision-making, exercise independent judgment within assigned areas, and lead new initiatives as priorities evolve.
Facilitate courses and case-based learning experiences, lead student learning pods, and support other pod facilitators.
Provide academic advising and career guidance, including academic planning, professional goals, career exploration, internships, employment opportunities, and other relevant experiences.
Develop and lead initiatives to improve student outcomes, engagement, community, career readiness, and professional development.
Collaborate with faculty and staff on curriculum design, development, implementation, and continuous improvement, including capstone, experiential, and applied learning experiences.
Serve as a liaison among students, faculty, instructional staff, pod facilitators, and OPE staff to identify needs, address issues, and support high-quality learning experiences.
Adapt to and assume new responsibilities as organizational priorities evolve.