Director, Academic Affairs and Instructional Services

University of Chicago • Chicago, IL

2d • $120,000 - $145,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

Reporting to the Executive Director of the MS-ADS, the Director of Academic Affairs and Instructional Services works closely with the leadership and faculty to manage the faculty affairs and instructional services of the In-Person Programs, Online Program, and Joint Degree programs. The Director of Academic Affairs and Instructional Services is responsible for the oversight and execution of faculty and instructor recruiting, course scheduling, instructor feedback, among other duties related to operating the MS-ADS programs. The Director collaborates with other functional areas on the team such as enrollment management, student affairs, career services/external partnerships, and facilities/IT to support the student experience for both the online and in-person modalities. The Director serves as a senior member of the MS-ADS programs leadership team and liaisons with staff and faculty at UChicago’s Data Science Institute (DSI), the PSD Dean’s Office, University of Chicago Professional (UCP) and other University of Chicago units. A percentage of the Director’s time may be dedicated to strategic planning of new, related master’s programs on an as-needed basis. This position is primarily based in the NBC Tower location in downtown Chicago, IL and eligible for a partially remote work schedule.

Requirements

• Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
• Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working in academic affairs, including direct student-facing responsibilities.
• Experience with international students.
• Experience managing human resources processes.
• Experience working with faculty and instructors.
• Experience with professionally oriented graduate programs.
• Experience with learning platforms and technologies (e.g., Canvas, Zoom, Panopto, Wistia, other).
• Advanced data and reporting skills (Slate, Excel, PPT, Database, PeopleSoft) for prospective and enrolled student data management.
• Proficiency in office software such as Microsoft Office, Google Docs, etc.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills including the ability to resolve problems with a high degree of discretion, diplomacy, and tact.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to clearly communicate to a diverse audience including students, faculty, donors, and staff.
• Ability to coordinate with many partner offices simultaneously to innovatively problem solve on behalf of students and staff.
• Superior organizational skills and constant attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently, with guidance in only the most complex situations.
• Commitment to excellent customer service, including tact, discretion, and proper judgement as necessary.
• Expertise to collect and maintain a vast array of records to improve organizational knowledge and data points.
• Strong project management skills, including experience with large-scale projects, working effectively across organizational boundaries and disciplines.
• Demonstrated expertise in financial planning, data-driven decision making, and resource management within an academic environment.
• Excellent supervisory skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and vision for academic affairs and instructional services, fostering a collaborative, innovative, and inclusive work culture.
• Supervise, mentor, and evaluate four professional staff, offering guidance and oversight to ensure operational excellence across faculty and instructional support.
• Collaborate with Program Directors and Clinical Advisory Team to plan course scheduling, instructor assignments, curriculum, and the Capstone experience, aligning with current and future program needs.
• Partner with Sr. Manager of Facilities & IT to optimize class scheduling and space utilization.
• Direct long-term planning and compliance for faculty and academic employee recruitment, hiring, onboarding, evaluation, promotion, and reappointment.
• Uphold the highest standards of confidentiality, discretion, and integrity in handling sensitive information, academic records, personnel data, and institutional documents.
• Ensure compliance with institutional policies, accreditation standards, and maintain up-to-date faculty credentials and contract records.
• Guide development and refinement of academic policies in support of institutional and program objectives.
• Work closely with enrollment management, student affairs, career services, clinical advisory, and external partnership teams to ensure alignment of academic policies, course offerings, and teaching assignments with program strategy and student success initiatives.
• Coordinate with the PSD’s Director of Academic Affairs for effective processing of instructor appointments and pay requests.
• Oversee teaching assistant recruiting and training, supporting ongoing TA professional development.
• Provide strategic oversight for professional development and instructional design initiatives, led by the Instructional Designer, to advance pedagogical innovation and teaching quality.
• Lead change management efforts, driving continuous improvement of courses and workflows based on data analysis and collaborative assessment.
• Manage budgetary planning and execution for instructional services in partnership with Faculty Director and Executive Director.
• Analyze data from academic operations, enrollment, and student outcomes to inform strategic planning, resource allocation, and budget management.
• Establish, monitor, and assess goals, benchmarks, and outcomes for academic and faculty support activities.
• Represent MS-ADS academic affairs in institutional committees, cross-functional teams, and external collaborations.
• Lead special projects related to academic innovation, curricular transformation, and real-world student experiences.
• Manages the daily operations of an organizational unit or assists with managing the daily operations of a larger organizational unit, primarily in the areas of financial, purchasing, grant, facilities, human resources and support services management.
• Ensures compliance of staff with organizational, University and other relevant policies and guidelines.
• May oversee the management of informational technology planning, ensuring necessary operating and information systems and resources are in place to accomplish strategic goals.
• Conceives and directs special projects related to the business of the organizational unit.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Benefits

• The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees