Director of Academic Assessment & Program Review

Virginia Commonwealth University•Richmond, VA

3d•$0 - $100,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Academic Assessment and Program Review, reporting to the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, is responsible for fostering a campus-wide culture of continuous educational improvement. This role involves faculty professional development, mentoring, and providing feedback on student learning outcomes and assessment strategies. The Director acts as an institutional coach, guiding faculty in using assessment data and program reviews to enhance curriculum. Additionally, the Director plays a crucial role in curriculum design and approval, collaborating with academic programs to ensure alignment with learning outcomes. This includes consulting on curriculum mapping, supporting general education outcomes, and reviewing proposals. The Director ensures that assessment and curriculum practices meet accreditation standards and best practices, promoting institutional accountability and quality.

Requirements

Master’s required with a strong background in educational research, curriculum design, psychometrics, or assessment
5+ years in higher education, with a proven track record of facilitating high-quality faculty workshops
Exceptional emotional intelligence and coaching skills. Must be viewed by faculty as a supportive collaborator, not an auditor.
Experience with curricular mapping and outcomes assessment platforms.
Excellent communication, presentation, and facilitation skills.
Ability to lead collaborative initiatives across multiple departments.
Exceptional planning and organizational skills.
Ability to communicate effectively and appropriately with multiple populations.
Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
Ability to work under pressure, solve problems, and negotiate.
Knowledge of accreditation requirements (e.g., SACSCOC) and educational regulatory standards.
Advanced skills in educational research design, data analysis, and interpretation of assessment outcomes.
Ability to assess and recommend improvements to programs, policies, and academic offerings using data, student feedback, faculty input, and external benchmarks.
Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment of respect, professionalism and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU.

Nice To Haves

Ph.D. or Ed.D. highly preferred with a strong background in educational research, curriculum design, psychometrics, assessment, or faculty development.
Seven or more years of progressively responsible experience in assessment, institutional effectiveness, or accreditation leadership within higher education.
Direct experience leading institution-wide accreditation efforts, including preparing self-studies, assurance arguments, or compliance reports for institutional or specialized accrediting bodies.
Experience collaborating with curriculum committees in the review and approval of program learning outcomes, curriculum maps, and assessment components of curricular proposals.
Strong record of professional engagement and leadership in assessment or accreditation organizations.
Experience with general education assessment design and oversight, including faculty engagement and curriculum alignment.
Demonstrated ability to lead faculty development initiatives, such as learning communities or workshops on assessment and curriculum mapping

Responsibilities

Oversee student learning outcomes assessment across all undergraduate, graduate, certificate, and degree programs.
Review annual academic assessment reports and provide expert, constructive feedback to improve data quality and curricular alignment.
Design and deliver high-impact workshops and one-on-one consultations. Elevate the campus dialogue from "compliance" to "meaningful improvement."
Lead the assessment of the university’s general education curriculum in partnership with the General Education Council. Manage and evaluate the general education assessment framework to ensure alignment.
Partner with the Director of Institutional Effectiveness to provide evidence of student learning for institutional accreditation (e.g., SACSCOC) and assist departments with specialized programmatic accreditations (e.g., AACSB, ABET).
Oversee the 8-year APR cycle and the resulting annual action plans. Partner with the APR Coordinator (who manages timelines and logistics) to ensure reviews result in strategic, data-informed planning.
Manage the academic side of the university’s assessment software platform; synthesize annual academic assessment data into actionable institutional reports.
Convene and lead the Assessment Council to foster an institutional culture of continuous improvement.
Ensure assessment policies are current, compliant, and consistently implemented.
Participate in relevant committees, workgroups, accreditation task forces, and institutional initiatives and engage in regular professional development to remain current in assessment methodology, educational research, and accreditation compliance.
Perform other related strategic projects, committee assignments, or institutional initiatives as directed to support the university's evolving mission.