Lead Apprenticeship Program Manager

Western Governors University•Bentonville, AR

2d•$109,900 - $170,400

About The Position

Serves as the enterprise lead and strategic architect for WGU’s apprenticeship portfolio, defining and scaling the university’s approach to integrating competency-based education with work-based learning nationally. The role sits at the intersection of higher education, workforce systems, and employer partnerships and is accountable for creating scalable, repeatable apprenticeship models for use across industries, states, and employer partners. It has enterprise-wide impact on how WGU designs, delivers, and scales apprenticeship and work-based pathways across its colleges and partner ecosystems. This highly external-facing position regularly engages employers, workforce intermediaries, state agencies, and national organizations. Success is measured by the ability to design, launch, and scale programs that deliver strong learner outcomes, address workforce needs, satisfy employers, and support sustainable growth. The role operates with a high degree of autonomy and contributes to WGU’s long-term strategy in workforce-aligned education. Occasional travel of up to 20% is required, including attendance at designated company summits, typically one to two per year, and other business-related travel as needed.

Requirements

Master’s degree in a related field.
Eight years of progressively responsible experience in apprenticeships, workforce development, higher education administration or leadership, student or academic affairs, or related fields.
Experience designing and scaling programs or systems.
Experience working with external partners.
Deep expertise in apprenticeship systems and workforce models.
Strong understanding of federal and state apprenticeship regulations.
Proven ability to build external partnerships.
Ability to translate policy into scalable program design.
Strong systems-thinking mindset.
Exceptional communication and influencing skills.
Ability to operate in a remote, matrixed environment.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Understanding of industry trends, job opportunities, and educational market trends in the discipline.
Credibility representing the department in external partnerships and presentations.
Execution focus, including attention to detail and the ability to work at a fast-paced weekly execution cadence.
Ability to organize and coordinate activities and results across cross-functional teams.
Ability to build relationships and influence at all levels, internally and externally.
Ability to act as an agent of change in a rapidly changing environment.
Proven ability to analyze data to identify trends and drive innovation.

Nice To Haves

Experience with registered apprenticeship systems.
Experience in competency-based education.
Experience scaling multi-state or multi-employer initiatives.

Responsibilities

Lead the design and scaling of apprenticeship programs across WGU.
Design and operationalize scalable apprenticeship systems and models, including turnkey employer solutions.
Influence institutional strategy, design and build decisions, and operating models related to apprenticeship pathways.
Serve as a primary external-facing leader with employers, workforce partners, and regulatory bodies.
Translate federal and state apprenticeship policies into scalable, employer-ready program designs.
Define and operationalize WGU’s role as an RTI provider, sponsor, or partner.
Drive employer onboarding, including mentor and journey worker readiness and adoption.
Collaborate with external employers and partners and internal WGU academic, compliance, product, and partnership teams.
Establish and monitor KPIs, including enrollment, retention, and completion.
Drive continuous improvement through data-informed insights.
Serve as a national representative and thought leader in apprenticeship innovation.
Perform other duties as assigned.