Academic Partnership & Portfolio Advancement Manager

Responsibilities

• Advance School of Education priorities through academic portfolio development, research, and strategic external engagement.
• Partner with executive leadership to strengthen academic offerings, partnerships, and institutional readiness.
• Serve as a key liaison to external agencies, district leaders, and education partners to ensure program relevance and scalability.
• Conduct market and needs-based research to inform decisions regarding new programs and service enhancements.
• Collaborate with regional and partnership teams to validate employer and student needs.
• Establish meaningful partnerships for innovations in licensure, internships, and work-based learning.
• Apply change management principles to support the adoption and sustainability of new academic initiatives.
• Translate research and data into actionable narratives and reports for executive decision-making.

Requirements

• Graduate degree in a relevant discipline or 10 years of equivalent professional experience.
• 5+ years of experience designing and implementing programmatic solutions in higher education or educator preparation.
• 5+ years of experience leading people, teams, or complex projects.
• Proven experience with competency-based and online education models.
• Experience managing vendor relationships and budgets.
• Experience in curriculum development, instructional design, or educational technology.
• Proficiency in data collection, analysis, and executive-level presentation.
• Ability to travel approximately 50% to engage with external partners and stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience navigating complex organizational transitions using structured change management principles.
• Strong background in learning science and its application to learning products and delivery.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, telehealth, and mental healthcare.
• Health savings account (HSA) and flexible spending account (FSA).
• Retirement savings plan and life insurance.
• Flexible paid time off (PTO) and flexible paid sick time.
• 11 paid holidays and up to 12 weeks of parental leave.
• Discounted WGU tuition and wellbeing programs.

About the Company

Western Governors University (WGU) is a leading accredited online university founded with a mission to make higher education more accessible. Through innovative, competency-based degree programs, WGU provides flexible learning opportunities designed to meet the needs of the 21st-century workforce.