DIRECTOR, ACADEMIC AFFAIRS AND POLICY - University of Washington

Req #: 236213 Department: GRADUATE SCHOOL Job Location Detail: Eligible to work a hybrid schedule with up to 3 days per week remote, subject to change. Posting Date: 06/28/2024 Closing Info: Open Until Filled Salary: $9,750 - $11,083 per month Shift: First Shift Notes: As a UW employee, you will enjoy generous benefits and work/life programs. For a complete description of our benefits for this position, please visit our website, click here. (https://hr.uw.edu/benefits/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/02/benefits-professional-staff-librarians-academic-staff-20230701\_a11y.pdf ) As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills, and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world. UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits, and natural beauty. **The UW Graduate School has an outstanding opportunity for a Director of Academic Affairs & Policy to join their team.** The Director of Academic Affairs & Policy is a pivotal leadership role in the Office of Academic Affairs (OAA) at the UW Graduate School and is responsible for a portfolio of duties including policy analysis, interpretation of institutional data, the development and implementation of graduate education policies, direction of academic affairs policy, and operational oversight for Academic Program Review and new graduate curriculum. Serving as a key advisor to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and the Dean of the Graduate School, the Director offers critical analysis, strategic counsel, and leadership on strategic policy initiatives. The Director is responsible for a comprehensive range of process and policy leadership duties that focus on increasing the university's capacity for meeting next generation challenges and leveraging opportunities to create innovations in graduate education. This position is charged with researching, analyzing, and implementing initiatives and policies that advance graduate education, impacting 300 graduate degree programs and 15,000 students across three campuses. The Director conducts analyses and reporting for decision-making regarding UW graduate education policies, priorities, operational metrics and long-range planning. The Director engages with University stakeholders across institutional hierarchies, including university leadership, administration, faculty, staff, and students, and must have the ability to navigate complex relational landscapes while maintaining a high degree of diplomacy, composure, and professionalism. The impact of this position is broad and profound, influencing academic operations across the University and shaping the graduate student experience. **DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES** Direction of the Office of Academic Affairs: - Lead and oversee strategic operations for the Office of Academic Affairs (OAA) in alignment with the Graduate School's strategic vision and values. This includes oversight of the academic program review and the curriculum development and review teams. - Evaluate and enhance internal processes and workflows within the OAA; conduct evaluations of operational performance. - Develop strategies, processes, and resources to support a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and excellence. - Advise the Associate Dean on strategic vision and planning. - Oversee OAA staff, including hiring, onboarding, training, leading, coaching, supervision and mentoring; manage employee performance and productivity. - Communicate policies and procedures to department chairs, graduate program coordinators, and advising staff in academic units. - Triage problems and questions elevated by professional staff across all areas of Academic Affairs. Policy Development, Analysis and Governance: - Provide oversight, coordination, and communication of academic affairs policies, procedures, and protocols to faculty and staff across all three campuses of the University of Washington. - Serve as the policy expert for the Graduate School and advise the Dean and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs on policy issues. - Serve as chair of Graduate School Council Policy Committee by planning meetings, preparing briefings and materials, maintaining annual docket of business, and communicating with Policy Committee members and tri-campus external stakeholders. - Develop policy documents for consideration and submission to the Graduate School Council, Provost, and Faculty Senate. - Interpret and synthesize data and information from multiple resources, including UW Enterprise Data Warehouse, IPEDS and other databases, to provide meaningful observations and recommendations in the development of Graduate School policy. - Create compelling visual, written, and verbal communications for a variety of audiences, including University and Graduate School leaders, and administrators across UW units and campuses. - Interpret complex problems and determine how Graduate School policies should apply. Organizational Leadership: - Represent the Graduate School to central administrative units and act as a liaison for the Graduate School to institution-wide committees and working groups. - Represent the Graduate School on university-wide curriculum committees. **MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS** + Masters degree in educational policy or a related field + Seven years of relevant work experienceEquivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration. **ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS** - Higher education administration.- Experience researching and drafting policy.- Understanding of institutional structures and policies in higher education.- Demonstrated leadership in a higher education setting.- Experience supervising and leading a team.- Demonstrated success in project management and building productive relationships with a variety of stakeholders.- Experience managing and communicating sensitive information with discretion and diplomacy.- High proficiency with MS Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook- Proven management skills in organizing and overseeing staff and processes to support and redesign effective procedures. **CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT** Occasional evening and weekend work required to meet critical deadlines. This position is eligible to work a hybrid schedule with up to 3 days per week remote, subject to change. **Application Process:** The application process may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process. These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others. Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select "Apply to this position". Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment, you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your "My Jobs" page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are access ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed. University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, among other things, race, religion, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.