Executive Director – Salt Lake City

Based in Salt Lake City, the Executive Director of WGU’s Teachers College is responsible for the continuing review, improvement and development of the College. Reporting to the Pro-vost/Academic Vice President, this position is tasked with maintaining a high quality reputa-tion on a national scale for the Teachers College.

The Executive Director is responsible for directing, designing, and coordinating the imple-mentation of certificate and undergraduate and graduate degree programs that help support and facilitate both the initial licensing of preservice K-12 teachers and the ongoing profes-sional development of educators who are already certified to teach. S/he establishes and oversees the building of relationships with academic partners, school district partners, and state department of education/teacher licensing partners. This individual also hires program mentors and council members who serve as WGU faculty with direct connection to the work of the Teachers College.

The Executive Director will work with the Provost and other WGU academic personnel to manage the following essential functions:

• Programs and degrees – the definition, development, coherence, and quality of degrees, competencies and assessments in the Teachers College.
• Learning resources and student progress – ensure the sufficiency and effectiveness of learning resources for students, as well as the adequacy of resources for advi-sor/mentors; define appropriate rates of student progress; measure and report progress, student satisfaction, and other indicators of academic success.
• Planning – the development and supervision of a comprehensive academic planning process for achieving both short and long term goals, ensuring broad participation in its development and ownership of its implementation.
• Personnel – ensure the highest possible quality in academic staff, through sound re-cruitment, training, and continuing professional development activities; the availability of appropriate faculty research opportunities, and incentives to use them; and the im-plementation of a sound performance review and reward system.
• Budget – manage the Teachers College budget, ensuring fiscal responsibility in the aca-demic programs of the institution.

About WGU Teachers College

Western Governors University is addressing the growing need for high-quality teachers through online, competency-based degree and licensure programs. With the assistance of a $10 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education and other grant and foundation support, WGU offers challenging programs for both current and aspiring teachers. Because WGU is a non-profit university founded by the governors of the western states, students benefit from both superior programs and lower tuition.

WGU is the only online university to receive NCATE accreditation for its teacher education pro-grams, a testament that WGU “candidates have the knowledge and skills to be effective in helping all students learn.”

About WGU

Western Governors University (WGU) is a non-profit, online university that specializes in adult education. It was founded in 1997 by a bi-partisan group of 19 governors. A true virtual university of the 21st century, WGU has no campus–but has administrative offices in Salt Lake City, staff in over thirty states, and students from all 50 states. Despite the fact that WGU is non-profit, it is run like a business and is self-sustaining on tuition.

WGU uses technology to improve the quality and reduce the cost of higher education, while expanding access to underserved populations. The key is its use of technology to change the process – the fundamental way they do higher education – rather than as an add-on to an existing system.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
The ideal candidate exhibits strength as an operating executive. S/he may currently operate as a Dean or other senior academic officer or operations executive for a college or university with a strong online / distance learning program in teacher education. It is critical to have a strong foundation in virtual edu-cation and/or the use of technology in instruction, and in managing a distributed workforce.

Specifically, the new Executive Director will have the following profile–

• Leadership experience developing and delivering teacher education/training/certification online.
• Track record of developing and maintaining ties with school districts/other groups involved in teacher credentialing.
• Significant teaching and/or administrative experience in a distance education environment focused on adult learners.
• Successful grant writing experience.
• Experience with writing accreditation documents and/or knowledge of state approval procedures involving teacher certification programs.
• A background in development of alternative licensure models for teacher education.
• A proven record of success in assessment of learning outcomes and student advisement.
• Classroom teaching experience in a K-12 public school system.
• A strong customer-service orientation.
• Detail-orientation, coupled with the ability to build teams and delegate; this will be someone able to optimize the use of faculty and staff resources.
• Ability to communicate with external education audiences.
• The ability to work effectively in a highly innovative, rapidly changing, and largely online environment.
• Earned EdD, PhD, or equivalent academic degree.
• Resident of, or open to relocation to, Salt Lake City.

COMPENSATION
Compensation will include salary and bonus in line with the individual’s experience.

TRAVEL
Travel is unlikely to exceed 10 percent.

Apply here.