Program director and full time faculty - bs education studies and learning development

ACU is affiliated with the fellowship of the Church of Christ. All qualified applicants for this position must be professing Christians and willing to support the Christian mission and purpose of the university. Churches of Christ membership is preferred for this position.

Faculty Rank: College Assistant Professor, College Associate Professor, or College Professor (all non-tenured)

Position Location: Remote, with the possibility of limited travel

The key principles of this job are to:

• Support ACU’s Mission: Educate students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world.
• Support ACU’s Vision: Become a premier university for the education of Christ-centered leaders.

Scope:

The Program Director manages all areas related to the day-to-day operations of the B.S. in Education Studies and Learning Development program. The Program Director reports to the Dean of the College of Learning and Development.

The Program Director also oversees coordination related to external educator preparation and certification partnership pathways associated with the program, including collaboration with university departments and external partners supporting Texas teacher certification opportunities.

Major Responsibilities

Lead and oversee the online B.S. in Education Studies and Learning Development program. Supervise and evaluate the performance of faculty and facilitators of the program. Teach in the program. Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of full-time and adjunct faculty regularly. Administer the academic, personnel, recruitment, and administrative life of the program. Stay abreast of current trends in education, instructional practice, teacher preparation, and workforce needs, and adjust program practices as applicable. Utilize data to inform practice in pedagogy, student engagement, student achievement, retention, and alignment to standards. Advise undergraduate students toward the completion of their degrees. Coordinate and support operational processes related to external educator preparation and teacher certification partnerships. Collaborate with university departments and external partners regarding certification-related student progression, field experiences, and operational alignment.

Essential Duties

Essential duties include the following. Other duties may be assigned. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

1. Lead and oversee the B.S. in Education Studies and Learning Development program. Lead the faculty in developing plans to further the purpose, mission, vision, and goals of the program. Chair regular meetings of faculty, facilitators, and students for the purpose of conducting the academic and co-curricular affairs of the program. Build a spirit of teamwork and collegiality among faculty, facilitators, and students. Collaborate with various university departments, including Enrollment, Student Success, Registration Operations, Academic Affairs, Marketing, and external educator preparation partners, as applicable. Monitor and evaluate the program annually as part of the Annual Academic Program Review. Direct the annual process of evaluating and developing the program’s purpose, mission, vision, and strategic plans. Work with faculty and facilitators to develop annual program performance goals. Review program metrics and analyze data to address trends, strengths, challenges, and opportunities. Participate in program review meetings and annual reviews with the Dean regarding program strategy, performance, and future direction. Coordinate program processes associated with certification partnership pathways, including progression checkpoints, GPA requirements, and field-based experience coordination in collaboration with university teams and external partners.
2. Teach in the program. Administer and provide instruction in assigned courses. Duties include, but are not limited to, conducting periodic synchronous interaction sessions, facilitating and grading assignments in a timely manner, and providing rich and timely feedback on student work. Provide timely and helpful responses to student inquiries regarding course material or academic matters. Full-time Faculty Teaching Loads for Administrative Faculty (Program Directors) Undergraduate: 30 credit hours (10 courses annually) Full-time Faculty Workload Expectations Undergraduate: Teaching (60%); Service (40%); Research (0%)
3. Supervise and evaluate the performance of program faculty. Monitor all program courses to ensure continuity of service to students. Monitor all program courses to determine faculty effectiveness and adherence to university policies. Recruit, onboard, hire, and terminate faculty as needed.
4. Administer the academic and administrative life of the program. Serve on the ACU Dallas Academic Council for participation in shared governance and representation of the program’s academic concerns. Oversee the process of reviewing student applications to the program and make final decisions regarding admission. Oversee the revision and development of curriculum. Supervise the collection and analysis of data related to program outcomes and student learning outcomes. Cooperate with ACU Marketing to develop and maintain ongoing alumni relations and recruitment efforts. Prepare program publications and other correspondence as needed. Facilitate regular meetings of faculty and facilitators. Serve on various college and university committees as assigned by the Dean. Oversee degree plans and progression pathways. Coordinate with Student Success Advisors regarding monitoring and addressing student needs. Support university processes associated with external teacher certification partnerships and educator preparation coordination. Maintain awareness of TEA standards, certification expectations, and relevant policy updates impacting students enrolled in certification-aligned pathways.

Professional Development Requirements

In order to perform the duties of the Program Director (Administrative Faculty), it is necessary to demonstrate the following competencies: Attention to detail and follow through. Time management and organizational skills. Maintain confidentiality. Computer proficiency. Excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal abilities. Provide quality instruction and support to students while maintaining academic and university standards. Ability to work collaboratively with multiple constituencies. Effective and appropriate leadership and administration of the program. Develop and maintain working relationships with university administrators, faculty, staff, and external educational partners. Ability to manage complex operational and academic processes related to online education and certification partnership pathways.

Qualifications

Professional

Ph.D. or Ed.D. or other terminal degree in Education, Teacher Education, Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Leadership, or a closely related discipline. Teaching experience or administrative experience in higher education preferred. At least 5 years of experience in PK–12 education, instructional leadership, educator preparation, or teacher development preferred. Experience teaching, designing, and developing online coursework. Experience collaborating with educator preparation programs, certification pathways, or school partnerships preferred. Computer literate in software and internet-based applications.

Personal

Churches of Christ membership preferred. Strong communication skills, both written and oral. Ability to view and manage role and responsibilities in relation to the larger mission, goals, and perspective of the university. Collaborative nature and excellent interpersonal abilities, with the ability to build consensus within cross-functional and multi-purpose teams, as well as diverse groups of people. Outstanding organizational and project management skills with the ability to consistently meet deadlines. Highly self-motivated and solves problems, asking for input and initiating solutions as appropriate and reasonable. Ability to consistently make sound decisions and exercise good judgment in a variety of circumstances. Capacity to quickly learn new software applications. Willingness to receive additional training and/or faculty mentoring.

Physical Demands

Majority of work is performed in front of a computer and on the telephone; must have the ability to use the computer and remain stationary for long periods of time. Manage conversations in person, online, and by telephone. Limited travel, locations vary and some overnight travel may be necessary. Work well under pressure and manage stress well. Communicate clearly: speak, read, write, and hear clearly to perform essential functions.

ACU does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, sex, disability, genetic information, national or ethnic origin in employment opportunities, in keeping with applicable state and federal law. ACU is committed to maintaining a safe and secure campus environment and protecting the university's financial and physical assets. Therefore, Abilene Christian University conducts background checks on all candidates for employment in security sensitive positions. As a current employee, it will be determined if you need an additional background check upon your hire.