"Director of Online Education and Professional Programs"

Job Details

The Director of Online Education and Professional Programs plays a critical role in advancing the operational success and strategic growth of Florida Tech’s online and professional offerings. This results-driven leader provides both strategic direction and operational oversight, helping to shape the vision, strategy, and execution of the university’s professional programs portfolio. The role is central to ensuring academic quality, sustainable growth, and effective administration of both degree and non-degree programs, and requires extensive collaboration across the university to deliver an exceptional student experience.

Reporting directly to the Vice President for Enrollment Management (VPEM), the Director works closely with online program managers (OPMs), academic deans, department chairs, and key administrative units to drive innovation in program development, delivery, and support services. The position requires a forward-thinking, solution-oriented leader with strong analytical, organizational, and relationship-building skills to advance Florida Tech’s presence in online and professional education and ensure alignment with institutional goals.

Responsibilities Include:

• Develop and support a comprehensive plan for professional programs that aligns with the university’s mission, enrollment goals, and financial objectives.
• Establish and maintain quality assurance standards for all professional programs, including best practices, operational efficiency, integration across campus, and student support services.
• Monitor trends in higher education, online learning technology, and market demand to ensure Florida Tech’s offerings remain innovative and competitive.
• Manage relationships with outside entities, OPM’s and vendors that support the programs.
• Support the VPEM in developing, integrating, and executing strategic plans for professional programs that align with the university’s broader goals for growth, enrollment, and academic excellence.
• Serve as the primary liaison between the OPM’s, Enrollment Management, all Florida Tech colleges (e.g., College of Engineering & Science, College of Business), academic departments and administrative areas.
• Facilitate the development, review, and launch of new degrees, certificates, and courses in partnership with faculty and academic deans.
• Ensure consistent application of academic and administrative policies and procedures across all program areas, working closely with the Registrar’s office and relevant university departments and committees.
• Coordinate the day-to-day operations of the professional programs through the relevant university offices.
• Develop and implement policies and procedures to unify efforts and resources across the university to support programs and students.
• Ensure each academic and administrative unit that supports their programs and complies with all relevant accreditation standards (e.g., SACSCOC) and federal/state regulations, including those related to distance learning (e.g., state authorization, NC-SARA).
• Analyze data and metrics (e.g., enrollment, retention, student satisfaction, course completion rates) to drive continuous improvement in effectiveness and delivery.
• Coordinate with Enrollment Management and Marketing teams to promote programs and optimize the recruitment and admission processes for students.
• Identify and resolve challenges that impact professional programs across the university and escalate to the appropriate senior leadership or VPEM as necessary.

Requirements Include:

• Master's degree preferred.
• Proven experience in strategic planning, high education administration, project management and programs designed for working professionals.
• Strong project and program management skills, with experience leading cross-functional teams.
• Knowledge of state and federal regulatory requirements relevant to online education.
• Experience in offering corporate and professional programs.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and analytical skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Experience in higher education marketing or student recruitment.
• Familiarity with data visualization and reporting tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI).
• Strong understanding of student lifecycle management and education trends.