Executive Director of Learning and Support

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What You Will Do:

Launched in 2021 at National Louis University, Accelerate U (AU) provides affordable, Pell-eligible workforce training in healthcare and technology that gets Chicagoland learners on a pathway to a good job and a college degree in about six months. With an ambitious goal of serving 1,000 learners annually and adding 2-3 new training pathways each year, AU is on the move and poised to grow significantly in the years to come.

The Executive Director of Learning & Support (ED) is one of the most important leadership roles at Accelerate U. Reporting to the Vice President of Workforce Pathways and serving as a core member of the AU leadership team, the ED holds executive responsibility for the full AU learning experience, from how we design and launch new programs to how we coach and support learners through to employment. The ED leads a team spanning program design, curriculum, operations, career coaching, and data, and is ultimately accountable for the quality, consistency, and continuous improvement of everything AU delivers to its learners.

Accelerate U exists to open doors for people who have been historically locked out of opportunity and the ED is the person most responsible for making sure we do that well. This is a role for someone who leads with both head and heart: a strategic thinker who is equally at home in the data as they are in a conversation with a learner or a coach. We are growing, we are ambitious, and we are looking for an ED who is energized by that, someone who will bring vision and rigor to our work, invest deeply in the people around them, and help us build something that is genuinely excellent and continues to expand its reach and impact.

Essential Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Vision Setting

• Set the strategic direction for AU's program model, with a learner- and outcome-centered focus spanning program design, execution, and coaching and support.
• Engage deeply with AU learners and colleagues to understand their needs and inform program design that drives long-term success.
• Build systems for continuous learning, including program evaluation and a learning agenda that captures key insights for ongoing improvement.
• Hold direct reports accountable for strong programmatic outcomes tied to student success.
• Represent AU in institutional spaces across NLU, including Academic Cabinet, the Provost's Office, and Assessment and Accountability functions.
• Contribute as a meaningful member of the Accelerate U leadership team helping to shape and grow team culture.

New Program Design & Implementation

• Lead AU's process for researching, prioritizing, and designing new training pathways, maintaining a 2–3 year development queue.
• Manage all aspects of new program development—from early ideation through implementation planning, hiring, and pilot execution—in close partnership with the Senior Manager of Program and Learning, Director of Employer Engagement, and Vice President of Workforce Pathways.
• Lead implementation and execution of each new track to ensure a smooth launch, taking on responsibility for the launch and successful implementation of a new track during the first cohort. This work begins immediately with the launch of a new Cybersecurity training pathway in partnership with Per Scholas that begins in September 2026 and the continued monitoring of the Tech Sales track (which started in Spring 2026 and concludes in November/December 2026).
• Partner with NLU curriculum and program teams to build stackable pathways connecting AU training to existing and new Bachelor's Degree programs, including Learn & Earn in Three.
• Conduct market research to identify and prioritize in-demand credentials and certifications for future programs.
• Identify, evaluate, and manage relationships with external learning design partners and vendors.
• Lead exploration and testing of cutting-edge innovations to expand and improve AI learning experiences, including AI integration, new partnerships, and alternative instructional models.

Continuous Improvement of Existing Program

• Directly manage the Senior Coordinator of Program and Learning, who leads the day-to-day work of maintaining and continuously improving curricula across all AU offerings.
• Provide strategic direction and oversight to ensure curricula remain current, industry-aligned, and responsive to learner needs, including through ongoing partnerships with Subject Matter Experts.
• Ensure the Senior Coordinator prioritizes and sequences redesign efforts based on program performance data and stakeholder input.
• Work closely with the Senior Coordinator to facilitate bi-annual/quarterly program “deep dives” in order to identify strengths and areas for improvement in each track.
• Maintain executive accountability for the integration of AU Leadership Skills (durable skills) across all program tracks and courses.

Coaching & Learner Support

• Manage the Director of Career Coaching to ensure AU delivers strong, consistent, and differentiated coaching and support to all learners.
• Provide strategic direction to the Director, ensuring quality and consistency of the coaching model across all programs and cohorts.
• Drive continuous improvement in coaching practice by supporting the Director in codifying best practices, refining the coaching model, and using learner data to inform ongoing changes.
• Support the Director of Career Coaching team development within the coaching function to ensure coaches reflect AU's values and deliver strong learner outcomes.

Program Execution & Operations

• Manage the Director of Program Excellence and Operations, partnering closely on day-to-day program implementation, monitoring, and improvement.
• Maintain oversight of all academic and support operations across existing AU programs to ensure consistent quality and fidelity.
• Support the Director of Program Excellence and Operations in managing program directors, technical faculty/instructors, and CAR instructors.

Monitoring, Evaluation & Data Analysis

• Ensure AU maintains robust, reliable systems for collecting, managing, and reporting on learner and program data across all tracks and cohorts.
• Establish and manage a learning agenda, facilitating cycles of inquiry for ongoing program evaluation and refinement—including evaluation of new training pathways.
• Track student outcomes across all AU courses and programs to drive accountability, ensure timely interventions, and assess alignment with program goals.
• Analyze data to surface insights, monitor trends, and identify opportunities for growth and intervention.
• Design and lead improvement initiatives grounded in evidence and stakeholder input.

Qualifications, Skills, and Competencies

• Bachelor’s Degree required; Master's Degree preferred
• Significant instructional product or project management experience, ideally developing learning tools, curricula or academic programs from start to finish
• At least 10 years managing projects and staff including experience managing teams and cross-functional initiatives along with a demonstrated ability to lead strategic planning and continuous improvement efforts
• At least 10 years of building and leading programs or initiatives that lead to strong outcomes for participants

This position is based out of the Chicago campus but may require light travel for the purposes of attending/presenting at occasional national conferences and some travel to engage with other partners and employers throughout the Chicagoland area.