Job Description

The Manager, Instruction Faculty Serves as a student, program, and curriculum expert who drives continuous improvement processes. They work to ensure student and employee success. In addition to their daily administrative responsibilities, the manager leads and supervises a faculty team and is responsible for its members' professional development and performance.

The Manager, Instruction Faculty, acts as a member of WGU's academic leadership team and works closely with team members to understand and inform university policies and procedures. In addition, they develop and conduct team- and program-specific course faculty training programs, collaborating with others to achieve efficiency while ensuring quality and consistency.

The Manager, Instruction Faculty is available and accountable to members of their team and is responsible for the success of its members. The manager demonstrates WGU's "students-first" culture and leads their team of Instructors by example. They establish clear performance expectations and manages assigned instructor performance consistent with university goals and job requirements. Additionally, the program manager effectively performs the duties of a faculty member when serving assigned students.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Establishes clear performance expectations for and with input from assigned Instructor.
• Manages instructor performance to achieve VSAT, pacing, non-attempt rate, pass rate, OTP, retention, and student satisfaction goals.
• Conducts instructor performance reviews and manages performance improvement plans.
• Develops and leads the team- and program-specific training initiatives.
• Catalyst for team morale. Ensures that instructors are connected and engaged with each other.
• Leads team meetings and designs and leads training meetings.
• Effectively serves both assigned students and assigned instructors.
• Provides direct, comprehensive guidance to assigned students and assigned instructors.
• Maintains appropriate documentation of all student- and employee-related transactions.
• Manages students' academic progress according to university policies.
• Maintains regular communication with students according to university protocol.
• Uses the telephone and email extensively throughout the day.
• Understands WGU degree programs, policies, and procedures.
• Provides accurate information and high-quality customer service at all times.
• Participates in department planning, hiring, and training initiatives, as a member of the Faculty Leadership Team
• Collaborates with product management, assessment, academic services, enrollment, educational technology, and other WGU department leaders to provide students a personal, flexible, and seamless education experience.
• Develops and implements effective communication strategies to impact the student experience positively
• Collaborates with department leaders to make hiring and promotion recommendations
• Ensures that strategic plans are executed, and results are analyzed for the future direction
• Designs and implements initiatives, take ownership of assigned deliverables, and applies strong leadership skills to improve student success rates.
• Builds and leads a high-performing, cross-functional team
• Develops strategic and effective working relationships with key WGU stakeholders
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skill and Abilities:

• Understanding and appreciation of a competency-based education model
• Experience leading teams focused on student support and instruction
• Documented use of technology based educational delivery systems
• Demonstrated ability to work with struggling or at-risk students
• Demonstrated ability to function in a leadership and guiding role that enhances student achievement toward educational goals in a competency-based learning environment
• Track record for effective coaching and communication skills with a widely diverse student population
• Track records for effective communication and collaboration with a diverse professional population of WGU colleagues, partners, and stakeholder professional integrity that represent the educational standards within higher education
• Strong leadership skills
• Ability to inspire and engage team members
• Experience leading change while increasing specific, measurable results
• Team player able to collaborate with leaders and experts at all levels
• Must be comfortable with collecting, analyzing, and using quantitative information to implement change
• Thrives in a dynamic, innovative work environment
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to present information clearly, concisely, and accurately
• Technologically competent with online teaching tools, video conferencing tools, and MS Office suite
• Comfortable working in a pay for performance environment
• Leads ongoing team- and program-specific training in a distributed (in-office & remote employees) environment.