Senior Manager, Academic Initiatives

Position / Job Summary

The Senior Manager, Academic Initiatives provides senior-level operational leadership in support of broad, college-wide academic initiatives. This role exists to extend the work of multiple Senior Project Leads by assuming responsibility for delegated initiatives and independently managing defined academic functions that require sustained coordination, execution, and institutional awareness.

Serving as a senior operational integrator, the Senior Manager operates with a combination of delegated authority and independent ownership, acting on behalf of senior leadership when appropriate while directly supporting faculty, academic governance bodies, and academic leadership. Through consistent oversight, coordination, and representation, the role helps reduce gaps or delays in academic work, strengthens support for academic bodies, and enables Senior Project Leads to remain focused on strategic priorities.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Initiative Ownership and Operational Execution

• Assume ownership of delegated academic initiatives on behalf of Senior Project Leads, ensuring continuity, progress, and effective follow-through.
• Independently manage defined academic functions that require sustained coordination across stakeholders, timelines, and institutional processes.
• Oversee multiple concurrent initiatives, ensuring work is completed on time, within scope, and within available resources.
• Establish clear goals, timelines, priorities, and expectations for assigned initiatives and functions.
• Monitor progress, identify risks or issues, and implement solutions to maintain momentum and quality.
• Continuously evaluate and improve workflows and processes to increase efficiency and effectiveness across academic initiatives.

Academic Coordination and Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as a primary operational point of contact for faculty, academic leadership, and academic governance bodies, including support for Faculty Senate and related committees.
• Coordinate across academic stakeholders to ensure alignment, communication, and effective execution of college-wide academic initiatives.
• Prepare and deliver presentations, updates, and recommendations to academic leadership and other stakeholders.
• Represent delegated initiatives and academic functions in meetings, committees, and working groups, as appropriate.
• Required Dallas College Professional Development Hours per Academic Year. (MUST BE INCLUDED)
• All employees are required to complete a minimum of 19 hours.
• People leaders are required an additional 16 hours of leadership development.
• Perform other duties not listed as assigned. (MUST BE INCLUDED)

The following duties are required for People Leader roles specifically:

• Exercises full discretion and decision-making authority in the recruitment, selection, hiring, mentoring, coaching, development & termination of staff, ensuring alignment with organizational goals, budgetary constraints, and workforce planning strategies.
• Drive high performance by administering the performance management process timely, setting clear expectations, conducting performance evaluations, and implementing initiatives that enhance employee engagement, motivation, and retention.

Minimum and Preferred – Education, Experience, and/or Certifications

Required Qualifications for Role (necessary or mandatory)

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Progressive experience in a professional or managerial role.
• Supervisory or leadership experience.
• Full-time or part-time teaching experience at college-level preferred.
• Official transcripts required.
• Subject to criminal background check.
• Current and valid Texas driver’s license required for offsite travel.