Vice President Academic Affairs for University College

The mission of Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) is to provide affordable access and quality higher education to learners of all backgrounds. We are committed to addressing systemic barriers to equity, increasing the diversity of our university to reflect that of the learners we serve, and fostering an environment where our people are included, belong, and have an opportunity to thrive.

SNHU is comprised of multiple units, including the in-place campus-based programs of University College (UC). With 130 full-time faculty teaching across three colleges (business; arts, science, and education; and engineering, technology, and aeronautics), UC offers bachelor's programs to approximately 3,000 undergraduates and master's and doctoral programs to approximately four hundred graduate students.

The Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) be responsible for leadership in the planning and assessment of learning experiences and student outcomes for campus-based programs, providing direction in areas such as student success, retention, graduation, completion, and academic integrity and quality.

Key Priorities

The successful candidate will:

• Have a passion for academic governance and be eager to understand SNHU's governance process.

• Establish strong relationships with faculty leadership and the Faculty Senate.

• Partner with our Deans to create the priorities that address the challenges of each school

• Collaborate with the Executive Vice President Campus Administration to develop a strategic plan to reposition the SNHU Campus residence based academic reputation in the market by offering new programs to meet the needs of our learners and the evolving workforce.

Reporting Structure

• Supportive Leadership: This role reports to the Executive Vice President Campus Administration, who reports directly to the University Provost and is an important member of the Provost Leadership team. Together the Executive Vice President Campus Administration and VPAA form a unified leadership team to advance university-wide goals and represent UC within the larger SNHU community.

• Key Partners: As the academic leader for UC, this role involves partnering with university stakeholders and collaborating closely with the Vice President of Academic Programs for our Global Campus. Key focus areas include competency-based learning, alternative credentials, and international initiatives to ensure cohesion across all learning experiences at the University. Additionally, the VPAA works closely with an experienced peer leadership team, including the Vice President of Academic Operations, the Vice President of Student Affairs, and the Associate Vice President of Capital and Facilities Management.

• Direct Reports: This role provides direct leadership for the Dean of Arts, Sciences, and Education, the Dean of the School of Business, and the Dean of the School of Engineering, Technology, and Aeronautics. The Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs is the fourth member of the direct reports team, focusing on student experience and persistence.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide leadership to academic deans, departments, faculty, and staff to inspire creativity and excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service, in partnership with the Executive Vice President Campus Administration.

• Ensures academic policies support the university's dedication to advancing equity and success for students.

• Drives adaptability and agility to ensure the university innovates in the dynamic environment of higher education by continuously assessment of new technologies, evolving learner needs, and changes in educational policy.

• Coach, lead, and provide guidance to the academic deans and their respective faculty on the development, assessment, and enhancement of the curriculum to meet the evolving needs of students and industry partners.

• Serve as the primary leadership contact with the Faculty Senate.

• Provide academic leadership and accountability in curriculum development, academic effectiveness, instructor experiences, and academic policy development. In collaboration with the VP of Academic Operations, ensure policies around Academic Governance are observed.

• Manage academic budgets and allocate resources to support academic programs balancing current needs with long-term goals.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of leadership experience across diverse functional areas within a college or university, including 3+ years at the academic Dean level or higher.

• 3+ years of experience providing direct oversight and leadership to faculty.

• In-person leadership experience on a college or university campus involving active engaging with students, faculty, and staff.

• Proven ability to lead and empower teams to solve complex problems innovatively.

• A demonstrated track record in using a DEI lens to create vision, focus, and clarity.

• Demonstrable success in creating equitable experiences for diverse student populations, as well as demonstrated success in inclusive leadership practice.

• Experience with classroom-based education, budget management, project management, organizational development, change, and culture

• Familiarity with accreditation, curriculum development and outcomes assessment.

• Earned doctorate from a regionally accredited college or university.

Key Skills

Leadership

• Ability to balance traditional academic practices and requirement with the mission of expanding higher education access and affordability for underserved, unserved, and underrepresented populations.

• Awareness of the status quo with the ability to discern when and how to effectively challenge it.

• Demonstrate emotional and social intelligence, along with intuitive empathy

• Ability to navigate cultural differences to ensure inclusive practices

Building Strong Team Culture

• Develop and nurture high-functioning, engaged, and results-oriented teams

• Foster relationship and coalition building across teams to achieve shared success

• Communicate effectively to create a shared vision, expectations, and direction

Academic Administration Expertise

• Apply an in-depth understanding of academic institutions' operations

• Ability to radically collaborate with diverse institutional stakeholders

• Strong expertise in policy development, governance, accreditation, curriculum management, program health, student experience, and faculty management

• Proficient in managing academic functions across multiple modalities

Strategic Analysis and Solution Building

• Understand and address of contemporary issues in higher education, including new trends, models, and issues of concern.

• Conduct environmental scanning and create proactive solutions

• Use data to drive outcomes and integrate technology to enhance the student experience

Program and Financial Management

• Oversee program health and demonstrate financial literacy, including budget management.