Job Description:

POSITION SUMMARY

The Academic Affairs Manager is a central administrative leader responsible for the operational excellence of academic programs and departments. Depending on institutional needs, Academic Affairs Managers may serve as departmental generalists, overseeing a broad portfolio of academic operations, or they may specialize in a critical functional area such as Student Information Systems (SIS), Learning Management Systems (LMS), or Regulatory Compliance. Regardless of focus, the Manager bridges the gap between academic strategy and daily operations, ensuring that faculty have the resources they need, policies are consistently applied, and student-facing academic services are executed flawlessly.

LOCATION

This position is eligible for a combination of remote and onsite work, typically requiring in-person presence on designated days.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

CORE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Academic Operations and Departmental Management

• Oversee the day-to-day administrative operations of assigned academic departments or functional areas, ensuring continuity of service, adherence to institutional calendars, and alignment with Academic Affairs priorities.
• Manage and track key academic operational cycles, including term planning, faculty onboarding, course delivery milestones, grade submission periods, and end-of-term closeout activities.
• Serve as a problem-solving escalation point for complex academic administrative issues requiring cross-departmental coordination or policy interpretation.

Policy Implementation and Academic Governance

• Interpret, apply, and monitor compliance with academic policies, procedures, and governance documents, including the college catalog, faculty handbook, and Academic Affairs guidelines.
• Support shared governance processes by coordinating committee logistics, tracking action items, and ensuring accurate documentation of academic decisions.
• Identify policy gaps or inconsistencies and collaborate with the Senior Manager to recommend updates that improve clarity, compliance, and operational efficiency.

Resource, Documentation, and Records Management

• Oversee the collection, organization, and maintenance of academic records, documents, and departmental resources in accordance with institutional retention schedules.
• Ensure timely distribution of academic information to faculty, staff, and students, including schedules, policy updates, procedural guidance, and deadlines.
• Maintain organized, audit-ready documentation to support accreditation, regulatory reviews, and internal assessments.

Stakeholder Liaison and Communication

• Act as a primary liaison between Academic Affairs and internal stakeholders, including faculty, department chairs, admissions, registrar, financial aid, and student services.
• Respond to and resolve faculty and student inquiries related to academic administration with a high level of professionalism and confidentiality.
• Communicate complex academic policies or system-related information clearly and consistently to non-technical audiences.

Project Management and Continuous Improvement

• Lead or contribute to Academic Affairs projects such as system implementations, process redesigns, policy rollouts, or program launches.
• Document workflows and standard operating procedures (SOPs) to promote consistency, scalability, and cross-training within the team.
• Analyze administrative processes and recommend improvements that reduce manual effort, mitigate risk, or enhance the faculty and student experience.

Cross-Functional and Team Support

• Provide proactive backup coverage for other Academic Managers during peak workload periods, leaves of absence, or vacancy gaps to ensure uninterrupted operations.
• Crosstrain on core academic administrative functions to support team resilience and knowledge sharing.
• Model collaboration, accountability, and service excellence in support of Academic Affairs team goals.

If the role is specialized, choose from the following functional areas:

SIS SPECIALIZATION

For managers assigned to the SIS/Systems specialty, the following responsibilities are prioritized:

• Lead the end-to-end creation and maintenance of the master class schedule within the Student Information System (SIS), ensuring 100% alignment with faculty workload and degree pathways.
• Serve as the lead subject matter expert (SME) for the SIS (Campus Nexus/Anthology), translating academic requirements into system configurations.
• Conduct regular audits of SIS data to ensure accurate reporting for IPEDS, state authorizations, and internal enrollment management.

LMS SPECIALIZATION

For managers assigned to the LMS specialty, the following responsibilities are prioritized:

• Act as the primary administrator for the Learning Management System (Canvas), overseeing course shell creation and ensuring compliance with college design policies.
• Provide high-level technical and administrative support for faculty inquiries and troubleshoot complex LMS issues.
• Coordinate the integration of third-party educational tools and SIS data feeds into the LMS environment.

REGULATORY COMPLIANCE SPECIALIZATION

For managers assigned to the Regulatory Compliance specialty, the following responsibilities are prioritized:

• Lead the preparation and maintenance of documentation required for WSCUC accreditation, state authorizations, and other regulatory initiatives.
• Assist in the continuous improvement and drafting of academic policies to ensure institutional adherence to federal and state guidance.
• Manage centralized repositories of compliance evidence and conduct internal audits of academic files to ensure "audit-ready" status at all times.

HOW SUCCESS IS MEASURED

Success in this role is defined by the seamless integration of academic policy with technical execution, ensuring 100% operational readiness and data integrity for every academic term.

Core Operational Outcomes

• 100% on-time completion of all term-based administrative cycles (e.g., faculty contracting, grade collection, and syllabus archiving) as defined by the institutional calendar.
• Achievement of a 0% critical error rate in the application of academic policies (e.g., grade changes, incomplete contracts) during internal quarterly audits.
• Successful implementation of at least one process improvement initiative per year that results in a quantifiable reduction (e.g., 15% or more) in manual processing time or administrative “touches.”
• Maintenance of a 24-48 business hour resolution rate for 90% of faculty and student administrative inquiries.

Specialized Outcomes (Choose based on focus)

SIS Specialization

• Achievement of a 99% or higher data accuracy rate in the master schedule by the "census date," resulting in fewer than 5 post-census corrections per term.
• 100% of course sections and faculty assignments are fully configured in the SIS at least 60 days prior to the start of the term to facilitate student registration.
• Successful reconciliation of SIS data with external reporting requirements (e.g., IPEDS or State Authorization) with zero discrepancies.

LMS Specialization

• 100% on-time delivery of LMS course shells for each term, ensuring all shells are accessible to faculty and students 7 days prior to the term start.
• 100% compliance with institutional LMS standards (e.g., syllabus placement, broken link checks, and accessibility tagging) across all audited course shells.
• Successful resolution or escalation of 95% of LMS-related technical tickets within 24 business hours.

Regulatory Compliance Specialization

• 100% of required accreditation and regulatory evidence is collected and organized in the centralized repository according to the annual compliance calendar.
• 100% on-time submission of all required state and federal regulatory filings with zero "return for correction" notices.
• Completion of annual reviews and updates for 100% of assigned academic SOPs and policy manuals to ensure alignment with current DOJ and DOE guidance.

DECISION MAKING:

The Academic Affairs Manager is governed by the policies of Pacific Oaks College and established procedures within the Academic Affairs department. The position requires the application of professional judgment to ensure academic operations align with institutional goals and regulatory requirements. Decisions are made in consultation with the Senior Manager of Academic Affairs when they involve significant policy shifts, budgetary commitments, or institutional risk.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in Education, Business, Communication, or related degree.
• Three (3) years of professional experience in higher education administration, registrar services, or academic operations.
• Two (2) years of direct, hands-on experience performing data entry and management within an enterprise SIS (e.g., Campus Nexus) or LMS (e.g., Canvas).
• Proven ability to manage at least three (3) simultaneous complex projects or departmental administrative cycles annually with documented success.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in Higher Education Leadership, Information Systems, or a related field.
• Five (5) years of experience in a lead administrative role within a college or university setting.
• Three (3) years of direct experience in master academic scheduling, LMS architecture, or regulatory filing specifically within the Campus Nexus or Canvas ecosystems.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Ability to manage complex projects and multiple stakeholders in a dynamic environment.
• Proficiency in SIS/LMS platforms and Microsoft Office Suite (specifically advanced Excel).
• Exceptional written and verbal skills to effectively liaise with diverse internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently and troubleshoot issues as they arise in a dynamic academic environment.

TRAVEL

Travel is minimal for this position, typically representing 5% or less of total work time. Occasional travel may be required for professional development, attendance at relevant higher education conferences, or to support Academic Affairs initiatives at designated campus locations or partner sites. All travel must be approved in advance and comply with institutional travel and expense policies.

CONTACT RESPONSIBILITIES:

Routine exchange or presentation of information.

FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY:

This position does not require management of budgets, but it is required to follow Pacific Oaks policies for purchasing and budget approvals.

COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL ANTIDISCRIMINATION GUIDANCE:

Pacific Oaks College is committed to providing equal employment and educational opportunity to all people and strictly adheres to federal anti-discrimination laws. In accordance with DOJ guidance, the College affirms that no programs, hiring practices, promotions, admissions, or other decisions shall provide preferential treatment based on race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, or other protected characteristics without appropriate lawful rationale. The College will also ensure compliance of its third-party contractors or program partners in this regard.

DISCLAIMER:

The duties listed above describe the general nature and level of work expected of faculty in this position and are not an exhaustive list of responsibilities. The College reserves the right to amend or modify the job description as institutional needs evolve. Pacific Oaks College provides equal employment opportunities to all persons without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, disability, or any other protected status under applicable law.

Compensation & Benefits

This opportunity is budgeted at $66,560.00-73,170.00 base compensation. Additional compensation factors may impact total compensation. To learn more about our competitive benefits and additional rewards, including generous paid time-off, medical and dental insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, retirement plan with employer contribution, multiple flexible spending accounts, tuition reimbursement, click the link below.

https://www.pacificoaks.edu/about/careers-pacific-oaks/

Pacific Oaks is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Pacific Oaks participates in E-Verify and verifies identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired.
 

Compliance with Federal Antidiscrimination Guidance

Pacific Oaks College is committed to providing equal employment and educational opportunity to all people and strictly adheres to federal anti-discrimination laws. In accordance with DOJ guidance, the College affirms that no programs, hiring practices, promotions, admissions, or other decisions shall provide preferential treatment based on race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, or other protected characteristics without appropriate lawful rationale. The College will also ensure compliance of its third-party contractors or program partners in this regard.

Disclaimer

The duties listed above describe the general nature and level of work expected of faculty in this position and are not an exhaustive list of responsibilities. The College reserves the right to amend or modify the job description as institutional needs evolve. Pacific Oaks College provides equal employment opportunities to all persons without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, disability, or any other protected status under applicable law.