Academic Manager, Undergraduate Education Preparation

Who We Are:

National Louis is a 135+ year old university that has been grounded in the values of innovation, access, excellence, and equity from its inception. As an institution, we believe in providing access to educational opportunity and that education is our greatest lever for social and economic mobility. We are a student-focused community that is committed to continuous improvement and superior student service.  We believe that through education we are able to empower change and build healthy communities. Our hard-working community is based on collaboration and respect for all team members and students.

What You Will Do:

The Academic Manager provides essential operational and administrative support to the Undergraduate Educator Preparation programs. Reporting to the Associate Dean and working closely with Directors, Associate Directors, Department Chairs, Program Coordinators, and faculty, this role ensures the efficient coordination and implementation of academic processes across multiple educator preparation pathways.

The Academic Manager focuses on managing curriculum infrastructure, supporting course development logistics, aligning internal processes with state and accreditation requirements, and facilitating effective communication across program teams. This position plays a vital role in the coordination of curriculum mapping updates, managing program calendars and meetings, organizing documentation for CAEP and annual program reviews, and overseeing systems that support academic approvals and scheduling.

This role supports the development and revision of academic courses by coordinating with the Learning Experience & Curriculum (LxC) team and other stakeholders to ensure that timelines, approvals, and documentation are completed accurately and on schedule. The Academic Manager also serves as a liaison across academic and administrative units, helping ensure institutional consistency and compliance with educator preparation standards.

The Academic Manager is also responsible for maintaining consistent operational workflows, organizing key meetings (including the Student Success Collaborative and staffing summits), tracking and managing documentation (such as contracts), and supporting alignment between curriculum and strategic academic goals. This role contributes to maintaining the high quality and integrity of educator preparation offerings through detailed coordination and effective communication.

Academic Program Support

• Manage and provide support for the Watermark platform related to Curriculum Inventory System (CIS) and University Curriculum Office (UCO) approval processes, ensuring timely submissions and compliance.
• Collaborate with the Director of Operations, Associate Director of Curriculum, Assessment and Accreditation, Chairs, Faculty, and Coordinators to update and maintain curriculum maps and related academic documentation
• Assist with curriculum alignment efforts to ensure coherence with state requirements, accreditation cycles, and institutional standards.
• Serve as liaison between program staffing committees, faculty chairs, and advising teams, facilitating communication and scheduling meetings as needed.
• Organize and host the annual staffing summit and conduct follow-ups such as double-checking faculty load assignments (FLAC).
• Support the coordination and communication between Chairs and Academic Advising by scheduling and facilitating regular meetings. 
• Assist the Associate Dean and Associate Director of Curriculum, Assessment, and Accreditation with the preparation, organization, and submission of documentation required for the Annual Program Review, CAEP accreditation, and other related reviews.
• Support the coordination and communication between Teacher Development, NCE, and the Academic Programs for UGC Ed Prep.

Course Development Management

• Provide administrative oversight and coordination of course development processes in partnership with Learning Experience & Curriculum (LxC), faculty, chairs, and staff—ensuring timelines are met and deliverables are tracked.
• Support communication and documentation (LXD, Ed Prep, CIC, Academic Operations) workflows related to course development, revision, and implementation.
• Facilitate collaboration between departments and individuals involved in course design, ensuring alignment with academic standards and program outcomes.

Data Collection and Coordination Management

• Manage calendars and logistics for the Undergraduate Educator Preparation program and key committees, including the Student Success Collaborative (SSC)
• Organize SSC meetings by coordinating attendance, tracking contracts, and managing related administrative tasks.
• Schedule and support Ed Prep team and leadership meetings, providing note-taking, documentation, and timely distribution of action items.
• Serve as a liaison between academic units, university offices, and external partners to ensure alignment and smooth communication on academic initiatives.
• Support the tracking and management of contracts and attendance related to academic initiatives such as SSC.
• Ensure the timely preparation and submission of internal and external documents related to curriculum, staffing, and academic processes

Communication, Outreach, and Partnerships

• Support the planning for and the coordination of the Industry Advisory Council across all disciplines within unit to solidify and unify structure across teams.
• Support the Associate Dean in collaboration with external partners and enrollment to develop and implement strategies to grow enrollment in all programs; build program visibility and external engagement with partners.
• Employer Pipelines: In collaboration with Career Bridge, build employer networks to offer a wide range of job opportunities for our students after graduation. 
• Serve as a key liaison among academic units, university offices, and external partners to facilitate clear communication and alignment of academic initiatives.

Other Duties assigned

• Participate as an active member of the Undergraduate Educator Preparation community, supporting initiatives that advance student success and academic quality.
• Provide administrative support for special projects and initiatives as assigned by the Associate Dean or Director-level leadership.

• Master's Degree in Education. Endorsements/experience working in ECE/ELE/Middle Grades/Secondary Education preferred. 
• Bilingual proficiency in English/Spanish is a plus.
• Seven plus (7+) professional experience in higher education and/or PK-12 serving in a leadership capacity, particularly in settings working with diverse populations
• Five plus (5+) Project management experience including serving as the lead on complex initiatives.
• Three plus (3+) cultivating and developing external partnerships with demonstrated successful outcomes. 
• Three plus (3+) advanced proficiency in the utilization of technology and data systems for analysis and reporting purposes.
• Three plus (3+) advanced conflict management and negotiation skills across all populations - students, faculty, field supervisors, and partners

NLU Inclusion Statement:

National Louis University is deeply committed to serving its community, advancing access and equity, and ensuring that all individuals are welcomed and valued.  We are dedicated to fostering a culture where diversity, equity, and inclusion remain at the core of who we are. These are more than just words to us: they are truly a way of life for the NLU community. We recognize that differences in abilities, age, ethnicity, gender (identity and expression), race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and background bring richness to our work environment. We affirm diverse perspectives, innovative contributions, and authentic presentations of self from every member within the NLU community. We believe inclusion is grounded in the actions we intentionally take each day. Our goal is to inspire and empower NLU employees and community members to cultivate an environment where we collectively focus on uplifting and advancing our institutional culture.

At National Louis University, we offer our employees an innovative environment to work together and inspire the ideas that will make an impact. As our external environment changes, our employees are provided the opportunities and tools needed to grow both personally and professionally to remain successful. NLU employees and dependents are offered a wide range of benefits, including but not limited to, Health Insurance benefits, Retirement benefits, Paid Time Off and Educational Opportunities. Additional information regarding full-time staff benefits can be found here.

The salary range of the grade for this position is $50,453.00 to $73,157.00 annually.  Compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each position and candidate.  Offers are based on multiple factors permitted by law, including but not limited to: budgetary considerations, job-related knowledge/skills, experience, market considerations, tenure and standing with the university (applicable to current employees), and internal equity. 

Please Include the following along with your application:

• Resume (Required)
• Cover Letter (Optional)
• Current NLU employees please also submit an Internal Posting Form