Job description
If you’re passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country—and you’re committed to working hard to play your part in building that future—consider WGU as the next step in your career.
Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.
Strategic Portfolio Ownership
Serve as the primary owner of 2–6 academic programs across undergraduate and graduate levels.
Establish long-term strategic direction for program growth, specialization expansion, and portfolio positioning.
Make final decisions on program-level strategy, investments, and execution priorities.
Ensure alignment between academic rigor, market demand, and financial sustainability.
Financial & Revenue Accountability
Own program-level tuition revenue.
Establish enrollment, growth, and contribution targets aligned with university objectives.
Oversee budget performance and contribution margins.
Balance academic integrity with sustainable financial outcomes.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives informed by performance data.
Student Performance & Outcomes
Own student performance outcomes including retention, progression, completion, and workforce ROI.
Ensure academic and operational strategies are aligned to improve measurable student success.
Academic Direction & Quality
Provide academic leadership across assigned programs.
Ensure curriculum integrity, workforce alignment, and accreditation compliance.
Guide new program development, revisions, and specialization expansion.
Maintain high standards of instructional quality and academic credibility.
Execution Leadership
Drive coordinated execution across the full program value chain, including academic leadership, program management, marketing, enrollment, student success, and operations.
Leads a small group of indirect contributors to deliver high-quality student experiences and program performance.
External Influence & Institutional Impact
Represent WGU externally to industry, professional associations, states, accreditors, and media.
Cultivate employer and industry partnerships to enhance program relevance and credibility.
Serve as a visible thought leader within the discipline.
Organizational Leadership
Navigate complexity and ambiguity while maintaining strategic clarity.
Contribute to college and university-level planning and decision-making.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Strong business acumen.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Deep domain, industry, and academic expertise within assigned discipline.
Proven leadership experience managing complex portfolios or business units.
Strong financial acumen and experience overseeing significant revenue streams.
Demonstrated ability to drive cross-functional execution across a value chain.
Lead in a highly matrixed organization, influencing without sole authority.
Experience improving student performance and academic outcomes at scale.
Strong stakeholder management and executive-level communication skills.
Ability to influence institutional strategy and external partnerships.
Sound judgment and data-informed decision-making capabilities.
Job Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications
Master’s Degree in Nursing
Experience in higher education
Experience working with programmatic accreditation and licensing boards.
5 years of relevant experience
Equivalent relevant experience performing the essential functions of this job may substitute for education degree requirements. Generally, equivalent relevant experience is defined as 1 year of experience for 1 year of education and is the discretion of the hiring manager.
Preferred Qualifications
Doctoral degree
Experience in developing online education programs and/or developing and scaling rapidly changing organizations/programs
Experience in developing curriculum and/or high-stakes assessments
Demonstrated success in change-management, and bringing order and structure to complex situations
Additional Information
- Disclaimer: The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It’s not all-inclusive.
- Accommodations: Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at recruiting@wgu.edu.
- Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic as required by law.