Capella University seeks an academically accomplished and financially adept leader to assume the Provost and SVP, Academic Affairs role. This vital position involves the coordination of academic priorities, ensuring the university provides high-quality, affordable, and innovative learning experiences that align with accreditation and regulatory standards, and promoting faulty engagement for academic success.
Reporting directly to the President, the ideal candidate should possess a solid record of scholarly achievements combined with a broad vision and commitment to upholding the position of Chief Academic Officer in a leading university. We seek a candidate with substantial administrative experience, preferably at the dean level or higher, overseeing graduate and undergraduate programs. We value a history of operational leadership highlighting excellence, growth, financial effectiveness, and a proven capability to manage complex organizations, including personnel, resources, and budget.
The successful applicant will bring a strong motivational capacity, inspiring excellence, and dedication to academic success. They should demonstrate an energetic and engaged approach to leadership, paired with decisive execution skills and proven business acumen. The individual must be fully committed to forward Capella University’s mission as a premier institution of adult higher education.

* This position will work onsite at Capella Tower in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Assemble, lead, and foster a proficient team to develop innovative, research-based, and evidence-backed learning experiences.

• Integrated the university’s objectives for diversity, equity, and inclusion into all dimensions of their work.

• Cultivates a culture focused on outcomes, continuous improvement, innovation, and engagement that recognizes and rewards high performers and creates a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization.

• Continually benchmark against external best practices including innovative technology, products, and platforms to promote faculty engagement and support academic success.

• Direct the evolution of product-development processes and workflows based on reliable evaluation data, ensuring operational quality and sustainability.

• Collaborate with the President and other internal stakeholders to formulate and implement strategic, operational, and quality metrics.

• Champion change with unwavering focus, always prioritizing the best interest of the learners and university.

• Act as a liaison to the university’s Board of Trustees and its Academic and Learner Affairs committees.

• Advocate for Capella University as a competency-based learning and assessment model, ensuring its comprehensive implementation.

• Enhance the university’s brand by demonstrating leadership behaviors like enterprise thinking, learner centricity, prioritizing effectively, valuing speed, showing courage, and setting high integrity standards.

• Oversee daily operations of academic and faculty affairs, including budgeting and recruiting.

• Ensure the university’s compliance with applicable accreditation standards and federal/state regulations.

• Represent the university externally.

• Perform all other duties as assigned.

Job Skills:

• Knowledge of emerging technologies and their application to enhance student learning.

• Understanding of contemporary issues in higher education.

• Proven success leading high-performing teams in a diverse, metrics-driven environment.

• Evidence of sound executive decision-making and adeptness at coaching and developing teams, including in remote/distributed settings.

• Demonstrated emotional intelligence and organizational discernment.

• Commitment to the ongoing professional development of faculty and academic administrators.

• Proficiency in written and oral communication, and experience with digital tools such as Microsoft 365, Smartsheet, SharePoint, and Zoom.

• Ability to delegate and manage multiple projects simultaneously.

• Experience applying performance and key learning data to support continuous quality improvement.

• Data-driven approach, strong business judgement, and proven ability to draw key insights and recommend strategies.

• Proven collaboration skills with various stakeholders to drive business results.

• Executive-level influencing skills and presence.

• Strong budget management skills.

Work Experience:

• At least 10 years of experience in higher education roles of increasing leadership responsibility.

Education:

• A terminal degree from an accredited institution.

Other:

• Must be able to travel occasionally should a business need arise. For most roles travel would not be common. Travel may involve plane, car or metro. In accordance with ADA policies, reasonable accommodations regarding travel limitations can be provided. Travel will be more common for roles such as Account Executives (25 - 50%), senior leaders (10 – 20%) or Capella Core Faculty (5 – 10%).

• Ability to work onsite in Corporate or Campus location (in a typical office environment) may be required based on role. If so, this would include being mobile within the office, including movement from floor-to-floor using elevators or stairs.

• This position is an onsite position, however if traveling or remote you are required to have all necessary technology components to do the job.

• This role may require lifting, however reasonable accommodations will be provided in accordance with our ADA policies.

• Must be able to meet critical thinking and problem solving aspects aligned to job duties, as well as effectively communicating with co-workers.

• Must be able to work more than 40 hours per week when business needs warrant. Accommodations related to schedule may be considered.

• Able to access information using a computer.

• Other essential functions and marginal job functions are subject to modification.

ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND:

Capella University is an accredited online academic institution known for its rigorous curricula combining strong educational content with authentic assessment and real-world applicability. Its innovative approach to learning extends access to affordable, quality higher education. Recognizing that people have different learning styles and needs, Capella offers two online-learning formats: FlexPath— which enables learners to set deadlines and move at their own pace, and GuidedPath— which offers extra structure for learners who desire it.

Currently, Capella University offers 46 undergraduate and graduate degree programs with 117 specializations and more than 1,800 unique courses. Over 40,000 students were enrolled as of September 30, 2020, representing all 50 states and 49 countries. Most Capella students are working adults, with approximately 70 percent pursuing master’s or doctoral degrees. Since its founding in 1993, the university has conferred over 100,000 degrees and certificates.

What we offer: Capella University believes that a diverse learning community is vital to achieving its mission of extending access to higher education. We believe attracting, engaging, and supporting diverse learners, faculty, and staff strengthens our university. Capella values human potential and is committed to being an inclusive and culturally competent institution. Capella strives to promote equity within and beyond our community through intentional actions and the transformative exchange of ideas.

***

Capella University is a subsidiary of Strategic Education, Inc. (SEI).

Strategic Education, Inc. (NASDAQ: STRA) is dedicated to enabling economic mobility with education. Through a suite of innovative programs and services, SEI helps working adult students advance their careers and improve their lives.

With a focus on improving college affordability, student engagement, and workforce readiness, SEI supports many non-traditional students and ensuring that its graduates have the skills required to succeed in today’s jobs.

#LI-LJ1

If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete our application process, please contact our Human Resources Department at Careers@strategiced.com.