Manager, Academic First Year Experience

Manager, Academic First Year Experience
APUS

The Manager, Academic First-Year Experience (FYE) is a key academic leadership position responsible for the University's first-course experience for all undergraduate students, regardless of major. The Manager provides strategic and operational leadership for the Planning Your Future course and related First-Year Experience curriculum, ensuring a high-quality, engaging, and supportive introduction to the University and online learning environment. This position leads initiatives that support student learning outcomes, course quality, teaching excellence, faculty effectiveness, and student retention while ensuring alignment with the University's mission and strategic priorities. A primary responsibility of this role is recruiting, developing, supporting, and evaluating exceptional faculty who teach the required first course and are committed to helping new students successfully navigate their transition to online learning. Through data-informed decision-making and cross-functional collaboration, the Manager ensures that the FYE curriculum (under development) effectively supports students' transition to online higher education at AMU/APU and promotes long-term academic success. The Manager, Academic First-Year Experience will carry a teaching load of 50 students annually.

Responsibilities: 

Academic First-Year Experience Management and Student Success

• Under the direction of the Dean and Academic Leadership, the Manager, Academic First-Year Experience (FYE) supports the implementation, administration, and continuous improvement of the University's required first-course experience and related First-Year Experience initiatives.
• Implement and support the University's First-Year Experience strategy, ensuring alignment with institutional goals for student engagement, academic achievement, persistence, and retention.
• Monitor and evaluate student success metrics, including course completion, retention, persistence, and student satisfaction, and provide recommendations for program improvements.
• Collaborate with academic and operational partners to support initiatives that promote student transition, belonging, academic readiness, and success in the online learning environment.
  Analyze student, course, and faculty performance data to identify trends, opportunities, and areas for improvement within the First-Year Experience curriculum.
• Participate in annual planning, assessment, and reporting activities related to the First-Year Experience program.

Faculty Management and Teaching Excellence

• The Manager provides day-to-day leadership, support, and oversight for faculty teaching the first course in the undergraduate curriculum (Planning Your Future).
• Recruit, hire, onboard, credential, assign, support, and evaluate faculty teaching the University's required first-course experience.
• Foster a culture of teaching excellence by providing coaching, mentoring, professional development, and performance feedback to faculty.
• Monitor faculty performance, student feedback, and course outcomes, recognizing strong performance and addressing areas requiring improvement.
• Facilitate regular faculty meetings, communications, and professional development activities to promote collaboration, consistency, and continuous improvement.

Curriculum Management and Academic Quality

• The Manager supports the quality, consistency, and effectiveness of the First-Year Experience curriculum and learning environment.
• Coordinate the ongoing maintenance, review, and improvement of the Planning Your Future course and related First-Year Experience curriculum.
• Collaborate with faculty, instructional designers, assessment teams, and academic leaders to ensure curriculum remains current, engaging, and aligned with student learning outcomes.
• Support curriculum updates, revisions, and enhancements within the learning management system to ensure quality, accessibility, and consistency.
• Participate in the assessment of student learning outcomes and instructional effectiveness and contribute to continuous improvement efforts.
• Engage with internal stakeholders, committees, and advisory groups to gather feedback and support curriculum enhancements.
• Remain informed of emerging research, best practices, and trends related to First-Year Experience programs, student success, and online education.

Leadership and Professional Effectiveness

• The Manager serves as a collaborative academic leader who supports faculty success, operational excellence, and positive student outcomes.
• Build effective working relationships with faculty, staff, and university partners to support student success and achievement of departmental goals.
• Demonstrate professionalism, accountability, sound judgment, and effective decision-making in managing priorities and responsibilities.
• Lead with emotional intelligence and a coaching mindset, supporting faculty development and navigating complex situations with professionalism and respect.
• Communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders through written, verbal, and virtual channels.
• Promote an inclusive and welcoming academic environment that values diverse perspectives, experiences, and contributions.
• Adapt effectively to changing priorities, institutional initiatives, and evolving student and organizational needs.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Master's degree required. Academic preparation should be in a discipline relevant to higher education, student success, leadership, or a related field.
• Three or more years of leadership experience focused on academic program management or faculty supervision, preferably within First-Year Experience or student success
• Demonstrated experience teaching in higher education, including a minimum of three years of online teaching experience, with a strong understanding of effective online pedagogy, student engagement, and persistence strategies.
• Experience supporting adult learners and diverse student populations, preferably within an open-enrollment, online, or nontraditional higher education environment.
• Experience developing, managing, teaching, or assessing First-Year Experience, college success, student transition, or related curricula, with a commitment to evidence-based practices that promote student success and retention.
• Proficiency with learning management systems, educational technologies, data-informed decision-making, and standard business applications, including the Microsoft Office Suite or equivalent productivity tools.
• Ability to participate in virtual meetings, professional development activities, and university events, and to effectively communicate and collaborate with faculty, staff, and academic leaders in a remote work environment.
• Willingness and ability to travel periodically for university-sponsored events and meetings, including commencement ceremonies, leadership meetings, faculty development activities, and other institutional gatherings as required.
• Ability to perform work that involves extended periods of sitting or standing and regular use of computers, communication platforms, learning technologies

About Us:

American Public University System (APUS) is an Online University based in Charles Town, WV.  Our University has over 100,000 students.  Our emphasis is educating our nation’s military and public services communities with quality and affordable education.  APUS provides partnership and commitment in helping students realize the dream of a higher education and the opportunities that brings. 

It is the policy of American Public University System (APUS) to afford equal opportunity to all qualified persons.  We treat all qualified individuals equally as to their recruitment, hiring, assignments, advancements, compensation, and all other terms and conditions of employment.  American Public University System (APUS) does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, or physical, mental, or sensory disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.

If you are a resident of a state with designated pay transparency requirements and this role is available remotely, you may be eligible to receive additional information about the compensation and benefits for this role, which we will provide upon request.  Please send an email to recruiting@apei.com.