Academic Director, Professional Studies

Position Summary:

Penn Foster Group’s Academic team delivers high-quality academic support to learners across a diverse portfolio of programs and brands. We are seeking an experienced Academic Director, Professional Studies to lead and oversee program areas, including English, Business, Early Childhood Education, Legal Studies, Skill Trades, and cross-disciplinary coursework within degree programs.

Reporting to the Senior Academic Director of College and Career, this role is responsible for academic leadership, program quality, faculty oversight, and strategic growth of professional studies offerings. The Director will drive continuous improvement in curriculum, learner outcomes, and instructional delivery within an online education environment.

Essential Job Functions:

Academic Leadership & Strategy

• Provide strategic direction and operational oversight for the Professional Studies portfolio.
• Ensure alignment of programs with workforce demands, accreditation standards, and institutional goals.
• Lead program evaluation, continuous improvement, and innovation in online pedagogy.
• Identify opportunities for new program development and expansion.

Program & Curriculum Oversight

• Oversee curriculum design, updates, and instructional quality across all programs.
• Ensure academic rigor, relevance, and alignment with industry standards.
• Collaborate with instructional design teams to enhance learner experience and outcomes.

Faculty & Team Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and develop faculty and academic staff.
• Establish performance expectations and conduct evaluations.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and learner-centered teaching.

Student Success & Outcomes

• Monitor key performance indicators (retention, completion, satisfaction, and employment outcomes).
• Implement initiatives to improve learner engagement and success.
• Partner with support teams, operations, and other teams to optimize the learner journey.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with product, marketing, operations, and workforce partners.
• Contribute to institutional initiatives and strategic planning.

Accreditation & Compliance

• Ensure programs meet accreditation, regulatory, and compliance requirements.
• Support audits, reporting, and accreditation reviews.
• Maintain documentation and processes aligned with quality assurance standards.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

Qualifications

Education

• Master’s degree in a relevant discipline required, PhD or EdD preferred

Experience

• 5+ years of leadership experience in online or distance education
• Proven experience managing academic programs and faculty teams
• Experience with career-focused or workforce-aligned education programs preferred

Skills & Competencies

• Strong understanding of online pedagogy and instructional best practices
• Strategic thinking with operational execution capability
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• Data-driven decision-making and analytical capability
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Experience with different technologies, learning platforms, and academic systems preferred, such as Brightspace, Dynamic 365, and Tableau

Work Environment & Hiring Requirements

• U.S. Work Location Requirement: All employees must reside in and perform work within the United States. We do not support international remote work arrangements for this role.
• Travel Expectations: While this is a remote position, occasional travel may be required for team meetings, company events, conferences, summits, etc. Candidates must be willing and able to travel as needed.
• On-Camera Work Environment: We operate in a highly collaborative, remote, on-camera culture. Employees are expected to be on camera during meetings unless extenuating circumstances apply.
• Recorded Video Interviews: All video interviews conducted during the hiring process will be recorded to support internal hiring consistency and process improvement.
• Background Checks: Employment with Penn Foster Group is contingent upon successfully completing applicable pre-employment screening requirements, which may include verification of employment history, education, and criminal background, where permitted by law.
• Identity Verification (Form I-9): As part of our onboarding process, all hires must complete employment eligibility verification in compliance with federal law. This includes remote Form I-9 verification, which may require an in-person identity verification step with an authorized representative.

About Us:

At Penn Foster Group, we are transforming online learning to help learners by bringing together Penn Foster, CareerStep, Ashworth College, James Madison High School, the New York Institute of Photography, the New York Institute of Art and Design, and other education platforms. Together, we create an accelerated path to greater economic mobility through real-world skills and knowledge that enable learners to achieve long-term success in the workplaces of the future. Our history dates back to 1890 when our founder, Thomas Foster, pioneered distance education by offering training by mail for coal miners to get the necessary skills for safer jobs. Today, with the partners who use our education and training programs, we continue that mission of providing accessible training and education for in-demand skills and are building a workforce that’s prepared for the future job market.

Equal Employment Opportunity:

We strive toward Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Penn Foster Group by intentionally building diverse teams – in identities, lived experiences, and ideas to create a culture where people feel connected to each other and have a sense of belonging. We value diversity, equity, and inclusion because it is the foundation that enables us to achieve what we set out to do as an organization – from maximizing the number of learners who can reach their goals while giving them the kinds of experiences we want them to have, to becoming the type of company we want to work in.

What We Offer:

• medical
• dental
• vision
• flexible spending
• generous paid time off
• sponsored volunteer opportunities
• a 401K with a company match
• free access to our online programs