Associate Vice Provost, Accredidation & Compliance

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.

The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs.

At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is:
 

Pay Range: $180,800.00 - $325,500.00

Job Description

This position plays a critical role in ensuring compliance with accreditation standards, maintaining institutional accreditation, and driving innovation in quality assurance to support WGU’s mission of advancing student success. As a fully online, competency-based university, WGU focuses on providing accessible, affordable, and high-quality education to students of all backgrounds. Coordinates accreditation activities, prepares required reports, and facilitates communication between internal stakeholders and accrediting agencies. This role oversees the compliance of each school, each ancillary corporation, and the university’s ability to operate, including obtaining state approvals, programmatic accreditation, and ensuring students’ and graduates’ abilities to obtain jurisdiction-specific professional licenses and certifications. This role ensures that accreditation practices meet regulatory requirements and align with WGU’s forward-thinking approach to the future of education, including integrating work-based learning to enhance student outcomes and career readiness.

This role is a future-focused leader who leverages innovation, data, and industry trends to continuously improve accreditation processes. This ensures that WGU’s unique education model—focused on competency-based learning and real-world, work-based integration—drives student success and workforce preparedness. Through strategic influence, thought leadership, and collaboration, ensures that WGU is equipped to shape the future of education while maintaining the highest standards of quality and accreditation compliance.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership in Accreditation & Regulatory Affairs: Ensure that WGU complies with all accreditation standards and policies and serve as the primary liaison between WGU and accrediting bodies. Spearhead strategic relationships with institutional and programmatic accreditors, state boards, and other regulatory bodies. Maintain regular communication between WGU and accrediting bodies to ensure all accreditation requirements are met.
• Institutional Reporting, Documentation, & Governance: Oversee the preparation and submission of all reports, documentation, and materials required by accrediting agencies, including annual reports and accreditation renewal applications. Manage WGU’s accreditation and regulatory calendar, ensuring timely compliance and alignment with external expectations. Ensure that WGU’s innovative practices and student outcomes, especially in work-based learning, are reflected in submissions.
• Accreditation & Compliance Reviews: Coordinate and oversee accreditation site visits, peer reviews, evaluations, and regulatory audits. Ensure that WGU is fully prepared to demonstrate compliance with accreditation standards and regulatory requirements. Conduct regular strategic reviews to validate compliance.
• Future of Education Focus & Regulatory Intelligence: Collaborate with academic leadership to align WGU’s accreditation and regulatory practices with future educational trends, ensuring the institution remains adaptive, future-ready, and positioned as a leader in innovative higher education. Maintain a high level of awareness of national, state, and professional regulatory changes, translating insights into actionable strategies for compliance.
• Continuous Improvement & Innovation: Drive innovation in accreditation and r