Manager, Academic Affairs - LMS

Job Description:

POSITION SUMMARY

The Academic Affairs Manager is a central administrative leader responsible for the operational excellence of academic programs and departments. Depending on institutional needs, Academic Affairs Managers may serve as departmental generalists, overseeing a broad portfolio of academic operations, or they may specialize in a critical functional area such as Student Information Systems (SIS), Learning Management Systems (LMS), or Regulatory Compliance. Regardless of focus, the Manager bridges the gap between academic strategy and daily operations, ensuring that faculty have the resources they need, policies are consistently applied, and student-facing academic services are executed flawlessly.

LOCATION

This position is eligible for a combination of remote and onsite work, typically requiring in-person presence on designated days.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

CORE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Academic Operations and Departmental Management

• Oversee the day-to-day administrative operations of assigned academic departments or functional areas, ensuring continuity of service, adherence to institutional calendars, and alignment with Academic Affairs priorities.
• Manage and track key academic operational cycles, including term planning, faculty onboarding, course delivery milestones, grade submission periods, and end-of-term closeout activities.
• Serve as a problem-solving escalation point for complex academic administrative issues requiring cross-departmental coordination or policy interpretation.

Policy Implementation and Academic Governance

• Interpret, apply, and monitor compliance with academic policies, procedures, and governance documents, including the college catalog, faculty handbook, and Academic Affairs guidelines.
• Support shared governance processes by coordinating committee logistics, tracking action items, and ensuring accurate documentation of academic decisions.
• Identify policy gaps or inconsistencies and collaborate with the Senior Manager to recommend updates that improve clarity, compliance, and operational efficiency.

Resource, Documentation, and Records Management

• Oversee the collection, organization, and maintenance of academic records, documents, and departmental resources in accordance with institutional retention schedules.
• Ensure timely distribution of academic information to faculty, staff, and students, including schedules, policy updates, procedural guidance, and deadlines.
• Maintain organized, audit-ready documentation to support accreditation, regulatory reviews, and internal assessments.

Stakeholder Liaison and Communication

• Act as a primary liaison between Academic Affairs and internal stakeholders, including faculty, department chairs, admissions, registrar, financial aid, and student services.
• Respond to and resolve faculty and student inquiries related to academic administration with a high level of professionalism and confidentiality.
• Communicate complex academic policies or system-related information clearly and consistently to non-technical audiences.

Project Management and Continuous Improvement

• Lead or contribute to Academic Affairs projects such as system implementations, process redesigns, policy rollouts, or program launches.
• Document workflows and standard operating procedures (SOPs) to promote consistency, scalability, and cross-training within the team.
• Analyze administrative processes and recommend improvements that reduce manual effort, mitigate risk, or enhance the faculty and student experience.

Cross-Functional and Team Support

• Provide proactive backup coverage for other Academic Managers during peak workload periods, leaves of absence, or vacancy gaps to ensure uninterrupted operations.
• Crosstrain on core academic administrative functions to support team resilience and knowledge sharing.
• Model collaboration, accountability, and service excellence in support of Academic Affairs team goals.

If the role is specialized, choose from the following functional areas:

SIS SPECIALIZATION

For managers assigned to the SIS/Systems specialty, the following responsibilities are prioritized:

• Lead the end-to