Job Description

Position Title : Director of Academic Operations

Reports to : Executive Dean and VP

Location: Toronto, ON

About IBU

International Business University (IBU) stands as Ontario’s first independent not-for-profit university. Having received Ministerial consent for full accreditation in 2020 and DLI approval in 2023, IBU is Ontario’s only not-for-profit independent University. Our foundation draws inspiration from the world’s most esteemed independent universities, creating a ‘next generation’ model characterized by innovation, agility, and responsiveness. IBU is focused on being a truly student-centric, industry-aligned university, executing the best practices of today to build the future talent relevance of tomorrow. IBU is committed to curricula and learning experiences that seamlessly blend rigorous academic preparation with practical skill development, reflecting emerging technologies, evolving societal needs, and the future demands of the global workforce.

Position Summary

The Director of Academic Operations is a strategic and hands-on leader responsible for overseeing the operational effectiveness of academic programs and services. This role ensures that academic quality and integrity are upheld across the institution while fostering proactive project planning and seamless execution. The ideal candidate will bring a strong background in project management, a keen understanding of academic processes and compliance, and a collaborative approach to working with faculty, staff, and students. They will play a central role in shaping and enforcing academic policies, enhancing operational systems, and ensuring an exceptional academic experience for all stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities:

Project Management Support and Monitoring for Academic Operations

• Hold accountability for identified cross-functional academic priorities/projects from planning to execution.
• Ensure the academic operations is utilizing a systems approach to project management methodologies to ensure projects are delivered on time and on budget 
• Track, measure, and report on academic KPIs to drive academic excellence and service improvements.

Academic Quality Assurance & Accreditation

• Lead initiatives to uphold academic integrity across programs and ensure alignment with institutional and accreditation standards.
• Collaborate with faculty and academic leadership to uphold rigorous academic standards and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Lead the re-accreditation exercises for the University with external bodies
• Implement an internal quality assurance system for all programs delivered by IBU, including conducting course evaluation surveys for each team

Academic Policies, Procedures & Compliance

• Develop and regularly update academic policies and procedures to support a compliant, equitable, and transparent academic environment.
• Ensure alignment with regulatory bodies and accreditation requirements.
• Ensure consistent communication and training on academic protocols across departments and stakeholder groups.
• Champion academic integrity by implementing and managing policies, tools, and technologies that promote fair and ethical learning environments.

Inter-departmental Collaboration

• Represent Academic Operations in cross-functional working groups, committees, and institutional planning processes.
• When working on interdepartmental solutions, initiatives, and projects, foster positive relations, communication and collaboration between academic, student services, registrar, faculty development, and IT to ensure integrated and student-centred operations.

Operational Oversight

• Ensure effective delivery of academic survey administration.
• Lead the development and implementation of SOPs and efficiency reviews for the academic operations
• Oversee effective, high-quality academic operational communications to faculty and students to ensure clarity, timeliness, and engagement.

Faculty Support & Development

• Design and manage robust onboarding and orientation programs for new faculty members, fostering an early understanding of academic values, technologies, and expectations.
• Act as a resource for faculty on academic policies, instructional supports, and institutional initiatives.
• Provide feedback to faculty members on the results of course evaluations in each term to ensure an effective process of continuous improvement.
• Review by term with the Director of Graduate Studies and program managers, course outlines to ensure consistency and adherence to the IBU criteria.

Team Leadership

• Directly supervise the Academic Operations team members, providing mentorship, performance management, and professional development.
• Promote a high-performance, collaborative, and service-oriented team culture.
• Define KPIs for faculty support teams and hold staff accountable to shared goals.

The successful candidate will have the following essential qualifications:

• Master’s degree in related field; doctoral degree preferred.
• Minimum seven (7) years of progressive experience in academic operations, faculty support, or academic quality assurance.
• Proven expertise in project management, PMP certification or equivalent strongly preferred; organization willing to certify
• Demonstrated success in overseeing academic quality assurance and integrity frameworks.
• Exceptional project management and organizational skills, with the ability to handle multiple tasks and deadlines.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to build cross-functional relationships and drive change collaboratively.
• Strong knowledge of academic policies, accreditation standards, and institutional compliance.
• Technological fluency with LMS (e.g., Canvas), CRM tools, and data dashboards.
• Ability to lead and mentor a team, fostering a collaborative and high-performance environment.

Key Competencies:

• Expert project management and strategic execution
• Proactive leadership and problem-solving
• Academic governance and policy development
• Operational efficiency and attention to detail
• Data-informed decision-making
• Technological proficiency in academic tools
• Staff supervision and team building
• Continuous improvement mindset
• Stakeholder engagement and collaboration
• Time Management, Resource Management, Organizational Skills

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