Executive Director, Assessment and Accreditation

This position may be eligible for Hybrid Work, working remotely for up to one day per week after the initial 90 days of employment.

Salary Range: $91,458/year or higher, commensurate with experience and/or education

JOB SUMMARY
The Executive Director of Assessment and Accreditation oversees the Office of Assessment and Accreditation and supports activities related to program review and academic, co-curricular, and operations assessment, helping the university to develop a culture of assessment. The Executive Director reports to the Associate Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness, Strategic Planning and Assessment.

DUTIES

• Collaborates with all colleges and departments to facilitate the development and implementation of assessment plans and related reports
• Ensures that all assessment-related documents and correspondence, including SACSCOC accreditation reports and related agency communications, are archived
• Assists the Associate Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness, Strategic Planning and Assessment to oversee the development of all SACSCOC-related reports, including substantive change Fifth-year Interim reports and decennial reports
• Supports programs and faculty in the development of professional accreditation and program review reports
• Coordinates data collection, evaluation, and reporting of General Education assessments
• Develops institution-wide surveys, analyzes, summarizes, and reports survey results to stakeholders
• Serves on the General Education Committee (GEC) and ensures that GE accreditation documents are archived
• Collaborates with the GEC to report changes to the THECB and develops related reports
• Spearheads conversations across UHD to foster a culture of assessment and quality improvement
• Collaborates with CTLE and other units to provide assessment and accreditation professional development
• Provides strategic oversight of the Office of Assessment and Accreditation
• Manages the related staff and office budget
• Serves on the Academic Assessment Committee
• Oversees the Co-curricular and Operations Assessment Committee
• Supports the work of decision-makers at all levels within the university by tracking appropriate metrics and providing information and analyses necessary to make data­-driven decisions
• Initiates, coordinates, and maintains the accountability for academic, co-curricular, and operations assessment activities directly related to institutional effectiveness.

MARGINAL DUTIES

• Performs all other duties as assigned

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

Direct Reports: Full-time employees 

Delegation of Work: Regularly assigns work to subordinate(s)

Supervision Given: Has primary responsibility for conducting performance evaluations and making recommendations for hiring and dismissing employees.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Knowledge:

• Knowledge of theory and best practices in assessment of student learning outcomes in academic programs in higher education
• Knowledge of one or more regional accredited agencies regarding assessment and institutional effectiveness
• Familiarity with empirically based assessment practices.

Skills:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills

Abilities:

• Ability to effectively communicate with a wide range of individuals and constituencies in a diverse university community

WORK LOCATION AND PHYSICAL DEMANDS 
Primary Work Location:

• Works in an office environment

Physical Demands:

• Work is performed in a typical interior work environment which does not subject the employee to any unpleasant elements
• Individual has discretion in relation to walking, standing etc., and has minimal exposure to physical risks

EEO/AA

Required Education:

• Ph.D. in any field of study

Required Experience:

• Minimum of four (4) years of related job experience

License/Certification:

• None required

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with SACSCOC accreditation 
• Experience as a SACSCOC evaluator 
• Degree in Mathematics, Statistics, or Educational Psychology 

About University of Houston Downtown

The second-largest university in Houston, the University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) is a comprehensive, four-year, urban university in the heart of downtown. Led by President Loren J. Blanchard, UHD is a community of diverse faculty, staff, students, and regional partners dedicated to nurturing talent, generating knowledge, and driving socioeconomic mobility for a just and sustainable future.  

Since opening its doors in 1974, UHD has grown in size, scope, and service, now offering 46 bachelor’s and 11 master’s degree programs and 17 fully online programs within its four colleges: Marilyn Davies College of Business, College of Humanities & Social Sciences, College of Public Service, and College of Sciences & Technology.

UHD educates approximately 15,000 students annually. With more than 77% of UHD’s students coming directly from Harris County, UHD is not just a university in Houston, but Houston’s University and an Anchor Institution for the region.

UHD is recognized as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, a Minority-Serving Institution, and a Military-Friendly School. While the student population is largely Hispanic at 53% and African-American at 20%, more than 64 countries are represented. Furthermore, UHD has the most affordable tuition among four-year universities in Houston, and its graduates have the lowest student loan debt in the state. Importantly, 70% of UHD freshman students are the first in their families to attend college.

UHD is one of the four distinct and separate components of the University of Houston System, which also includes the University of Houston, University of Houston-Clear Lake, and University of Houston-Victoria.  Instructional Sites operated by UHD are University of Houston-Downtown Northwest, University of Houston-Downtown at Lone Star College-Kingwood, and University of Houston-Downtown at HCC-Coleman College.

The University of Houston is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action institution and recognizes protected classes of race, color, sex (including pregnancy), genetic information, religion, age (40 and above), national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or status, and gender expression as required by federal law. Veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.