Director of Academic Affairs

Your Role: 

As the Director of Academic Affairs, you'll play a key leadership role on our local team, guiding all aspects of the academic experience. You'll oversee curriculum development, lead and support faculty, manage partnerships with U.S. colleges and universities, and contribute to the success of custom academic programs in collaboration with local institutions.

Depending on your area of expertise and the needs of our organization, you may also have the opportunity to teach or contribute to course development as part of your role.

You'll join a global network of academic leaders at CEA CAPA, working collaboratively to shape impactful, high-quality education abroad experiences for students from around the world.

Starting salary: €25,000

What You'll Do: 

Leadership 

• In collaboration with key local and global stakeholders, establish and implement a vision for local academic programs aligned with the Global Functional Strategy 
• Work alongside the Center Director to provide leadership, development and supervision to academic affairs, career and internships staff
• Work in full alignment and continuous coordination with a diverse team to foster an environment dedicated to student success, accountability, and transparency, ensuring roles and objectives are always clear 
• Represent and promote CEA CAPA's mission and values to all students and stakeholders
• Build strong internal and external relationships to enhance CEA CAPA's visibility, reputation, and brand
• Drive robust relationships with local partner institutions, where applicable 
• Continuously assess higher education trends and provide strategic recommendations 
• Actively engage with CEA CAPA's global academic community, including peers and central leadership initiatives related to academics
• Serve as an ambassador, presenting engaging content at industry conferences and building a network with the local academic community 
• Support site visits from US staff and faculty by working closely with the Center Director and US-based Academics team to showcase high academic quality and global learning opportunities 

Academic Administration 

• Ensure the academic integrity and rigor of the center
• Develop the program calendar and student schedule according to recommended standards of best practice
• Accountable for the allocation of funds for courses, site visits, guest speakers, field trips etc.
• Lead academic administration tasks e.g. class timetables, syllabus preparation, student progress monitoring, and faculty support 
• Ensure that students are enrolled in courses that satisfy their credit and course load requirements  
• Effectively communicate CEA CAPA's academic policies, processes and timelines to faculty and students 
• Deliver engaging training and support on academic learning systems
• Ensure academic data integrity in CEA CAPA's records system and website 
• Create a community of engaged faculty by conducting a regular cadence of meetings and leading accreditation processes and assessments   

Faculty Life Cycle 

• Attract, recruit, develop, and retain faculty for all courses delivered at the center, including for specific academic disciplines as well as faculty related to Career and Internship Programs
• Foster an inclusive culture among faculty representing multiple identities, disciplines, and levels of experience
• Evaluate faculty performance, providing feedback and support to achieve academic goals
• Provide empathetic leadership in addressing complex interpersonal dynamics
• Build a supportive community through professional development opportunities
• Assess faculty in the classroom and provide feedback and development where applicable
• Mentor faculty and support visiting U.S. faculty

Development and Delivery of Academic Program 

• Participate in developing course lists for academic sessions
• Collaborate with cross-functional leaders to establish program dates and corresponding calendars
• Ensure delivery of career & internship programs according to frameworks and guidelines set by the Career & Internship Team and support faculty and coordinators alike in the seamless execution of the programs 
• In close partnership with local career and internship program team member(s), serve as point of contact for escalated cases relating to the delivery of these programs  
• In partnership with the program development team, ensure student and institutional needs are met through study center- and/or partner program-delivered academics 
• Collaborate with the Global Academics Team to expand academic offerings and ensure high-quality teaching methods
• Develop budgets in collaboration with Center Director, meet budget goals; manage and review invoices
• Allocate resources for active learning activities, maintaining a competitive advantage over peers in the field
• Serve as academic subject matter expert for custom programs, including but not limited to: supporting visiting faculty, developing and executing course development, supporting site visits, conducting lectures and business visits

Academic Support Services 

• Review and determine what academic accommodation requests; and determine whether reasonable academic accommodations for students are warranted
• Monitor and remain attuned to student academic conduct to ensure consistent adherence to CEA CAPA academic policies
• Lead response to academic policy violations
• Manage escalated academic cases and appeals in collaboration with Global Academics Leadership
• Create and facilitate student orientation sessions in collaboration with Center Directors
• Participate in pre-departure advising initiatives as needed
• Provide routine advisement for students throughout their program duration on an as-needed basis
• Ensure robust support for students encountering academic challenges
• Where a student's health and safety concern may bear implications for a student's ability to honor their academic obligations, work across functional stakeholders to identify needs and recommend resolutions in line with CEA CAPA Academic Policies and U.S. higher education standards

Daily Operations 

• Participate in ongoing local staff training as requested or required by local law 
• Collaborate with the team on making sure the facilities run smoothly, including maintenance issues, allocation of space and general needs 
• Participate in emergency response including emergency phone rotation, if applicable
• Provide coverage for opening/closing shifts in coordination with the Center Director 
• Participate in/lead program inclusions as assigned
• Monitor classroom needs including information technology

 What Makes a Great Candidate: 

• Master's degree or equivalent (PhD desirable)
• Minimum 2 years of experience in post-secondary-level academic affairs 
• Knowledge of teaching methodologies aligned with U.S. higher education
• Experience leading and developing faculty (required) and managing staff (preferred). 
• Ability to work with diverse identities. 
• Authorization to work in the location of the role. 
• Availability to work evenings/weekends on a seasonal basis.  

Core Competencies

• Commercial and administrative acumen
• Creative and solutions oriented
• Skilled negotiator
• Resilient and adaptable  
• Deadline-oriented
• Ability to navigate matrix relationships
• Active community participation

We believe great talent comes in many forms and that there is no one size fits all in hiring. If you feel you may be a great fit for this role but do not check all of the boxes, we encourage you to apply and show us why you're the right candidate for this position.  

 Who We Are: 

At CEA CAPA, we believe studying and interning abroad is a transformative experience. By immersing themselves in new cultures, our students gain valuable skills and perspectives that shape their futures.  

We're proud to be a recognized sector leader, known for our delivery of impactful academic, professional and cultural experiences. This is achieved through our dedicated global team who provide comprehensive guidance, instruction, support and resources to maximize the benefit of our students' time abroad. 

A sense of belonging is central to CEA CAPA's mission. We foster a work environment that values diversity and is free from bias. Our hiring practices are based on professional qualifications, skills and competence. 

With a footprint that spans 53 cities in 20 countries across Europe, Latin America and Australia our 450 strong global workforce deliver exceptional cultural experiences abroad to over 7,000 students per year. 

Our commitment to creating a sense of belonging means we welcome individuals of all abilities, ages, citizenships, educations, ethnicities, family statuses, gender identities, genders, genetic information, languages, marital status, military experiences, political views, pregnancy, races, religions, sexes, sexual orientations, socioeconomic statuses, and work experiences and therefore we encourage applicants from diverse lived experiences to apply.