Academic Manager

Overview At 2U, we are all in on purpose. We are motivated by our mission – to eliminate the back row in education – and connected by our shared passion to deliver world‑class digital education at scale. As the parent company of edX, the world’s leading online learning platform, 2U powers more than 4,000 online higher education offerings – from free courses to full degrees. Together with more than 230 colleges, universities, and corporate partners, we are helping to unlock human potential. What We’re Looking For As an Academic Manager, you are responsible for the compliance, development, and management of academic staff and performance evaluation systems for a portfolio of academic roles. You will closely partner with Academic Analysis and Insight, Instructional Recruitment, Curriculum, Centralized Support, University Relations, Educator Operations Teams and our University Partners. From the moment an educator receives their offer to join our teaching force, you will collaboratively ensure that they are ready to teach by the first day of class, feel supported throughout their teaching experience, and are fired up to put students first and never stop improving. The Academic Manager is responsible for quality checking, providing actionable feedback, assigning professional development and precise record‑keeping all aiming toward improving learner outcomes and the educator experience. It is expected that the Academic Manager is able to use their initiative, work well under pressure and take ownership of operational and administrative tasks in consultation with the Sr Manager, Academic Management. Skills Relationship Building: Manage and build relationships with hundreds of educators. Project Management: Support initiatives that improve the educator experience. Platform Knowledge: Understand various platforms our educators use in order to increase proficiency. Risk Management: Ability to discern when an educator issue needs to be raised to the attention of management. Effective Communication: Ability to support educator‑focused initiatives via 1:1 communication, larger trainings. Ability to maintain focus and prioritize in a complex landscape: Support AMS quarterly OKRs. Cross‑functional collaboration to push forward AMS initiatives. Responsibilities Academic Staffing for instructional staff roles within a portfolio. Ensure the organization is compliant with payment, hours, and teaching assignments using our Workforce Management System. Engage in performance data and implement necessary strategies and conversations for retention within the portfolio. Support implementation and maintenance of all educator‑facing policies and updates. Maintain presentation‑related records and databases by creating and applying updates to academic and presentation‑management‑related knowledge systems. Support effective interdepartmental query and workflow management through the creation and assignment of tasks. Maintain a minimum of basic knowledge of our Online Learning Campus, systems and course delivery processes. Build relationships with instructors in a portfolio to ensure we have accurate data to identify the ways in which we can best engage them (e.g., focus groups, survey analysis). Responsible for clear touchpoints throughout the instructional staff member’s experience with close collaboration cross‑functional teams including Academic and student engagement teams. Innovate and execute strategies based on educator feedback with your portfolio. Connect educators to opportunities in service of our organizational goals and vision for instructional engagement. Communicate professionally and effectively with internal and external stakeholders at all times, acting as gatekeepers through management of academic processes. Support educators with adopting, understanding and implementing any and all 2U/edX policies. Drive Instructional Staff Satisfaction and Student Impact. Develop expertise in what it means to teach the edX Boot Camps or Exec Ed way. Track and support educators through the onboarding process and advocate for process change to improve systematic hurdles. Analyze program and classroom‑level data on a weekly cadence to inform and support full‑team decision making. Guide production teams during the course design phase during design‑consideration meetings by informing them of student and facilitator behavior and engagement during the presentation phase. Channel feedback to cross‑functional teams focused on academic management and educator experience. Support the development and maintenance of an instructional community of educators. Qualifications and Background At least 3 years applicable work experience (coaching, adult learners, training, etc.). Excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Knowledge of the edtech industry and/or academic management experience (beneficial). Some contract management and/or project management skills (beneficial). Working knowledge of Google Suite and Salesforce is advantageous. Working Conditions Fast‑paced and high‑pressure work environment requires Academic Specialists to be adaptable to fluctuating task situations and demands. Works well with others – strong interpersonal and communication skills. The nature of the work requires strong time management, organizational and computer skills. Benefits & Culture Our global employee base is a diverse collection of innovators, dreamers, and doers working together to transform lives through higher education. We believe that every employee can advance our shared purpose, and that life at 2U should be fun and meaningful. If you’re excited by the opportunity to provide over 40 million learners and counting with access to world‑class online higher education, then join us – and do work that makes a difference. #NoBackRow We offer comprehensive benefits (unique per country) and excellent work/life balance. Full‑time, ZA benefits include: 2 complimentary Getsmarter short courses per year Subsidised medical aid with Discovery Health Medical Scheme 4 % 2U contribution towards Discovery Life Pension Fund and Group Risk Benefit Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Generous leave policy including time off to volunteer for non‑profit organization, study leave, sports leave and a company‑wide festive season break 2U Diversity and Inclusion Statement 2U Diversity and Inclusion Statement. At 2U, we are committed to building and sustaining a culture of belonging, respect, and inclusion. We are proud of the steps we’ve taken to bring together an employee base that embodies diverse walks of life, ideas, genders, ages, races, cultures, sexual orientations, abilities and other unique qualities. We strive to offer a workplace where every employee feels empowered by what makes us different, as well as by how we are alike. #J-18808-Ljbffr