Metropolitan State University of Denver · 11 hours ago
Associate Director of Strategic Initiatives, Academic Affairs
Denver, CO
Full-time
Hybrid
Senior Level, Lead/Staff
$84K/yr - $105K/yr
5+ years expMetropolitan State University of Denver is seeking an Associate Director of Strategic Initiatives for Academic Affairs to support the Chief Strategy Officer by managing high-priority strategic projects. The role involves coordinating efforts across multiple units to drive academic innovation, workforce alignment, and operational effectiveness.
DatabaseEducationInformation TechnologyUniversities
Responsibilities
Develop project plans, timelines, deliverables, and tracking mechanisms for Academic Affairs strategic initiatives
Lead day to day coordination among colleges, departments, CTLD, IT, Online Programs, and other campus partners
Identify risks, remove barriers, and escalate issues as needed to maintain project momentum
Prepare regular progress updates and reports for Academic Affairs leadership
Gather and organize the information needed to advance new Workforce Pell eligible credentials, noncredit offerings, and stackable pathways, including job tasks, skill requirements, employer expectations, and curricular alignment
Compile regulatory requirements, credential eligibility criteria, and peer program structures to support academic departments developing new offerings
Coordinate Academic Affairs responsibilities for potential pilots with external partners that may support credential development, including managing information flow and reviewing materials for academic alignment
Prepare program summaries, rationale statements, and approval documents for internal review processes and presentations
Coordinate internal documentation for new credentials and ensure alignment across colleges, Academic Affairs units, CTLD, advising, and other campus partners
Support development of stackable pathways by mapping progression routes and coordinating with advising and enrollment partners
Maintain templates, checklists, and quality expectations for credential development
Provide guidance on academic policies and approval steps related to new credentials
Support an intake and prioritization process for Academic Affairs initiatives by organizing proposals, assessing alignment with institutional goals, and recommending sequencing
Maintain tracking systems that monitor project status, timelines, and progress across Academic Affairs
Draft summaries, talking points, visual aids, and briefing materials for leadership and campus partners
Prepare synthesis materials that support leadership planning, decision making, and communication
Produce concise briefs that highlight patterns, risks, and opportunities for the academic portfolio
Maintain an integrated view of Academic Affairs initiatives by tracking project stages, dependencies, and overall pacing
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree
Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in project management, academic administration, strategy, operations, or related fields
Demonstrated experience leading complex projects involving multiple stakeholders
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Ability to manage competing deadlines and work independently
Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail
Preferred
Master's degree in education, public administration, business, or a related field
7+ years of relevant experience, including project leadership and cross-unit coordination
Experience with academic program development, workforce-aligned credentials, online learning, or process improvement
Familiarity with governance, accreditation, and academic program approval processes
Experience with project management tools (Asana, Trello, Smartsheet, MS Planner, etc.)
Demonstrated ability to translate strategy into actionable plans and deliverables
Benefits
Medical
Vision and dental
Free RTD pass
Tuition reimbursement
Life and supplemental insurance plans
Retirement plans
Access to a long-term disability (LTD) plan
Company
Metropolitan State University of Denver
The Metropolitan State University of Denver is a public university located in Denver, in the U.S. state of Colorado.
1001-5000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Metropolitan State University of Denver has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (19)
2024 (13)
2023 (17)
2022 (10)
2021 (4)
2020 (8)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$0.1MKey Investors
US Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administation
2023-09-28Grant· $0.1M
Leadership Team
Jim Carpenter
Chief Financial Officer
Bob Amend
Interim Chief Academic and Administrative Officer
Recent News
Seattle TechFlash
2025-09-12
Denver Business Journal
2025-03-10
Company data provided by crunchbase