Director of Academic Affairs

Who We Are:

At CEA CAPA, we believe that studying and interning abroad is a transformative experience that goes beyond academics. By immersing oneself in a new culture and community, students gain valuable skills and perspectives that can shape their future. That's why we're committed to providing unparalleled academic, professional, and cultural experiences abroad, with a focus on student support every step of the way.

A sense of belonging is fundamental to the mission, structure, and operations of CEA CAPA. We strive to provide a work environment that celebrates difference and is free of implicit and explicit bias. We seek to hire employees representing diversity in all forms and work to support all employees to achieve at the highest level. Employment is based on a person’s professional qualifications and competence.

Your Role:

The Academic Director is a critical member of the local leadership team, overseeing all academic activities. This includes curriculum development, faculty management, maintaining relations with US colleges and universities, and supporting custom programs and partnerships with local institutions.

Depending on the organization’s needs and the Academic Director’s subject area of specialization, the incumbent will be expected to deliver teaching during contracted hours and/or contribute to the development of courses. Additionally, the incumbent will be an active member of CEA CAPA’s global community of academic leaders.

What You’ll Do:

Leadership

• In collaboration with key local and global stakeholders, establish and implement a vision for local academic programs and Career and Internships that is aligned with the Global Functional Strategy.
• Work alongside the Center Director to provide leadership and development to academic and CIP 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 and host companies, where applicable.
• Continuously assess higher education trends and provide strategic recommendations.
• Actively engage with CEA CAPA’s global academic and CIP 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 and CIP communities.
• Support site visits from US staff and faculty by working closely with the Centre Director and US-based Academics team to showcase high academic and internship quality and global learning opportunities.

Academic Administration

• Ensure the academic and internship 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 and internship 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 courseload requirements. 
• Effectively communicate CEA CAPA’s academic and internship 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 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.
• 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 Centre 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 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 Centre 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:

• Excellent communication skills. 
• Ability to maintain positive relationships and ensure alignment between different departments.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and trends to inform strategic decisions.
• Ability to manage complex projects across multiple regions, ensuring consistency and efficiency.
• Ability to foster a strong community among Housing Coordinators and provide support.
• Experience in team building, resource management, and providing training or support to team members.
• Highly organized, with a strong attention to detail.
• Culturally sensitive, with the ability to work effectively in diverse environments.
• Adaptable and resilient, able to navigate and lead through change.
• Collaborative team player, able to work across departments and with remote teams.

Qualifications and Experience 

• Master’s degree or equivalent (PhD desirable).
• Fluency in English and Italian. 
• A minimum of 2 years of experience in post-secondary-level academic affairs.
• Knowledge of US teaching pedagogy.
• 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. 

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. 

Note: This role profile is intended to provide an overview of the key responsibilities and qualifications for the position. It is not exhaustive, and the role holder may be required to undertake additional tasks and duties, as necessary and in line with evolving business needs. Any proposed permanent modifications to this role profile will be made in consultation with role incumbents, and relevant stakeholders in accordance with applicable policies and legislative requirements.

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.