Chief Academic Officer

Job Description

Job Description

Position Overview

The CAO serves as CC Prep’s highest-ranking instructional and academic systems leader, with primary responsibility for improving instructional quality, operational consistency, student achievement, workforce-aligned program development, and scalable academic infrastructure.

As a key member of the Executive Team, the CAO provides strategic direction in institutional development and sustainable growth. This position is critical to CC Prep’s strategy of increasing enrollment while significantly enhancing student outcomes.

Regulatory Standards

The CAO will ensure all programs and operations align with applicable requirements, including:

• Cognia accreditation criteria
• OSSE Adult and Family Education (AFE) regulatory guidelines
• WIOA functional specifications
• ASPIRE performance accountability framework
• DCPCSB compliance requirements

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is a systems-oriented instructional leader capable of developing structures that bolster instructional operations, enhance enrollment, support accreditation, and ensure workforce alignment at scale. The successful candidate will be a collaborative leader who can balance:

• Instructional quality and rigor
• Workforce alignment and student readiness
• Operational accountability and discipline
• Responsiveness to adult learners
• Data-driven growth and sustainability planning

Organizational Environment & Work Culture

CC Prep is a mission-driven Adult Learning Institution currently implementing a strategic stabilization and scaling program to strengthen institutional systems, align workforce with industry, achieve operational consistency, create positive student outcomes, and ensure long-term organizational viability.

CC Prep is focused on implementing key operational enhancements through building:

• Scalable academic and operational systems
• Cross-functional accountability structures
• Collaborative leadership practices
• Student-centered service models
• A culture of operational excellence

Who Thrives Here ?

CC Prep is looking for leaders who thrive in:

• A collaborative, solutions-focused environment
• An organization committed to developing scalable, well-functioning systems
• A performance-based education setting
• A mission-driven institution focused on workforce mobility and community impact

Organizational Values

The organization places particular emphasis on:

• Being- accountable, responsive and professional
• Using a student-centered decision-making approach
• Encouraging cross-functional collaboration
• Pursuing continuous operational improvement

Leadership is committed to developing sustainable systems through phased development, collaborative executive support, and responsible scaling that avoids operational overload.

Strategic Role Importance

The Chief Academic Officer plays a crucial role in the organization’s mission by:

• Driving measurable improvements in student achievement and credential completion
• Leading accreditation readiness and maintaining Cognia compliance
• Expanding workforce-aligned CTE pathways to meet D.C. metropolitan area employer needs
• Building scalable instructional systems that support sustainable enrollment growth
• Strengthening faculty accountability and instructional consistency across all programs
• Aligning academic programs with ASPIRE, WIOA, and OSSE performance standards

Key Responsibilities

1. Academic Strategy & Leadership

• Design and implement a high-performance instructional model grounded in adult learning principles
• Provide vertical alignment across all program areas:
  • Adult Basic Education (ABE)
  • General Education Development preparation (GED)
  • Workforce development pathways
  • Career and Technical Education (CTE)
• Ensure continual improvement of instruction through accountability, integrity, and consistency

2. Regulatory Compliance & Program Approval

• Maintain compliance with Cognia, DCPCSB, and OSSE requirements
• Lead accreditation assessment and continuous improvement cycles
• Ensure operational alignment with WIOA and adult education regulations
• Improve systems supporting instructional documentation, reporting, and accountability

3. Curriculum Review & Quality Instruction

• Ensure curriculum, instruction, assessments, and support are aligned with Cognia standards
• Standardize curriculum frameworks and instructional delivery models across all programs
• Develop onboarding and instructional training systems for faculty
• Establish ASPIRE metric-driven improvements to institutional performance
• Develop and implement an academic dashboard with intervention mechanisms
• Develop targeted interventions for at-risk learners

4. Partnerships & Workforce Alignment

• Develop workforce-aligned CTE pathways in healthcare, information technology, construction trades, HVAC, and emerging sectors
• Build employer partnerships to support:
  • Apprenticeship programs
  • Workforce pipelines
  • Credentialing opportunities
  • Job placement outcomes
• Improve coordination between academic programs and student support services

5. Faculty Oversight & Professional Development

• Recruit, develop, and retain high-quality credentialed instructors
• Create a performance coaching and instructional practice model linked to student success
• Foster professionalism and multi-disciplinary coordination across departments
• Foster a collaborative learning framework that promotes accountability

6. Performance Assurance & Continuous Improvement

• Build scalable systems for instructional delivery and operational accountability
• Implement real-time performance monitoring and data-driven accountability systems
• Track student persistence, retention, and academic progress
• Make recommendations for program improvements that help students succeed and transition to the workforce
• Establish a long-range growth and sustainability model for academic programs

Qualifications

Education & Credentials

• Master’s Degree (required) in Administrative Leadership/Principalship, Adult and Developmental Education, Curriculum & Instruction, or related area
• Doctorate (preferred)

Experience

• At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in postsecondary or adult education leadership
• Demonstrated success in improving instruction and student performance
• Experience with:
  • Adult education, workforce development, or transitional postsecondary programs
  • Operational leadership within government-supported educational systems
  • Developing and integrating instructional systems and workforce development training programs

Core Competencies

• Strong understanding of adult learning principles and ASPIRE accountability systems
• Strong regulatory and compliance focus (Cognia, WIOA, OSSE)
• Collaborative leadership style and change management capability
• Data-driven quality improvement and performance analytics approach
• Systems thinking and operational function design
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management