Associate Vice President of Academic Operations

Associate Vice President Of Academic Operations

NorthWest Arkansas Community College (NWACC) provides quality and affordable higher education to empower lives and strengthen communities within Northwest Arkansas and surrounding areas. As the largest community college in Arkansas, NWACC is recognized as a leader in education. NWACC offers a full range of associate degrees, certificates and workforce training programs that prepare students for rewarding futures and careers.

NWACC employees are dedicated to fostering a diverse educational community and cultural learning environment that supports student success.

The Associate Vice President of Academic Operations provides college-wide leadership for the administration, coordination, and continuous improvement of academic support and enrichment programs. This position supports student success, instructional excellence, and institutional effectiveness by overseeing key academic operations that complement teaching and learning. The Associate Vice President collaborates closely with academic deans, faculty, and student services to ensure integrated, equitable, and innovative academic experiences aligned with the mission of the community college.

Essential Duties:

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight for the following units and programs: Library Services, Academic Support and Learning Resources, Faculty Professional Development, Digital Learning and Online Education, Institutional Effectiveness, Service Learning and Civic Engagement, Honors Program, Global Studies and International Education
• Develop, implement, and assess policies, procedures, and initiatives that support academic quality, student engagement, and instructional effectiveness across modalities
• Collaborate with academic deans and faculty leadership to align academic operations with curriculum, accreditation standards, and institutional strategic priorities
• Lead initiatives that promote innovative teaching practices, digital learning excellence, and faculty growth in pedagogy, assessment, and use of instructional technologies
• Oversee planning, budgeting, and resource allocation for assigned units to ensure efficiency, sustainability, and alignment with institutional goals
• Support student success initiatives by ensuring academic support services are accessible, inclusive, and responsive to diverse student needs
• Foster cross-functional collaboration among academic affairs, student services, institutional effectiveness, and community partners
• Coordinate data-informed assessment and continuous improvement efforts for supervised programs, including program review and reporting
• Represent academic operations on institutional committees, task forces, and external partnerships as appropriate
• Supervise, mentor, and evaluate directors and staff within assigned operational areas, promoting a culture of collaboration, accountability, and professional excellence
• Additional duties may be assigned as necessary to support the goals and objectives of the department and college

Rate of Pay: $115,491 annualized *Higher compensation may be considered based on qualifications directly related to position

Completed applications received by 6/12/2026 will be assured full consideration. Late Applications will be reviewed as necessary to fill the position.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master's degree from an accredited institution of higher education
• At least five (5) years of progressively responsible leadership experience in higher education
• Demonstrated experience overseeing academic support, instructional programs, or faculty development initiatives

Preferred Qualifications:

• Doctorate from an accredited institution of higher education
• 2 years community college experience
• Experience leading digital learning, honors, global education, or service-learning programs
• Experience with accreditation, assessment, and institutional effectiveness processes

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of community college missions, academic operations, and student success frameworks
• Strong leadership, organizational, and supervisory skills
• Ability to analyze data to inform decision-making and continuous improvement
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills across diverse stakeholder groups
• Demonstrated ability to lead change, innovation, and cross-departmental initiatives

Physical Demands/Work Environment:

The following physical activities described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions and expectations. While performing the functions of this job, the employee is:

• Frequently:• Manipulate items with fingers, including keyboarding• Sitting• Standing• Walking
• Constantly:• Hearing• Repetitive motion• Talking

The worker is required to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading; and/or visual inspection at distances close to the eyes.

Environmental Conditions:

The following work environment characteristics are representative of those encountered by employees while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.

The work environment typically consists of a professional office setting with a moderate noise level, including sounds from conversations, office equipment, and occasional movement of staff. Lighting is standard for office spaces, and the temperature is controlled to remain within a comfortable range. Employees may occasionally need to visit other areas, such as storage rooms, conference spaces, or outdoor locations, where environmental conditions may vary. Infrequently, exposure to louder noise levels or physical activities, such as moving lightweight materials, might be required.

NWACC is an Equal Opportunity Employer, please see our EEO policy.