Job Details

Assistant Commissioner of Academic Affairs

Position Number: 6794336
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Position Type: Academic Vice Presidents and Provosts

Assistant Commissioner of Academic Affairs

Job Summary

The Assistant Commissioner of Academic Affairs coordinates and supports academic affairs initiatives in the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education within the Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) to improve institutional and program quality, performance, and student outcomes.

Responsibilities
Manage and coordinate the statewide Majors Committees to ensure alignment of curriculum and student learning outcomes within the 36 major academic disciplines across the eight USHE degree-granting institutions.

Update and maintain all committee participant lists.
Work with the academic affairs team, Chief Academic Officers, and General Education Council to establish an annual agenda for committee meetings related to systemwide topics.
Schedule and facilitate meetings of each of the 36 committees each year.
Develop or update and distribute pre-meeting and post-meeting materials for all committees.
Communicate committee outcomes to appropriate stakeholders.
Ensure completion of all individual committee assignments each year.
Keep abreast of national best practices regarding exam equivalencies, prior learning related major courses, and other relevant matters.
Coordinate with other Academic Affairs staff to maintain the USHE Major Guide and the USHE Transfer Credit Guide.

Manage and coordinate the statewide general education Faculty Area Workgroups to ensure appropriate learning outcomes are recommended to the General Education Council.

Update and maintain workgroup participant lists.
Schedule and facilitate regular meetings of the various workgroups.
Develop or update and distribute pre-meeting and post-meeting materials for all workgroups.
Communicate workgroup meeting outcomes to appropriate stakeholders.
Communicate Faculty Area Workgroup outcomes to the General Education Council.

In collaboration with other Academic Affairs staff:

Support program governance across the system, including program planning, approval, and review.
Support other statewide academic groups (General Education Council, PLA Committee, Transfer Council, Council of Chief Academic Officers, etc.)
Contribute to achieving the goals of the Board of Higher Education's strategic plan.

Liaise with other staff within the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education.

Engage with appropriate external stakeholders within the Utah secondary and postsecondary agencies and institutions.
Other duties as assigned.
Comments:
Typical office working conditions and hours with occasional meetings/events in the early morning, evenings, or weekends. Frequent local and statewide travel.
Work Environment and Level of Frequency typically required Nearly Continuously: Office environment.

Physical Requirements and Level of Frequency that may be requiredNearly Continuously: Sitting, hearing, listening, talking.Often: Repetitive hand motion (such as typing), walking.Seldom: Bending, reaching overhead.

Minimum Qualifications
Equivalency Statement: One year of education can be substituted for one year of related work experience.

Qualifications & Education

Master's degree or equivalency. PhD Strongly Preferred.
8 years' experience in a related field, ideally in education leadership with oversight of programs and personnel.

Skills & Abilities:

Leadership and executive competency, including emotional intelligence, vulnerability, situational awareness, and accountability.
Interpersonal and communication skills, including eloquence, empathy, diplomacy, trustworthiness, and wit.
Thinking and problem-solving skills, including cognitive flexibility, sense-making, and resilience.
Work ethic and motivation, including initiative, candor, learning agility, and humility.
Facilitation skills, including the ability to effectively conduct meetings with large groups of subject-matter experts.
Autonomy and collaboration, including an ability to work independently and as a member of team.
Organizational aptitude, including the ability to manage complex projects and timelines.
High data literacy, including the capacity to identify patterns and trends.

Preferences

Doctoral degree strongly preferred.
Experience as a faculty member at a higher education institution.
Administrative and/or faculty leadership experience in higher education.
Experience working on issues related to curricular alignment, articulation, and transfer in higher education.
Experience developing and/or implementing policy, especially in a higher education context

Special Instructions

Requisition Number: PRN43817B
Full Time or Part Time? Full Time
Work Schedule Summary: Typical office hours are 8am - 5pm, Monday - FridayHybrid position - 3 days in office.
Department: 01379 - USHE Commissioner
Location: Office of the Commissioner - Downtown SLC
Pay Rate Range: $115,000 - $140,000 DOE
Close Date: 1/15/2026
Open Until Filled:

To apply, visit https://utah.peopleadmin.com/postings/193668