There are two screening criteria I use to decide if a role fits in this Featured Gig series. The first is whether the job is one I might be interested in if I were in the job market. The second is if the role sits at the intersection of learning, technology and organizational change.
Today’s featured gig is for the executive director of online education and AI innovation at Manchester University. The university’s human resources director, Heather N. Hess, has the answers to my questions about the role.
Q: What is the university’s mandate behind this role? How does it help align with and advance the university’s strategic priorities?
A: The mandate behind the executive director of online education and AI innovation is to position Manchester University as a mission-driven, financially sustainable institution that delivers high-quality, student-centered education in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
This role exists to:
- Expand access to Manchester’s education beyond traditional campus boundaries
- Strengthen academic quality in online formats
- Ensure financial sustainability through thoughtful program growth
- Lead responsible, values-centered adoption of AI in teaching, learning and operations
Grounded in Manchester’s commitment to respect the infinite worth of every individual and to graduate persons of ability and conviction, this role ensures that innovation does not dilute mission—it amplifies it.
This role advances strategic priorities by:
- Driving healthy enrollments and building strategic investments and partnerships: Identifying workforce-aligned programs, certificates and partnerships that respond to regional and national demand.
- Championing student success: Building integrated systems from inquiry through graduation, including advising, analytics and AI-supported outreach.
- Future-focused academic programs: Supporting faculty with high-quality instructional design, ethical AI integration and LMS optimization.
In short: This role operationalizes innovation in a way that protects mission while securing the university’s future.
Q: Where does the role sit within the university structure? How will the person in this role engage with other units and leaders across campus? Is the role in-person, hybrid or remote eligible?
A: This role reports directly to the chief academic officer and is located within Academic Affairs. While housed in Academic Affairs, this is inherently a cross-functional executive role.
The executive director will work closely with leaders across campus, including:
- Academic departments and faculty leads
- Enrollment management
- Registrar
- Financial aid
- Information technology
- Marketing
- Student affairs and advising
- CFO and cabinet
This is a bridge-building position. The leader must break down silos, align operations and translate between academic, technical, financial and enrollment priorities.
They are not simply managing a department—they are coordinating a campuswide digital ecosystem.
We strongly prefer an individual who is based on the North Manchester, Ind., campus. We would consider a hybrid arrangement for an outstanding candidate. In this case, regular campus presence and active participation in university life are expected.
Q: What would success look like in one year? Three years? Beyond?
A: Year one: Foundation and Alignment
Success in year one would include:
- Comprehensive assessment of current online operations
- Clear digital learning strategy aligned with institutional priorities
- Strengthened collaboration between academic affairs, enrollment, IT and student services
- Faculty development framework for online pedagogy and AI use
- Initial AI governance guidelines in place
- Operational improvements that reduce friction for online students
- Defined KPIs (enrollment growth, retention, course quality, margin performance)
Year one is about stabilization, credibility and building trust.
Three years: Growth and Integration
By year three, success would look like:
- Expanded online program portfolio aligned with workforce demand
- Measurable enrollment growth in online offerings
- Improved retention and completion rates for online students
- Integrated AI-enhanced advising or learning tools with documented impact
- Strong faculty adoption of high-quality online course design
- Clear financial contribution from online programs
- Recognized regional reputation for thoughtful AI integration
Beyond three years: Institutional Differentiation
Long-term success would mean:
- Manchester is known as a mission-centered innovator in online and AI-enhanced education
- Online and hybrid models are fully embedded across appropriate programs
- Data-informed decision-making is standard practice
- Sustainable financial contribution supports broader institutional priorities
- The culture embraces thoughtful experimentation without compromising values
Beyond three years, this role helps define Manchester’s competitive identity.
Q: What kinds of future roles would someone who took this position be prepared for?
A: This is a career-accelerating role that requires enterprise leadership and a start-up mentality.
Someone successful here would be prepared for:
- Provost/chief academic officer
- Chief online learning officer
- Vice president for strategy or innovation
- Chief digital officer
- President of a small college (particularly mission-driven institutions navigating transformation)
- Senior executive roles in ed tech or higher education consulting
Why? Because this position requires:
- Budget ownership
- Cross-functional executive leadership
- Strategic planning
- Change management
- Faculty engagement
- Technology governance
- Market analysis
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