Academic Program Strategist

Risepoint assists primarily regional universities in increasing their access and impact by making their academic programs available to students online. Founded in 2007, Risepoint's mission is to expand access to high-quality, affordable, and workforce-relevant education, especially for working and adult students. Risepoint brings single-minded dedication to student success, an integrated set of services, and data-driven performance to our collaboration with university partners.

Academic Services and Products is a passionate team of online learning experts working to ensure that faculty are at the helm and equipped with best-in-class research, resources, and course-design support partners. Our goal is to empower every faculty member to reach every student through transformative, online learning experiences.

The Academic Program Strategist (APS) supports the development, launch, and continuous improvement of Undergraduate, Business, Education, and Technology (UBET) programs at university partners. This role ensures program success through strategic consultation, faculty collaboration, curriculum planning, and leveraging best practices in online education. The APS will act as a key resource for program directors and faculty to optimize academic programs for scalability and quality. The APS will assist in faculty support, curriculum planning, and course development, and will contribute to the continuous improvement of programs.

A Day in the Life

The essential functions of this role are as follows:

• Provide strategic academic consultation for UBET programs, including program mapping, course planning, and curriculum development. Support strategic program efforts for UBET programs to ensure optimal outcomes for academic services and product delivery.
• Collaborate with university partners on academic program mapping, course design, and faculty professional development.
• Serve as a liaison between internal teams and university stakeholders to ensure alignment on program goals and implementation timelines. Participate in departmental systems to keep project data up-to-date and ensure smooth operational processes.
• Develop and maintain resources (templates, insight documents) to support program implementation and scalability.
• Collaborate with the instructional design team and individual faculty on specific course development issues and support curriculum implementation.
• Analyze program performance metrics to identify opportunities for improvement in retention, quality, and student outcomes.
• Actively maintain project systems and documentation to ensure timely updates and deliverables.
• Collaborate with program leadership to align academic offerings with current and emerging workforce needs, ensuring relevance to industry demands.
• Support the integration of workforce development strategies into curriculum planning and program design.
• Research and recommend AI tools and technologies that enhance program planning, student engagement, and instructional design.
• Provide faculty with resources and training on leveraging AI in course development and delivery.
• Perform in accordance with Risepoint Policies
• Perform other duties as assigned
• Ability to travel up to 15%.

What You’ll Need for Success

You must meet the following requirements to be considered for employment:

• Bachelor’s degree in Education, Business, or Related Field Required; Master’s Degree preferred.
• 5+ years in online higher education with expertise in academic program planning, curriculum design, and faculty support. 7+ years preferred.
• 5+ years of experience with LMS platforms and educational technologies. 7+ years preferred.
• Knowledge of instructional design principles and online/blended course development.
• Strong project management, organizational, and communication skills.
• Familiarity with Quality Matters (QM) Rubric or OLC Scorecard.
• Strong communication skills, with an ability to collaborate effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience in instructional design, course development, and faculty support in online education.

Risepoint is an equal opportunity employer and supports a diverse and inclusive workforce.