Industry: Global Digital Higher Education & AI-Enabled Learning Platforms
Executive Leadership Team | Reports to: President & Chief Executive Officer
Location: Remote – United States
About the Institution
We are a globally accredited digital higher education network delivering undergraduate, graduate, executive, and professional certification programs across 70+ countries. Our institution integrates AI-enabled learning platforms, adaptive curriculum technologies, virtual labs, and industry-embedded degree pathways in partnership with Fortune 500 employers and leading research institutions.
With over 150,000 active learners and strategic alliances across technology, healthcare, business, and engineering sectors, we operate at the intersection of academic rigor, workforce alignment, and digital innovation.
As global demand for flexible, skills-based, and technology-integrated education accelerates, we are seeking a visionary Chief Academic Officer to lead academic excellence, institutional accreditation, faculty strategy, and curriculum transformation at global scale.
This is not a provost oversight role. This is a strategic academic innovation mandate.
Job Function
The Chief Academic Officer will define and execute the institution’s global academic strategy, ensuring excellence in curriculum development, accreditation compliance, faculty governance, research alignment, and digital learning innovation.
The CAO will oversee academic operations across multiple colleges and international campuses, embedding quality assurance, workforce relevance, and technological advancement into all academic programs.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Define and implement a multi-year global academic strategy aligned with institutional growth objectives
- Oversee curriculum development across undergraduate, graduate, and executive programs
- Ensure compliance with regional and international accreditation standards
- Lead academic governance structures and faculty senate engagement
- Guide integration of AI-powered adaptive learning technologies across programs
- Oversee faculty recruitment, development, and performance evaluation frameworks
- Drive academic program innovation aligned with workforce and industry demands
- Establish quality assurance and academic outcomes measurement systems
- Support research partnerships and applied innovation initiatives
- Align global campuses under unified academic standards and policies
- Oversee academic budgeting and resource allocation
- Represent academic strategy to the Board, accreditation bodies, and regulatory agencies
- Lead institutional reviews and academic risk mitigation initiatives
Strategic Support
- Advise the CEO and Board on long-term academic positioning and institutional growth
- Support expansion into new international markets and regulatory jurisdictions
- Contribute to M&A strategy related to academic program acquisitions
- Strengthen employer partnerships for workforce-aligned curriculum design
- Guide digital transformation initiatives within academic infrastructure
- Support global brand positioning as a leader in digital higher education
Job Qualifications and Requirements
- 15+ years of progressive academic leadership experience
- 8+ years in executive-level academic administration (Provost, Dean, or equivalent)
- Proven experience leading accredited institutions across multiple regions
- Strong knowledge of global accreditation and quality assurance frameworks
- Demonstrated success in integrating technology into academic ecosystems
- Experience managing large faculty bodies and academic governance structures
- Background in online or hybrid education models strongly preferred
- Terminal degree (PhD or equivalent) required
- Experience in presenting to Boards and accreditation authorities
Personal Capabilities and Qualifications
- Visionary academic leader with strategic foresight
- Strong executive presence and governance expertise
- Commitment to academic integrity and institutional excellence
- Data-driven mindset focused on measurable student outcomes
- High emotional intelligence and faculty engagement capability
- Resilience in evolving regulatory and digital education landscapes
- Cross-cultural leadership ability across global campuses
- Ethical leadership aligned with institutional mission
Working Conditions
- Hybrid executive model with 25–35% international travel
- Direct engagement with accreditation agencies and regulatory bodies
- Oversight of multi-campus and digital academic operations
- High-accountability role tied to institutional accreditation and outcomes
- Board-level reporting responsibilities
Compensation & Benefits
Total Executive Compensation Package: $320,000 – $423,000 USD
Executive Compensation Includes:
- Competitive base salary within stated range
- Performance-based annual incentive tied to institutional growth and outcomes
- Long-term executive incentive participation
- Comprehensive executive health and wellness benefits
- Retirement and deferred compensation programs
- Relocation and global mobility support
- Executive leadership coaching and academic advisory services
- Generous PTO and executive leave structure
Why Join Us
- Shape the future of global digital higher education
- Lead academic transformation in an AI-enabled learning ecosystem
- Influence workforce-aligned degree pathways across international markets
- Partner with world-class faculty, researchers, and industry leaders
- Competitive executive compensation aligned with institutional impact
- Opportunity to build an enduring academic legacy at a global scale
