Associate Executive Director of Program Review and Innovation

The Associate Executive Director of Program Development and Innovation will serve as a key member of the ABHES leadership team, reporting directly to the Executive Director. This role will work collaboratively with leadership and other staff to advance ABHES’s mission and strategic goals while upholding its Core Values of Respect, Integrity, Service, and Excellence. The Associate Executive Director of Program Development & Innovation is expected to provide visionary and resilient leadership to a team responsible for reviewing and processing substantive and non-substantive change applications. The ideal candidate must exhibit qualities commensurate with an executive or senior level position, including strong leadership and management skills, creativity, adaptability, teamwork, strong communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Salary commensurate with experience, with an expected range of $125,000-$185,000. ABHES offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes 100% company-paid medical/dental/vision benefits for employees, a 6% company match retirement contribution, tuition reimbursement, paid time off, and more. While full-time remote work options may be considered for applicants residing outside of a reasonable commuting distance to the ABHES office, preference will be given to candidates located within a commutable distance. Those within commuting range will be expected to follow a hybrid work schedule, reporting to the office three days per week. This arrangement is designed to facilitate collaboration, engagement with leadership, and teamwork with other ABHES staff members. RESPONSIBILITIES PROVIDE STRONG & EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP – Provide oversight and day-to-day management of the Programs Department, supervising and mentoring a team of four accreditation staff members, fostering professional growth, and ensuring high performance by motivating employee engagement, prioritizing accountability and teamwork, and promoting professional growth. LEAD PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION - Lead continuing initiatives related to ABHES’s microcredentials pilot, ensuring alignment with accreditation standards and other higher education industry needs and trends. Monitor policy and regulatory trends in higher education and the accreditation field to capture best practices and contemporary processes. Track regulatory changes by state licensing, national credentialing, and federal authorities that impact program-specific operations. EVALUATE AND STREAMLINE PROCESSES - Analyze current departmental practices, including related accreditation process workflow, and modernize operations. Make recommendations to the Executive Director to streamline the program review, accreditation processes, aligning them more closely with best practices in accreditation and better serving ABHES member institutions and programs. Collaborate with the Executive Director to determine the optimal team structure, align team members’ skills with their responsibilities, and further develop talent to meet the Department’s needs and ABHES’ strategic and operational objectives. OVERSEE PROGRAM REVIEW & ACCREDITATION PROCESSES – Manage the processing of change applications and complaint processes in compliance with ABHES standards, ensuring that policies are consistently applied. Assure accessibility of the Programs Department, identify any accreditation concerns, and develop improvement strategies. Build and foster trusted relationships with both internal and external constituents and stakeholders. COMMUNITY OUTREACH - Advance ABHES’s reputation as a credible authority on quality assurance and improvement by collaborating with established advisory committees to draft policy and standards of accreditation that reflect requirements of the U.S. Department of Education, best practices in accreditation, and higher education. Oversee related activities for program advisory and other committees, substantive change, and distance education. Prepare correspondence, including action letters summarizing the Commission’s accreditation decisions. Present at ABHES accreditation workshops and webinars relative to program reviews as needed. Participate in public speaking engagements representing ABHES at applicable higher education and professional conferences. MANAGE DEPARTMENT RESOURCES. Oversee department budget and resources in a thorough and transparent manner. Evaluate and assess program application forms, accreditation fees, and overall structure on an ongoing basis. Present the annual budget to ABHES leadership for review and approval, and make department-related financial recommendations. QUALIFICATIONS, DESIRED SKILLS, AND REQUIREMENTS 7+ years of executive or senior level all-encompassing supervisory experience, managing both people and complex processes with proven critical thinking, analytical, and problem-solving skills. Extensive experience in accreditation, regulatory compliance, postsecondary education administration, and/or quality assurance (5+ years preferred). A master’s degree, preferably in a field such as curriculum development and instruction, higher education policy or administration, leadership, or a related field with coursework on education or program evaluation from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education. Exceptional organizational skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines and ensure deliverable accuracy in a high-demand environment. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for liaising with institutions, regulatory affiliates, committee members, and commissioners. Ability to facilitate committees, engage stakeholders, and work collaboratively in dynamic, mission-driven environments. Prior P&L and/or budget management experience, a plus. Proficiency with office productivity tools and accreditation/CRM platforms; basic dashboard and reporting skills. Willingness to travel periodically to industry conferences and to postsecondary institutions across the United States and its territories, as needed. Travel frequency is, on average, four times per year.

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