Director of Accreditation, Planning, and Institutional Effectiveness
Marymount University, Arlington, VA, United States
Director of Accreditation, Planning, and Institutional Effectiveness
Reporting to the Sr. Director of Academic Financial Affairs, the Director of Accreditation, Planning, and Institutional Effectiveness provides leadership and oversight for institutional accreditation, strategic planning, assessment, and continuous improvement. This position serves as the official institutional liaison to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and ensures institutional compliance with all accreditation standards, policies, and reporting requirements. The Director plays a critical role in fostering a culture of evidence, effectiveness, and continuous quality improvement across the institution.
Essential Functions:
Accreditation & SACSCOCS Liaison - 50 % of time
Serve as the primary institutional liaison to SACSCOC, maintaining regular communication with assigned SACSCOC staff and peer evaluators.
Interpret, monitor, and disseminate SACSCOC principles, standards, policies, and substantive change requirements to campus stakeholders.
Lead planning, coordination, and preparation of all SACSCOC-related reports, including but not limited to:
Fifth-Year Interim Reports
Decennial Reaffirmation of Accreditation reports
Monitoring reports and follow-up documentation
Substantive Change prospectuses and notifications
Coordinate on-site, virtual, or off-site SACSCOC review visits, including logistics, documentation, and institutional response.
Ensure timely and accurate submission of all accreditation materials and correspondence.
Advise senior leadership on accreditation risks, compliance issues, and regulatory implications.
Planning & Institutional Effectiveness, Assessment - 20 % of time
Lead the Office of Planning and Institutional Effectiveness (PIE), whose work includes institutional research and decision support, program review, review of administrative units, student learning outcomes assessment, accreditation, and strategic plan evaluation and support.
Direct the institution's planning, institutional effectiveness framework, including assessment of:
Student learning outcomes
Administrative and academic unit effectiveness
Program-level and institutional-level outcomes
Enrollment data and reporting
Ensure assessment practices align with SACSCOC expectations for ongoing, systematic, and documented improvement.
Oversee leadership, training, and guidance to faculty and staff on assessment design, data collection, analysis, and use of results.
Review assessment reports and ensure evidence of data-informed decision-making and commitment to continuous improvement. Providing oversight of institutional information and data resources to ensure integrity, accuracy, usability, and compliance with widely understood and accepted best practices
Oversee accurate reporting of institutional data and information to federal, state, and local governments, nonprofit organizations, publications, and other requestors
Oversee the development of innovative resources and data visualizations to effectively communicate data and information with internal and external stakeholders
Strategic Planning & Continuous Improvement - 10 % of time
Plan and coordinate new strategic initiatives and provide support for university-wide strategic planning efforts, including development and reporting of key performance indicators and progress toward goals
Align strategic planning, budgeting, assessment, and accreditation activities to support institutional goals and mission fulfillment.
Track progress on strategic initiatives and prepare reports for executive leadership, governing boards, and accrediting bodies.
Promote a culture of accountability, transparency, and evidence-based planning.
Data, Reporting, & Compliance - 10 % of time
Collaborate with institutional research, academic affairs, student affairs, and administrative units to ensure accurate and consistent data reporting.
Support compliance with state, federal, and system-level reporting requirements as they relate to accreditation and effectiveness.
Oversee the maintenance of organized and accessible accreditation and assessment documentation repositories.
Leadership & Collaboration - 10 % of time
Serve on institutional committees related to accreditation, assessment, strategic planning, and compliance.
Act as a resource and advisor to senior leadership, deans, department chairs, and program directors.
Supervise staff or coordinate cross-functional teams as assigned.
Required Qualifications:
Master's degree required; doctorate preferred, in higher education, educational leadership, assessment, or related field.
Demonstrated experience with SACSCOC accreditation, including direct involvement in reaffirmation, interim reporting, or substantive change.
Strong knowledge of institutional effectiveness, assessment methodologies, and continuous improvement practices.
Excellent written, verbal, organizational, and project management skills.
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience serving as an institutional SACSCOC liaison or accreditation lead.
Experience coordinating accreditation site visits or peer review processes.
Familiarity with accreditation management or assessment software systems.
Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:
Knowledge of and ability to follow university policies and procedures.
Ability to demonstrate exceptional service in alignment with Serve with Purpose; and to establish and maintain effective working relationships with the campus community.
Microsoft Office 365 includes proficient skills in Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint.
Workday proficiency related to the role
Marymount University is an equal opportunity employer. Marymount University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, marital status, pregnancy, veteran status or any other protected bases under applicable federal and local laws and regulations in any of its programs or its activities, including employment and admission. The university also expressly prohibits any form of sex discrimination and sexual misconduct including sexual harassment, dating and domestic violence, rape, sexual assault, sexual exploitation and stalking in any of its programs or activities, including employment and admission.
Reporting to the Sr. Director of Academic Financial Affairs, the Director of Accreditation, Planning, and Institutional Effectiveness provides leadership and oversight for institutional accreditation, strategic planning, assessment, and continuous improvement. This position serves as the official institutional liaison to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and ensures institutional compliance with all accreditation standards, policies, and reporting requirements. The Director plays a critical role in fostering a culture of evidence, effectiveness, and continuous quality improvement across the institution.
Essential Functions:
Accreditation & SACSCOCS Liaison - 50 % of time
Serve as the primary institutional liaison to SACSCOC, maintaining regular communication with assigned SACSCOC staff and peer evaluators.
Interpret, monitor, and disseminate SACSCOC principles, standards, policies, and substantive change requirements to campus stakeholders.
Lead planning, coordination, and preparation of all SACSCOC-related reports, including but not limited to:
Fifth-Year Interim Reports
Decennial Reaffirmation of Accreditation reports
Monitoring reports and follow-up documentation
Substantive Change prospectuses and notifications
Coordinate on-site, virtual, or off-site SACSCOC review visits, including logistics, documentation, and institutional response.
Ensure timely and accurate submission of all accreditation materials and correspondence.
Advise senior leadership on accreditation risks, compliance issues, and regulatory implications.
Planning & Institutional Effectiveness, Assessment - 20 % of time
Lead the Office of Planning and Institutional Effectiveness (PIE), whose work includes institutional research and decision support, program review, review of administrative units, student learning outcomes assessment, accreditation, and strategic plan evaluation and support.
Direct the institution's planning, institutional effectiveness framework, including assessment of:
Student learning outcomes
Administrative and academic unit effectiveness
Program-level and institutional-level outcomes
Enrollment data and reporting
Ensure assessment practices align with SACSCOC expectations for ongoing, systematic, and documented improvement.
Oversee leadership, training, and guidance to faculty and staff on assessment design, data collection, analysis, and use of results.
Review assessment reports and ensure evidence of data-informed decision-making and commitment to continuous improvement. Providing oversight of institutional information and data resources to ensure integrity, accuracy, usability, and compliance with widely understood and accepted best practices
Oversee accurate reporting of institutional data and information to federal, state, and local governments, nonprofit organizations, publications, and other requestors
Oversee the development of innovative resources and data visualizations to effectively communicate data and information with internal and external stakeholders
Strategic Planning & Continuous Improvement - 10 % of time
Plan and coordinate new strategic initiatives and provide support for university-wide strategic planning efforts, including development and reporting of key performance indicators and progress toward goals
Align strategic planning, budgeting, assessment, and accreditation activities to support institutional goals and mission fulfillment.
Track progress on strategic initiatives and prepare reports for executive leadership, governing boards, and accrediting bodies.
Promote a culture of accountability, transparency, and evidence-based planning.
Data, Reporting, & Compliance - 10 % of time
Collaborate with institutional research, academic affairs, student affairs, and administrative units to ensure accurate and consistent data reporting.
Support compliance with state, federal, and system-level reporting requirements as they relate to accreditation and effectiveness.
Oversee the maintenance of organized and accessible accreditation and assessment documentation repositories.
Leadership & Collaboration - 10 % of time
Serve on institutional committees related to accreditation, assessment, strategic planning, and compliance.
Act as a resource and advisor to senior leadership, deans, department chairs, and program directors.
Supervise staff or coordinate cross-functional teams as assigned.
Required Qualifications:
Master's degree required; doctorate preferred, in higher education, educational leadership, assessment, or related field.
Demonstrated experience with SACSCOC accreditation, including direct involvement in reaffirmation, interim reporting, or substantive change.
Strong knowledge of institutional effectiveness, assessment methodologies, and continuous improvement practices.
Excellent written, verbal, organizational, and project management skills.
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience serving as an institutional SACSCOC liaison or accreditation lead.
Experience coordinating accreditation site visits or peer review processes.
Familiarity with accreditation management or assessment software systems.
Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:
Knowledge of and ability to follow university policies and procedures.
Ability to demonstrate exceptional service in alignment with Serve with Purpose; and to establish and maintain effective working relationships with the campus community.
Microsoft Office 365 includes proficient skills in Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint.
Workday proficiency related to the role
Marymount University is an equal opportunity employer. Marymount University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, marital status, pregnancy, veteran status or any other protected bases under applicable federal and local laws and regulations in any of its programs or its activities, including employment and admission. The university also expressly prohibits any form of sex discrimination and sexual misconduct including sexual harassment, dating and domestic violence, rape, sexual assault, sexual exploitation and stalking in any of its programs or activities, including employment and admission.