Senior Academic Operations Specialist

About Walden University

Walden University, an Adtalem Global Education institution, supports a diverse community of adult learners from across the U.S. and other countries, who seek to achieve their academic goals and make positive, lasting social change in their professions and communities. Walden offers more than 100 online degree and certificate programs, for students pursuing a bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral or certificate. Walden University has graduated more than 174,000 students and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

We operate on a hybrid schedule with four in-office days per week (Monday–Thursday). This approach enhances creativity, innovation, communication, and relationship-building, fostering a dynamic and collaborative work environment.

Visit WaldenU.edu for more information, and follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Job Title: Senior Academic Operations Specialist

Department: Academic Affairs and Administration
Reports To: Director of Academic Operations
Location: On-site (Columbia, MD or Minneapolis, MN)
Job Type: Full-Time, Exempt

Opportunity at a Glance
The Senior Academic Operations Specialist plays a pivotal role in leading, coordinating, and optimizing the operational functions that support academic success and institutional effectiveness. This role partners closely with Academic Affairs and Administration colleagues, Operational staff, and key internal stakeholders to ensure system operational efficiencies, compliance adherence, and streamlined processes, that will enable high-impact student and faculty support. The ideal candidate will bring strong project management skills, a deep understanding of academic operations, and a collaborative mindset to improve both staff and student experiences.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Academic Affairs and Administration colleagues and other stakeholders to support operational needs and implement scalable solutions.
• Lead efforts to identify, eliminate, or improve administrative barriers that hinder operational efficiency.
• Manage the development and continuous improvement of workflows, ensuring consistency across systems and teams.
• Advocate for the technology needs of Academic Affairs and Administration, representing their voice in cross-functional and vendor discussions.
• Lead and coordinate efforts to troubleshoot issues and escalate system concerns.
• Serve as a liaison with IT, and other stakeholders for issue resolution, system testing, and minimizing workflow disruptions.
• Oversee multiple concurrent projects from initiation to execution, with a focus on successful implementation and adoption.
• Apply structured change management principles to ensure seamless transitions during new initiatives or system/process updates.
• Direct communication strategies to ensure stakeholders are informed, engaged, and supported through changes.
• Lead and participate in operational meetings to provide updates, share feedback, and maintain alignment across the academic function.
• Work with stakeholders across departments to scale operational solutions and promote consistency in best practices.
• Partner with data teams and leadership to develop reporting capabilities that inform decision-making and track effectiveness.
• Stay current on regulatory and compliance requirements that impact academic services; recommend changes and ensure adherence.
• Perform other duties as assigned to support the mission and goals of the department.
• Comply with institutional policies, procedures, and standards.

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree Required.
• 5+ years of experience in higher education operations, student services, or academic support.
• Proven experience managing large-scale projects and implementing cross-functional initiatives.
• Strong understanding of academic workflows and challenges.
• Familiarity with CRM systems, learning management systems, and other student or faculty engagement technologies.

Preferred:

• Experience in a remote or hybrid academic environment.
• Certifications in Project Management (PMP), or similar credentials.
• Experience working with third-party technology vendors or in testing software releases.

Skills & Competencies:

• Exceptional organizational and project management skills.
• Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
• Effective verbal and written communication.
• Ability to collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Adaptability in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Commitment to student success, operational excellence, and academic integrity.

In support of the pay transparency laws enacted across the country, the expected salary range for this position is between $53520.9 and $93918.96. Actual pay will be adjusted based on job-related factors permitted by law, such as experience and training; geographic location; licensure and certifications; market factors; departmental budgets; and responsibility. Our Talent Acquisition Team will be happy to answer any questions you may have, and we look forward to learning more about your salary requirements. The position qualifies for the below benefits.

Adtalem offers a robust suite of benefits including:

• Health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance
• 401k Retirement Program + 6% employer match
• Participation in Adtalem’s Flexible Time Off (FTO) Policy
• 12 Paid Holidays
  
  For more information related to our benefits please visit: https://careers.adtalem.com/benefits.

Equal Opportunity – Minority / Female / Disability / V / Gender Identity / Sexual Orientation