Assistant Vice President for Digital Initiatives

The American Association of Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) is the leading national association that advances the democratic purposes of higher education by promoting equity, innovation, and excellence in liberal education. Its members are committed to extending the advantages of a liberal education to all students, regardless of academic specialization or intended career. Founded in 1915, AAC&U member institutions include accredited public and private colleges, community colleges, research universities, and comprehensive universities of every type and size. The Office of Curricular, Pedagogical, and Digital Innovation (OCPDI) is a dynamic unit within AAC&U. Through research, capacity-building, and advocacy, OCPDI provides actionable innovations in teaching, learning, technology, and assessment to improve undergraduate liberal education for all students.

AAC&U seeks a collaborative, self-motivated, and strategic digital learning expert for the position of Assistant Vice President (AVP) for Digital Initiatives to develop, participate in, and implement a range of programming opportunities in service to higher education. The AVP for Digital Initiatives is a full-time position that will provide significant leadership on critical intellectual, research, project management, logistical, and programmatic administration within OCPDI.This leadership position will provide vision and direction for key OCPDI programming with a specific focus on initiatives that leverage technologies but that also have far-reaching impact into the areas of teaching, learning, curriculum, assessment, and student success.The core portfolio of this individual will include conferences and grant-supported initiatives; however, this individual will also serve as a content expert and be present in numerous AAC&U events. The position of AVP reports directly to and works in collaboration with the Vice President for Digital Innovation.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide vision and leadership in the development of new programming and collaborations that will enable higher education to leverage technology to respond to key challenges and opportunities associated with AAC&U’s mission.
• Provide high-level logistical and implementation support for new and continuing initiatives, including the design, development, and delivery of a new conference on AI in higher education.
• Develop and maintain relationships with companies and others who may have an interest in sponsoring AAC&U’s digital innovation events.
• Collaborate in the development of curriculum and content for an array of AAC&U events, and serve as a presenter, facilitator, and/or content expert for AAC&U as related to the AVP’s areas of expertise.
• Seek and secure external funding and grants to support digital innovative program initiatives.
• Participate in long-term planning and decision-making for OCPDI.
• In collaboration with the two Vice Presidents in OCPDI, help provide leadership and oversight for the development, execution, and assessment of the Office’s short-term and long-term goals related to implementing the association’s strategic plan.
• Monitor programmatic outcomes and make data-driven decisions.
• Collaborate with other OCPDI staff and internal AAC&U offices on the logistics and programs for digital innovation events, including the Institute on AI, Pedagogy, and the Curriculum, and the new conference on AI and higher education.
• Act as a liaison and maintain communication and correspondence with multiple stakeholder communities, including AAC&U staff, nationally recognized experts, institute faculty, consultants, companies, and advisors.
• Communicate and partner with AAC&U staff regarding publications, databases, conferences, sponsorships, and other project management activities.

Required Qualifications

• An earned doctoral degree in education, higher education leadership, learning technologies, or a similar field.
• 5 to 7 years of leadership experience in higher education.This should include campus leadership as well as leadership executing national conferences and/or other events. Experience from multiple institution types is preferred.
• Successful record of securing external funding for projects that contained significant teaching, learning, curriculum, assessment and/or technology components. Pre-existing relationships with funders are preferred.
• A robust research background, including academic publications.
• A depth of knowledge regarding teaching and learning with technology in higher education with a particular interest or expertise in AI.
• Ability to work effectively with faculty and staff across disciplines and institution types.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills and high emotional intelligence.
• Superior communication skills and an ability to articulate a compelling message to multidisciplinary audiences.
• A clear understanding of and commitment to the values of AAC&U.
• Strong program management skills with an orientation toward collaboration.
• Exceptional time management skills.

Please submit a resume, cover letter describing relevant work and educational experience, and salary requirements to AAC&U, Box DI, 1818 R Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009, or to openings@aacu.org. Review of applications will begin on or before January 9, 2026.

A reasonable rate of compensation for this position is between $130,000 – $140,000. AAC&U has exceptional benefits.

AAC&U believes that a broadly diverse staff is critical to achieving excellence as a national higher education association. We seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. We are fully committed to equal employment opportunity and compliance with the full range of fair employment practices and nondiscrimination laws.