Assistant Director, Program Operations

Department Overview



RISD Continuing Education (CE) functions within the larger context of RISD, an institution with an unparalleled reputation for producing highly-skilled, successful, and internationally renowned creative practitioners. A wide variety of creative experiences await adult students at RISD Continuing Education. We offer courses and certificate programs in a broad range of visual arts and design disciplines (both traditional and digital), as well as in topics related to art and design as integral parts of our lives and culture. We schedule these courses year-round, during the Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer terms.

With more than 100 years of expertise nurturing critical making, thinking, and innovation and applying the principles of art and design to the requirements of trade and manufacturing, RISD Continuing Education Certificate Programs are designed to facilitate personal and professional development by engaging students in sustained exploration and learning in specific creative disciplines. These non-credit certificates are flexible, designed to accommodate both students’ learning interests and schedules, and provide robust, studio-based learning that is current, relevant, and integrally connected to the creative economy. These programs equip students with the skills, confidence, proficiency, and real-world experience to accelerate their creative lives and work.

Our students are diverse, coming from a wide range of geographic, socioeconomic, and cultural backgrounds, representing all forms of diversity. We seek a culturally competent candidate who will thrive in a campus environment that advances principles of social equity and inclusion, environmental and climate justice, and equal access to resources and opportunities.



Job Summary

RISD Continuing Education seeks an Assistant Director, Program Operations to provide planning and support for the programmatic team and act as the primary point of contact for the operationalization of curriculum, both existing and proposed. This position leads coordination with instructors, CE staff, as well as various campus and external partners. The Assistant Director, Program Operations ensures that program planning runs smoothly, with fluid communication across all areas of CE including but not limited to liaison between programmatic team, marketing and enrollment operations area for student questions, marketing image selection, course planning, and instructor support. This role is responsible for the day-to-day management and administration of CE’s curriculum manager database (Destiny Solutions), ensuring internal planning documents are timely aligned with up to date public-facing information.

Essential Functions

• Under the direction of the Director of Program Planning and Development, responsible for managing the operational aspects of program planning, including CE’s Student Information System’s (SIS), Destiny, curriculum manager process. Updates the class schedules in Destiny, confirming all course details, materials, supplies and instructor information. Ensures all course details are accurate prior to publication/submission. Liaises with the Database and Enrollment Analyst to ensure all required information is available and accurate to support successful course publishing.
  
  
• Recruits, interviews, selects, trains, supervises, and monitors performance of all CE teaching assistants. Interviews candidates, assigns them to courses, and provides training and supervision. Provides general guidance and instruction to student workers and/or volunteers as assigned. Coordinates with CE’s Talent Acquisition and Business Analyst to follow proper hiring procedures.
  
  
• Leads coordination with external partners such as RIDE, workforce development partners, international education agencies, and foundations and grants to manage special reporting needs or provisions required by the partnership. Provides professional, nuanced, clear communication across a variety of partners and expectations. Keeps track of deadlines for contractual and legal obligations with stakeholders.
  
  
• Updates and disseminates instructor and student communication plans electronically, including, but not limited to, the CE Instructor Handbook and the Online Teaching Resources Document. Collaborates with the Assistant Director of Student Experience to design and execute the student communication plan, including resources, support, policies and procedures.
  
  
• Responsible for the operational efficiency of the entire program planning process as well as event and other programmatic initiatives. Recommends and facilitates efficient workflows through the department. Initiates follow‐up action. Serves as a resource to others on departmental, programmatic, and College‐wide procedures.
  
  
• Manages logistics and program‐related activities including room scheduling and supply coordination with other campus constituents. Serves as the departmental lead for 25Live. Work collaboratively with the RISD Registrar to coordinate room scheduling. Serves as the point of contact for Westerly Education Center and other off-campus locations.
  
  
• Serves as the programming team point of contact for selection of course information such as marketing images in Destiny, quality control and assurance that all aspects of programmatic offerings are ready to be handed off to marketing (images, course descriptions, logistical information, etc), instructor and TA hiring business processes, and elevated student programmatic questions.
  
  
• Serves as the logistical manager for all CE special events. Works alongside the Assistant Director of Student Experience, as well as campus partners, to design instructor and student programming events. Supervises on-site set-up. Orders and schedules furniture, tents, rentals, catering, signage, and other services or items for all CE special events. Act as the central point of contact for all RISD internal offices such as Catering, Public Safety, Media Resources, etc., related to CE special events.
  
  

Required Knowledge/Skills/Experience

Bachelor’s degree, with an art and design background, or equivalent combination of education and experience required. At least three years of progressively responsible higher education experience. Proficiency with technology required, with preference given to experience with 25Live, Workday, Destiny Solutions or an equivalent SIS, and graphic design experience. Ability to provide direction and guidance to others and to influence others not in span of control. Strong project management/coordination skills required. A sophisticated art and design visual aesthetic as well as strong, organizational, verbal and written communication skills. Must be able to work independently and as a part of a team with careful attention to detail. Demonstrated commitment to working with a diverse population of students, instructors, and staff. Capable of independently complex operations for the CE department, including, but not limited to, the student registration process for adult and youth education and instructor onboarding.



Union

No



Work Schedule

35 hours per week



Employment Status

Full-time, Exempt



Grade

12/AD



Documents Needed to Apply

Resume (required)

Cover Letter (required)

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please upload all required documents.

The successful candidate will be required to meet our pre-employment background screening requirements.

RISD recognizes diversity and inclusivity as fundamental to its learning community and integral to an art and design education. We welcome candidates whose experience has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to diversity and excellence. RISD is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetics, or any other protected characteristic as established by law.

For internal use only - Job Family:

CE - Operations