Online Academic Coach (Graduate Level Higher Ed, Remote, Part-Time)

Instructional Connections, LLC is a fully integrated provider of high-quality instructional support services to colleges and universities that offer online courses and degree programs. Universities work collaboratively with Instructional Connections to deliver high-quality asynchronous courses at an affordable cost. Within the online course, students are assigned an Academic Coach (sometimes referred to by a different title for different programs - Teaching Assistant, Course Assistant, Instructional Associate, etc.). We are currently working with 55+ public and state universities (over 75 programs), and hoping to add several others in the coming year.

ABOUT THE POSITION:

Academic Coaches are highly qualified, experienced practitioners (minimum of a Master’s Degree or greater) who most frequently serve as the liaison between the university faculty of record and students within the assigned online course. The exact qualifications and requirements of an Academic Coach are tailored according to individual university and program needs. Often the Academic Coach is the student's initial point of contact and acts in a similar fashion that a traditional teaching assistant does in a university.

Academic Coaches may grade assignments per faculty directions, monitor discussion threads, answer inquiries/emails within 24 hours, monitor student engagement, provide asynchronous student support, and regularly collaborate with the university faculty of record. Academic Coaches serve as facilitators and graders, while university faculty members are the instructor of record for the online course. Compensation is based on a per-student-per-course formula. About 75% of the courses are 5 to 9-week course cycles and the programs are year-round, with 4-7 course starts through the year.

The average time per student per week is approximately 10-30 minutes; however, this can vary on the level of the course, the specific course assigned, and the number of open-ended assignments within the course each week. Academic Coaches who consistently complete course assignments with quality and to the satisfaction of the faculty will be considered for additional sections or responsibilities. We do not want to over-extend a coach's responsibilities to such a degree that this negatively impacts their ability to serve students and meet expectations. In a first course assignment, the practical limit is up to 50 students, with 30 being more typical. The average experienced Academic Coach can support 75-90 students. A highly proficient coach with ample time may be assigned up to 120 students but this is the upper limit and monitored closely. Since we support all disciplines, various levels of courses (undergrad, graduate, and doctoral), and courses varying from 5 to 16 weeks in length, specific "per-student-per-course" rates and/or any potential additional stipends are not disclosed until a contracted Academic Coach is approved by a university and offered a specific upcoming course assignment.

If selected to advance as a candidate, the candidate will be required to complete an Academic Coach Pre-Employment Screening course within our Learning Management System. Candidates can expect to commit 4 to 6 hours to the self-paced screening session, which will be accomplished over one week (Monday through Sunday). This pre-employment screening session (virtual interview) will include specifics regarding the role and expectations of an Academic Coach, an introduction to learning management systems (LMS), and the various accepted best practices of delivering and facilitating online education courses, FERPA, APA, etc. If a candidate does not complete this screening session in the scheduled allotted time, he/she may request to be rescheduled for a future session. These sessions are only offered twice per month and always start on a Monday and end on Sunday.

Upon successful competition of the screening (active participation, passing of all graded assignments, and working through all modules), candidates will be advanced to the contracting phase. Receiving a contract as an Academic Coach is dependent on the success of a criminal background check and the screening session results. All of the Academic Coaching positions are considered part-time work (as an independent contractor - 1099). A complete "Contractor Package" includes a resume/CV, Official Transcripts and/or Evaluation of Foreign Transcripts for ALL degrees earned (Associate, Bachelor, Master, etc.) and completion of all other onboarding documentation (W-9, Direct Deposit, FERPA Acknowledgement, etc.). Once your contractor package is complete and on file, the Academic Coach's name and resume will be added to our pool of vetted and qualified Academic Coaches ready for an assignment.

Academic Coaching course assignments will be based on approval by the university and are made in consultation with Lead Coaches and/or Program Assistants. We are only able to present fully vetted and contracted Academic Coaches to a university for approval for any upcoming courses that a university may need the assistance of an Academic Coach. Academic Coaches are only offered assignments after being approved by the university. If approved and the Academic Coach accepts a course assignment, the Lead Coach will guide the Academic Coach in a short overview and orientation to the assigned program and course. Actual course assignments are made near the course start date and are dependent on many factors, including area and level of graduate study, university approval, and student enrollment.

*** Please review the requirements below carefully before applying, as the requirements listed are NOT flexible, as our university partners have set them for any candidate to be deemed acceptable for a course assignment as an Academic Coach. ***

MINIMUM JOB REQUIREMENTS BY PROGRAM AREA:

For Graduate/Master's Degree Level Business Programs:

A minimum of a Master's Degree in a business-related field with at least 18 or more graduate-level credit hours completed in the specific course content area listed below is REQUIRED. Terminal Degree or Actively pursuing a Terminal Degree may be PREFERRED for some programs and courses. Business degrees from AACSB or ACBSP-accredited institutions are strongly desired. Experience in online higher education is a plus.

• Computer Science (Master's Degree in Computer or a closely related area is REQUIRED)
• Corporate Communications (Master's Degree in Professional Communications or closely related field REQUIRED)
• Data Analytics/Quantitative Analysis with PYTHON experience (Master's Degree REQUIRED, PhD or DBA preferred)
• Economics (Master's Degree in Economics or a closely related area is REQUIRED, PhD or DBA preferred)
• Finance (Master's Degree REQUIRED, PhD or DBA strongly preferred. CFP preferred)
• Supply Chain/Logistics (Master's Degree in Supply Chain/Logistics is REQUIRED, PhD or DBA may be preferred)