Associate Director, California Strategic Initiatives

Do you have experience in higher education partnerships, academic operations, or regional strategy leadership? Have a passion to expand access to bachelor’s degrees, improve transfer outcomes, and strengthen student success pipelines? Enjoy frequent travel to California? Then this Associate Director, California Strategic Initiatives opportunity may be right for you!

EdPlus at ASU is a dynamic unit of Arizona State University focused on the design and scalable delivery of digital teaching and learning models to increase student success and reduce barriers to achievement in higher education. We advance the economic, social, cultural, and overall health of the local, national, and international communities served by ASU.

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We are seeking an experienced and passionate Associate Director, California Strategic Initiatives to join our team. As a critical leader, you will be responsible for guiding ASU’s statewide engagement strategy with California Community Colleges (CCCs). The CCCs system educates more than 2 million learners and is central to California’s workforce and economic development.

As ASU expands its partnerships across the CCC system, you will serve as the day-to-day initiative lead and the face of ASU in California. You will build and maintain trusted relationships with college and district leaders; facilitate implementation efforts on the ground; and ensure that all partnership activities are aligned with ASU’s mission to expand access to bachelor’s degrees, improve transfer outcomes, and strengthen student success pipelines.

This position is externally visible and travel-intensive, with regular in-state presence required for relationship-building, site visits, design sessions, convenings, and partner planning. The role balances operational coordination with strategic influence and works across teams to embed the California initiative into ASU’s broader academic portfolio strategy.

Essential Duties:

• Serve as the primary point of contact and relationship lead for California Community College partners, district leaders, and system stakeholders.
• Travel frequently to California to represent ASU, host meetings, support local implementation, and deepen engagement with each partner campus and district.
• Lead day-to-day execution of ASU’s California roadmap, including CCC opt-ins, advising integration, scholarship workflows, and articulation alignment.
• Manage the statewide initiative timeline and ensure all key deliverables, milestones, and success metrics are met.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams—including Enrollment, Transfer Strategy, Partnership Operations, Student Services, and Academic Portfolio Management—to drive seamless implementation.
• Manage CCC-dedicated staff, including Portfolio Managers and Coordinators; provide direction, coaching, and oversight of regional activation efforts.
• Present regularly to internal and external audiences on California initiative progress, strategy, and opportunities.
• Continuously evaluate performance data, partner feedback, and statewide needs to evolve ASU’s approach and identify opportunities for scaling impact.
• Act as a trusted representative of ASU in convenings focused on transfer equity, college completion, and the economic and educational future of the state.
• Assume or coordinate other duties or projects as assigned or directed.

NOTE: This is not a fully remote position. Must be able to reliably commute to Scottsdale Arizona.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree and seven (7) years of experience appropriate to the area of assignment/field including two (2) years managerial experience; OR, Any equivalent combination of experience and/or training from which comparable knowledge, skills and abilities have been achieved.

Desired Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred.
• Evidence of 6–8 years of experience in higher education partnerships, academic operations, or regional strategy leadership.
• Demonstrated experience working with or within California Community Colleges or large-scale regional education systems.
• Proven ability to manage staff, lead through influence, and drive partner-centered outcomes at scale.
• Demonstrated commitment to improving transfer access, closing degree gaps, and designing for economic mobility.
• Demonstrated willingness and ability to travel frequently throughout California (~25-40% of time) for site visits, executive meetings, and stakeholder engagement.

NOTE: Please answer the following questions in your cover letter:

• Do you have the ability and willingness to travel ~ 25-40% of the time throughout California?
• Describe your ability to manage staff, lead through influence, and drive partner-centered outcomes at scale.

Salary & Benefits:

$95,000 - $125,000 per year, DOE

ASU offers a total compensation package that includes valuable employee benefits. Click here to explore options.

• Healthcare
• Financial Security
• Retirement
• Family Resources
• Tuition Reduction (Eligible ASU Employee, their dependents and spouse.)
• Discounts

Department Statement:

EdPlus defines itself through a culture of curiosity, risk-taking and refusing to accept the status quo. As a central enterprise unit for ASU focused on the design and scalable delivery of digital teaching and learning models to increase student success and reduce barriers to achievement in higher education, our commitments support the University charter. ASU is a national service university and aspires to accelerate positive social outcomes through the seamless integration of cutting-edge technological innovation and scalability.

EdPlus employees are valued, respected, and encouraged to be their unique selves. We know that our ability to deliver high-quality services and educational experiences is strengthened by our culture of inclusion. Our innovative approach drives outcomes through serving learners, achieving milestones, striving for excellence, solving problems, embracing urgency, and being bold.

EdPlus at ASU

Working Environment:

Your desk will be in the beautiful, cutting-edge, and collaborative workspace at SkySong, the ASU Scottsdale Innovation Center. The Center houses a diverse business community that links technology, research, education, and entrepreneurship to position ASU and Greater Phoenix as global leaders in the knowledge economy.

EdPlus at ASU supports flexible work options, ranging from alternate work schedules to hybrid remote work schedules, subject to approvals per ASU policy. (This is NOT a fully remote position.)

Applicant must be eligible to work in the United States. EdPlus at ASU will not be a sponsor for this position.

Apply by midnight Arizona time: July 17, 2025