Job Summary

The College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS) welcomes applications for the Director of Online Program Operations! This role provides operational leadership across the College's B3 programs - the college's portfolio of Boulder on Coursera online degree programs - within the Office of Digital Education. Reporting to the Associate Dean (AD) for Digital Education, the Director is responsible for cross-program coordination, campus integration, and the day-to-day execution of shared processes. The role serves as the primary liaison to campus offices; supports compliance and risk mitigation; oversees shared services and infrastructure; supervises the shared B3 staff; and ensures consistent communication and implementation across all B3 programs, advancing the college's broader goals for online and digital education.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

Project Management:

• Streamline operations across multiple campus units to enhance resource efficiency and service delivery.
• Coordinate institutional initiatives such as IT system changes or academic program changes and additions from conception to completion. Define project scope, manage cross-functional teams, track budgets, and ensure deliverables are met on time while aligning with the University's strategic goals.
• Provide transparent communication to B3 Faculty Directors, Program Directors and Staff through regular, data-backed updates regarding ongoing project status, risks, and achievements.
• Collaborate with program managers to develop scalable staffing models and risk-mitigation frameworks, establishing optimized ratios for course-facilitator headcounts.
• Build shared systems, project plans, and documentation to standardize program operations.

Operational Coordination and Campus Integration:

• Serve as the primary operational point of contact for campus offices (OIT, Registrar, Bursar, Graduate School).
• Manage B3 integration with enrollment systems, including advocating for B3-specific operational rules within campus systems.
• Develop shared dashboards and real-time enrollment reporting across programs.
• Establish and manage communication protocols.
• Coordinate with the Office of Academic and Learning Innovation (ALI) on platform-level operational issues and Coursera relationship management.
• Collaborate with Graduate Administration and the Senior Director of Graduate Programs to stay informed on emerging graduate-education trends and marketing initiatives, ensuring B3 strategies align with and advance broader college-wide goals.
• Navigate institutional governance to secure consensus and formal approvals from a variety of campus committees, faculty senates, and administrative leaders.
• Mitigate academic-calendar risks by scheduling deployments and resource-heavy project phases around peak enrollment, finals, and University breaks.

Promotion and Campus Relations:

• Co-develop B3 brand voice and distinct positioning statements with the Associate Dean for Digital Education.
• Drive B3 awareness strategies internally and externally using data-driven storytelling to highlight program strengths.
• Cultivate cross-campus relationships with the Associate Dean to strategically highlight B3 programs.
• Coordinate shared marketing strategy and resources across programs.
• Advocate for program visibility, ensuring Coursera and relevant external partners market the programs appropriately and effectively.
• Collaborate with programs to manage shared marketing endeavors, vendor relationships, or internal marketing resources as they are phased in.
• Partner with the college's Marketing and Communications (MarComm) team to develop and lead B3 marketing, brand, and outreach efforts, coordinating shared resources and ensuring alignment with college-wide messaging.
• Attend and participate in B3 events.

Compliance:

• Follow and implement university-defined standardized compliance workflows for FERPA, export control, OFAC screening, and identity verification.
• Liaise with campus offices accountable for FERPA, export controls, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), identity verification, and accreditation requirements.
• Coordinate with relevant campus offices to resolve compliance issues and ensure compliance standards are met.
• Study potential risks to program reputation.
• Work proactively with the AD for Digital Education and the B3 Education Council to discuss, plan, and implement mitigation strategies.

Shared Services Management:

• Lead day-to-day operations of shared B3 staff in the Office of Digital Education who work across multiple units and services commonly used across units.
• Coordinate cross-program operational practices (enrollment, advising workflows, data reporting).
• Address staffing inconsistencies in coordination with the AD and program leadership.
• Explore potential additional shared roles to promote the efficient operation of B3 programs.

Data Governance and Reporting Support:

• Standardize reporting and practices across all B3 programs.
• Work with campus to define B3-appropriate reporting standards distinct from residential models and aligned with program needs.
• Collaborate with program managers to share program-level data and metrics for the AD and college leadership.

What You Should Know

This position may be eligible for a hybrid work modality, consistent with the College of Engineering and Applied Science Hybrid Work Policy .

What We Can Offer

The annual hiring range for this position is $93,000-$107,650. Relocation is available within CEAS guidelines.

Benefits

At the University of Colorado Boulder , we are committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of Boulder County's largest employers, CU Boulder offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class outdoor recreation. Explore additional perks and programs through the CU Advantage program.

Be Statements

Be resourceful. Be collaborative. Be Boulder.

What We Require

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution and six (6) or more years of progressively responsible experience in operations, program, or project management, higher-education administration, or a closely related field.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may substitute on a year-for-year basis.
• Demonstrated experience directly supervising staff.

What You Will Need

• Ability to lead, coach, and develop staff and cultivate a cohesive, high-performing team.
• Strong project and operations management skills, including defining scope, managing budgets, and coordinating cross-functional teams.
• Working knowledge of compliance and regulatory frameworks in higher education.
• Data fluency - standardizing reporting, building dashboards, and turning data into clear, actionable updates for leadership.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, with a habit of transparent, data-backed partner updates.
• Ability to build relationships, influence without direct authority, and drive consensus across a diverse set of campus partners.
• Sound judgment for identifying, escalating, and mitigating operational and reputational risk, with discretion on sensitive matters.
• Strong organization and the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced, evolving environment.

What We Would Like You to Have

• Master's degree in a relevant field (e.g., higher education, business, management, or instructional/learning design).
• Experience supervising professional staff in a higher-education or online-education setting.
• Direct experience with online or digital education, including Coursera or a comparable platform.
• Familiarity with higher-education compliance domains.
• Project management certification (e.g., PMP) or formal project-management methodology experience.
• Experience building dashboards and reporting systems and managing partner relationships.
• Experience navigating shared governance and cross-departmental approvals in a university.

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials:

1. A current resume.
2. A cover letter that specifically tells us how your background and experience align with the requirements, qualifications, and responsibilities of the position.

We may request references at a later time.

Please apply by August 13, 2026 for consideration.

Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, please apply through CU Boulder Jobs .

In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.