Assessment Specialist

Unit: Office Of The Provost MBU

Department: Academic Planning and Institutional Effectiveness, Academic Affairs

Department Summary: The Office of the Provost provides the foundation for the academic success of all VCU students.

Under the leadership of the interim executive vice president and provost, Arturo Saavedra, M.D., Ph.D., and the senior vice provost for academic affairs, Andrew T. Arroyo, Ed.D., the office fosters the development of the university’s academic programs, emphasizing high-quality teaching and learning experiences and supporting deans, faculty, and students as they pursue their scholarly goals.

It also ensures the integrity, rigor and transparency of academic programs and provides leadership to critical areas tied to student success, and serves as the university’s liaison to the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

The Assessment Specialist facilitates the systematic evaluation of student learning across all undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs. Reporting to the Vice Provost for Academic Planning and Institutional Effectiveness, the Assessment Specialist serves as a key consultant to faculty and department chairs on program effectiveness.

Key Responsibilities

• Help design and coordinate a comprehensive university-wide assessment plan.

• Provide guidance and hands-on support to faculty and academic programs in designing, implementing, and documenting student learning assessment activities.

• Assist programs in interpreting assessment results and identifying evidence-based strategies for improving student learning and success.

• Support the development and maintenance of assessment initiatives aligned with accreditation expectations, including Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC) standards.

• Coordinate and facilitate workshops, trainings, consultations, and communities of practice focused on assessment literacy and effective use of assessment results.

• Review academic assessment plans and annual reports for completeness, clarity, and alignment with institutional expectations; provide constructive feedback to programs.

• Contribute to the development of resources, templates, and tools that strengthen academic assessment processes.

• Assist in coordinating the Academic Program Review process.

• Support the tracking and follow-up of APR recommendations and improvement activities.

• Assist in authoring accreditation reports and documentation.

• Prepare leadership summaries that link assessment findings to student achievement.

• Support university-wide efforts to strengthen a culture of planning, evaluation, and continuous improvement.

• Serve as a main point of contact for faculty and staff regarding assessment reporting in the university’s assessment management system (Watermark Planning and Self Study).

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Education, Higher Education Administration, Social Sciences, or a related field with a focus on research and evaluation.

• 3–5 years of experience in higher education assessment, institutional research, or academic program evaluation.

• Demonstrated ability to review and analyze program-level assessment data to identify trends and student achievement metrics.

• Strong writing skills, with the ability to draft summaries for leadership and contribute to institutional accreditation documentation.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Working knowledge of regional accreditation standards specifically regarding educational quality and student learning.

• Proven ability to serve as a consultant to faculty, department chairs, and program directors on program effectiveness.

• Experience supporting or facilitating faculty-led committees or assessment councils.

• Familiarity with integrating student learning outcomes (SLOs) at the course, program, and institutional levels.

Salary Range: Commensurate with experience up to $76,000

Priority Consideration Date: April 1, 2026 | 5:00pm

Benefits: All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU’s robust benefits package that includes comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave, generous tuition benefits, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, employee discounts, well-being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more.

FLSA Exemption Status: Exempt

Hours per Week: 40

Restricted Position: No

ORP Eligible: Yes

Flexible Work Arrangement: Hybrid

University Job Title: 10911-10913 - Administrator AA 1-3