ACADEMIC ADMINISTRATOR JOB DESCRIPTION

An Academic Administrator keeps a school running when instruction, compliance, and student welfare all demand attention at once. In K-12 settings governed by state board standards and federal special education mandates, this role holds accountability for the operational and academic systems that teachers and students depend on daily. The Academic Administrator oversees instructional staff, stewards the Student Achievement Improvement Plan, and ensures the school meets its obligations under IDEA and local attendance policy. No two days are identical.

As the Academic Administrator, you direct the educational and administrative operations of a K-12 school, ensuring instructional programs conform to state standards while supporting students across general and special education populations. You supervise teaching staff, manage compliance with local and federal requirements, and serve as the primary point of contact for families, district representatives, and program stakeholders.

Career Impact: Experience supervising and evaluating certificated teaching staff builds the instructional leadership credentials required for advancement to principal or director-level roles in K-12 administration.

Business Impact: The school's Student Achievement Improvement Plan succeeds or stalls based on how consistently this role aligns teacher performance, curriculum resources, and family engagement toward measurable learning goals.

Growth Opportunity: Managing compliance across special education, attendance policy, and state board standards develops a cross-functional policy fluency that opens pathways into district-level operations and curriculum leadership.

• Direct educational and administrative operations for K-12 programs, ensuring conformance with state and local school board standards.
• Supervise, evaluate, and develop teaching staff, including Master and Lead Teachers, to support professional growth and instructional consistency.
• Develop and oversee the implementation of the school's Student Achievement Improvement Plan across all grade levels.
• Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal requirements governing special education, categorical programs, and student attendance.
• Liaise with students, families, and local districts regarding attendance, engagement, behavioral concerns, and program expectations.
• Research and integrate curriculum resources that meet state standards, including non-K-12 materials where appropriate.
• Coordinate with teachers and enrollment teams on student transitions, including withdrawals and expulsions.

• Bachelor's degree in Education, Educational Administration, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
• 3 or more years of experience in a K-12 educational or administrative setting, with direct student and staff interaction.
• Working knowledge of federal and state special education requirements, including IEP processes and categorical program compliance.
• Demonstrated ability to supervise and evaluate instructional staff and deliver targeted professional development.
• Experience applying trauma-informed practices and de-escalating behavioral crises in a school environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage diplomatically with families, staff, and district officials.
• Ability to pass a required background check and any applicable clearance screenings.

• Master's degree in Education, Educational Leadership, or a related field.
• Experience administering programs in a virtual or hybrid K-12 environment, including the use of remote communication technologies.
• Familiarity with self-paced or alternative learning models serving high-needs or goal-oriented student populations.
• Prior coordination of enrollment processes, including expulsions, withdrawals, or inter-district transfer compliance.

• Student on-track graduation rate within managed cohort, measured against program and home institution timelines.
• IEP compliance rate, reflecting adherence to federal timelines for evaluations, meetings, and service delivery.
• Teacher performance review completion rate within the required evaluation cycles.
• Attendance and engagement rate across enrolled students relative to school policy thresholds.
• Incident de-escalation resolution rate, tracking outcomes of documented behavioral interventions.
• Typical tools: student information systems (commonly Powerschool or equivalent); office productivity suites (commonly Microsoft Office 365)

• Base Salary Range: $55,000 to $80,000 annually, depending on seniority and district
• Bonus: Merit-based or performance stipends are common in charter and virtual school settings
• Equity: Not typically offered in K-12 education
• Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage; some employers contribute to pension plans
• PTO: 10 to 15 days annually, plus school calendar breaks
• Common Perks: Professional development funding, tuition reimbursement, and access to continuing education credits

Figures are estimates based on general US market benchmarks and may be outdated. Adjust based on location, company size, and seniority level.

Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States. Employment in this role is contingent on the successful completion of a background check and any applicable fingerprint or drug screening required by state or local regulation. All applicants are considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under federal, state, or local law. Reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities are available upon request throughout the application and employment process.

The Academic Administrator delivers personalized academic guidance and coursework support to high-needs students, including those with IEPs, collaborating with a special education tutor to ensure equitable access to learning. Working within a self-paced program, this role shapes student outcomes by managing enrollment, monitoring progress, liaising with parents, and fostering an inclusive environment that supports early graduation.

Key Responsibilities

• Guides students through individual academic journeys, offering coursework support and specialized assistance for high-needs students in collaboration with a special education tutor.
• Mentors students toward achieving educational aspirations, fostering a supportive and motivational environment.
• Encourages students to recognize the importance of education, instilling a sense of purpose and direction.
• Handles administrative tasks such as course enrollment and progress monitoring to ensure students stay on track for graduation in a self-paced setting.
• Ensures students maintain pace with coursework relative to both the program and home institutions, supporting early graduation for goal-oriented students.
• Provides personalized guidance to help students navigate educational paths and make informed academic decisions.
• Liaises with parents and sends regular updates on academic progress.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Education or state teaching certification in any secondary or middle school emphasis.
• At least 3 years of experience working with teenagers in a classroom setting, split evenly between administrative tasks and direct student interaction.
• Experience de-escalating crises and remaining calm in challenging situations, including classroom outbursts of anger or frustration.
• Ability to set healthy boundaries with students and cultivate a regulated, inclusive learning environment.
• Ability to relate to teenagers experiencing mental health and behavioral challenges.
• Familiarity with trauma-informed care principles is an asset.

Embedded within summer academic programs, the Academic Administrator supports the Director of Curriculum in daily operations by managing logistics, coordinating faculty communications, and ensuring educational facilities and materials are ready to standard. Working closely with teaching staff and cross-departmental teams, this role enables uninterrupted course delivery and a safe, nurturing environment for students and faculty throughout the program.

Core Functions

• Manages logistical and administrative tasks to support the Director of Curriculum and educators, ensuring smooth course delivery and academic operations.
• Acts as the primary liaison between the administrative team and teaching staff, facilitating the timely dissemination of key messages, updates, and changes.
• Provides direct support to faculty members, addressing queries and requests to foster an enabling teaching environment.
• Ensures the availability and readiness of educational facilities, equipment, supplies, and materials in alignment with required standards and timelines.
• Identifies and addresses potential issues, working toward solutions aligned with institutional goals and values.
• Develops and implements contingency plans for academic resources to ensure uninterrupted teaching and learning.
• Serves as a bridge between academic staff and other departments to support cohesive operations and educational objectives.
• Monitors and evaluates course delivery and facility conditions, advocating for continuous improvement.

Certification requirements and salary progression, for instance, are detailed further in the academic administrator career guide than this posting can include

Qualifications & Experience

• Experience working in an administrative capacity, preferably in an office environment.
• Valid First Aid Certificate.
• Knowledge of the local city, its colleges, and history.
• Articulate, organized, hardworking, and flexible, with high levels of energy, resilience, and enthusiasm.
• Empathetic, supportive, and positive, with the ability to work effectively with young people.

Reporting to the Director of the Horae Gene Therapy Center, the Academic Administrator IV manages complex funding portfolios for multiple Principal Investigators and oversees the administrative and business operations of a large, interdisciplinary research program at UMMS. Partnering with school representatives, faculty, and division administrators, this role builds a foundation for efficient pre- and post-award grant administration that sustains high-quality research outcomes across the managed portfolio.

Primary Duties

• Collaborates with school representatives to define and prioritize departmental strategy and direction.
• Identifies trends, appraises cause and effect, and highlights opportunities to improve department performance.
• Directs analytical studies of existing or proposed services to provide an economic basis for management decisions and productivity improvements.
• Advises the chair on human resource issues, including organizational and staffing plans, recruitment, faculty compensation, and merit.
• Supervises all personnel actions related to hiring, termination, increases, contracting, and funding.
• Serves as advisor to faculty and division administrators for pre- and post-award grant management activity.
• Assists with negotiations of research and trust fund contracts with outside organizations.
• Develops and manages the department's annual budget, reporting variances, recommending corrective actions, and providing forecasts.
• Oversees facility needs, including renovations and day-to-day operations related to the research and teaching mission.
• Advises faculty managing revenue-generating research trust funds, ensuring viable operations, revenue billing, and compliance with university and federal guidelines.

Skills & Qualifications

• Master's degree in Business, Finance, Management, Public Administration, or equivalent.
• 7 years of experience as an academic administrator, business office manager, or equivalent in higher education or a research institution, including 3 years of supervisory and fiscal management experience.
• 4 years of fiscal and NIH grant management experience (pre- and post-award), preferably in a research setting.
• Strong analytical ability in grant and contract management, healthcare and higher education accounting, cost-benefit analysis, budget variance analysis, and staff resource forecasting.
• Proficiency in spreadsheet and word processing software.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, with a strong ability to lead diverse teams toward shared outcomes.
• Ability to travel to off-site locations.

Sitting at the intersection of academic operations and human resources administration, the Academic Administrator plans and executes day-to-day processes within the Associate Dean's portfolio, including workload assignments, semester scheduling, and faculty budget monitoring. Operating across financial, compliance, and scheduling functions, this role enables the Associate Dean's office to maintain academic continuity and informed decision-making in a post-secondary environment.

Duties

• Researches, plans, coordinates, and executes day-to-day operational processes within the Associate Dean's portfolio with respect to workload planning.
• Coordinates and administers human resource activities, including workload assignments for full-time and contract faculty and staff, and teaching and non-teaching assignments such as curriculum development, projects, and guest lectures.
• Compiles and analyzes information for Standard Workload Forms and non-full-time teaching contracts, verifying compliance with collective agreement requirements.
• Initiates and executes semester scheduling processes in accordance with multiple timelines, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
• Communicates with discretion, confidentiality, diplomacy, and sound judgment, escalating to the Associate Dean and other stakeholders as appropriate.
• Collects, reviews, and analyzes data relevant to financial performance, assisting in monitoring the faculty budget, including special projects, enrollment trends, faculty and staff expenses, course loading variances, and per-student costs.

Requirements

• Three-year diploma or degree in Business Administration, Communications, or a related field, with a minimum of 5 years of related administrative experience, preferably in a post-secondary environment, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Strong analytical skills and technical knowledge involving computerized databases, spreadsheets, and word processing, with familiarity with college systems preferred.
• Proven organizational, oral, and written communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to manage high volumes of work with constantly changing priorities.
• Strong ability to act independently, displaying initiative, discretion, and sound judgment to address operational and administrative priorities in the absence of the Associate Dean.
• High degree of professionalism and decision-making ability, given the confidential and diplomacy-sensitive nature of the work.