Extended Education Specialist

Overview

• This position is open until filled and applications will be reviewed after November 3, 2025.
• The salary range for this position is $30.62 - $33.65 per hour depending upon qualifications and internal equities and is non-negotiable.

The mission of Global Campus at San Diego State University (SDSU) is “To be a world leader in delivering innovative educational experiences to all learners, expanding opportunity and transforming lives.” Global Campus serves as a principal University liaison with the greater San Diego community and provides a wide variety of traditional and nontraditional, credit and noncredit educational experiences designed to fit the lifestyle and expectations of international students, working adults and other lifelong learners. In addition, Global Campus provides a range of academic and special programs for individuals and groups at various times, in various locations, and via various modalities, including technology-based programs. Global Campus’s primary audiences include workforce, military, working adults and international constituencies.

Purpose of the Position

Under general direction, the Program Associate is responsible for assisting with oversight of the daily operations of project programs. The role involves coordinating various activities to support program goals, including administrative tasks, monitoring program performance, and ensuring smooth operation. The Program Associate will assist with budgeting, help recruit instructors and support the lifecycle of assigned programs from planning to execution. This position is focused on managing existing programs and contributing to the team’s efforts to fulfill the project’s mission and objectives.

Responsibilities

The Program Associate is responsible for but not limited to:

Program Oversight & Operations 85%

• Assists in overseeing and managing the lifecycle of continuing and professional education programs, including:

• Collaborating with stakeholders to develop a product portfolio and delivery plan.
• Coordinating with internal/external stakeholders, including campus partners.

• Supports market needs assessments through:

• Advisory Boards: Assists in forming, convening, and leading Advisory Boards of industry advocates to help define structures for new professional programs; identifying and enlisting subject matter experts (SMEs) to refine program content; assisting project teams of SMEs and instructional designers to create new courses or leverage external training resources; supporting the Advisory Board and SMEs in refreshing the program portfolio.
• Market Research: Conducts market analysis to identify industry trends and job demands, interacting with customers to track student experiences; supports the design and tracking of ROI for professional training and outcomes.
• Competitive Insights: Assists in understanding the competitive environment for programs and recommends partnership opportunities to expand the Global Campus continuing education and professional programs business.
• Community Drivers: Applies awareness of community needs to identify relevant, marketable titles and content for credit and non-credit adult training classes; supports strategies to create and expand the existing program portfolio.

• Assists in operationalizing plans and launching programs by:

• Providing support in the daily operations of Global Campus programs, interacting with adjunct faculty and University college staff.
• Faculty: Assists in recruiting, interviewing, hiring, supervising, evaluating, and developing adjunct faculty and instructors to ensure effective delivery of student experiences.
• Course Development: Supports collaboration with subject matter experts and instructional designers to expand existing portfolios and develop new courses or engage expert instructors for Global Campus programs.
• Program Management: Helps apply course budgeting principles to program portfolios, analyzing trends and past records in collaboration with Program Directors and the Associate Dean.
• Student Guidance: Aids in supporting student guidance processes and trains Program staff to provide students with accurate program information.
• Marketing Strategy: Collaborates with the Global Campus Marketing team to develop and implement strategies for promoting classes and certificates.
• Vendor Management: Assists in researching and vetting vendor-led programs, making recommendations to Global Campus leadership for implementation through the Program Lifecycle Management process, and managing vendor-led programs to ensure alignment with student learning outcomes and other program success metrics.

Data and Financial Analysis 10%

• Assists the Program Directors and Associate Dean in tracking the department budget; helps manage program budget revenues and expenses and supports the resolution of discrepancies in financial reports as they arise.
• Supports the analysis of customer evaluations and assists in conducting class observations to assess the effectiveness of instructors and class content; collaborates in implementing measures to enhance the classroom environment, instructor performance, and overall student experience.

Other Duties as Assigned 5%

Qualifications

Knowledge & Abilities

Minimum Required Education & Experience

• Equivalent to graduation from a four-year college or university with courses focused in adult education and curriculum planning.
• One year of experience in planning classes or programs in a specialized field or area, preferably in higher, extended or adult education OR previous teaching experience in higher or extended education may be substituted for experience on a year for year basis.

Preferred Qualifications & Special Skills

• Equivalent of three or more years of experience in higher education.
• Experience working in a continuing education, or self-support organization.
• Experience working with such tasks as motivating and/or monitoring individuals, teams, deadlines, budgets, public relations, marketing, recruitment, etc.
• Experience with gathering and documenting processes and procedures
• Experience compiling data and making recommendations for improvement based on analysis
• Experience in researching and analyzing market trends and forecasting future program performance

ADDITIONAL APPLICANT INFORMATION

• Candidate must reside in California and live within a commutable distance from SDSU at time of hire.
• Job offer is contingent upon satisfactory clearance based on background check results (including a criminal record check).
• San Diego State University Research Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, SDSU Research Foundation provides equal opportunity in employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin or any other categories protected by federal or state law.  
• Employment decisions are based on an individual’s qualifications as they relate to the job under consideration. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every employee has equal access to resources and support. 
• SDSU Research Foundation complies with Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), and other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws including grant or contract terms and conditions related to funded program activities. Further the SDSU Research Foundation maintains a Nondiscrimination Policy that prohibits discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of unlawful discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all programs, policies, and practices.  
• SDSU Research Foundation makes all employment decisions including, but not limited to, applicant screening, hiring, promotion, demotion, compensation, benefits, disciplinary actions, and terminations on the basis of merit.