Chief Learner Experience and Success Officer

Chief Learner Experience and Success Officer

Office of the University President  

Exempt, Regular, Full-time

University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) is seeking a Chief Learner Experience and Success Officer (CLESO) to lead the evolution of our next generation learner-centered activities. Reporting directly to the University President/CEO, the CLESO serves as the chief architect of the learner journey, overseeing academic success, student affairs, digital engagement, and workforce readiness for 100,000 learners in more than 20 countries around the globe. This role ensures a seamless, students-first experience by visualizing and impacting every aspect of learner interactions from the moment a learner inquires through graduation and beyond. This requires integrating academics, learner support services, and career development as well as working with fellow executives who lead teams that also engage with learners within a global data-driven, technology-enhanced learning ecosystem.

As a key member of the senior executive team (SET), the CLESO serves as a critical strategic partner to the other UMGC leaders to ensure that enterprise resources, technology, and operational strategies align with student success priorities. They also serve as Team Lead on the SET in all things learner-facing. They will be experienced with: (1) the various ways a University can certify or develop acquired skills and abilities (i.e., learning) including the various modalities (F2F, hybrid, online, CBE, etc.); (2) the various markets seeking credentials (B2C, B2B, military, corporate, transfer); and (3) common challenges for adult learners and contemporary solutions for overcoming them.

They will be relentlessly focused on key learner performance metrics (i.e., success, satisfaction, completion, persistence, graduation) at both the micro and macro levels as well as delivering on initiatives that impact those metrics.

The CLESO directly oversees the Chief Academic Officer (CAO) and Chief Student Affairs Officer (CSAO) teams, ensuring that academic leadership and learner engagement efforts are fully integrated to support learner retention, completion, well-being, and career advancement. This role also works in a matrixed organization to deliver career-aligned, flexible education pathways that meet the evolving needs of military learners, corporate employees, and non-traditional learners around the globe.

As an established professional global executive with well-documented expertise in learner experience innovation, the CLESO also represents UMGC in higher education policy discussions, workforce development partnerships, and learner success research initiatives. The CLESO is the driving force behind an integrated, technology-enhanced learner journey.

A spirit of collegiality, camaraderie, and collaboration as well as a willingness to balance rolling up your sleeves with empowering others, is also of significant importance in this highly visible position.

Relocation to the Maryland/Washington, D.C./Northern Virginia metro area is required. Upon relocation, the position is hybrid in the office at least 3 days/week and as needed.

Additional accountabilities include the following:

Executive Leadership & Institutional Strategy

• Serves as the senior leader for learner experience strategy, ensuring alignment with the University President/CEO’s vision and enterprise mission
• Leads the CAO and CSAO teams to ensure a fully integrated comprehensive academic and student affairs strategy that places the learner at the center of all things and surrounds them with all necessary support infrastructure
• Partners with the COO to align institutional resources, budgeting, and operational infrastructure with student success initiatives
• Works cross-functionally with the UMGC Leadership Council to create a data-driven, students-first decision-making culture
• Represents the University at national education forums, workforce development and intelligence discussions, and policy conversations that impact student success and academic innovation
• Conducts regular meetings to review how our current products (the comprehensive experiences) are performing in the market and to chart future resulting activities

Holistic Student Experience & Success Strategy

• Visualizes the entirety of the learner experience—academic and non-academic from the learner’s vantage point and operates a continuous improvement model on all aspects
• Seeks new ways to acknowledge learning while always ensuring rigor and quality evaluations
• Develops and executes a comprehensive learner experience strategy, integrating academic support, career readiness, student affairs, and workforce-aligned learning pathways
• Oversees learner engagement and feedback, learner leadership development programs, and virtual community-building efforts to strengthen retention and success
• Implements AI-driven, real-time learner engagement analytics to proactively identify at-risk learners and improve learning outcomes
• Utilizes data-driven student success models to monitor student persistence, retention, and career placement rates

Digital Transformation & AI-Powered Student Engagement

• Partners with IT stakeholders and the ePMO in the development and implementation of AI-powered, data-driven student success platforms, ensuring personalized learning, virtual learner communities, and 24/7 support services
• Leads the adoption of mobile-first learner engagement platforms, integrating chatbots, virtual coaching, and real-time support tools
• Ensures the seamless integration of learning analytics, predictive modeling, and machine learning tools into the student experience
• Develops interactive, immersive, and adaptive learning environments, leveraging augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and AI-enhanced course and curriculum design

Military & Corporate Workforce Integration

• Partners with Global Military Operations (GMO) to strengthen strategic partnerships with military branches, government agencies, and defense contractors to expand educational access for active-duty service members, veterans, and military families
• Oversees corporate and employer-sponsored education initiatives, developing customized training solutions for Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and industry leaders
• Scales military-to-civilian career transition pathways, ensuring that military training translates into degrees, degree credits, and workforce-recognized certifications and credentials
• Expands virtual internships, corporate apprenticeships, competency-based education (CBE) models, and workforce intelligence to align academic programs with real-world workforce demands

Breaking Down Silos & Leading Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Aligns academic affairs, student affairs, enrollment management, and technology teams to create a shared learner-centered vision and learning experience
• Establishes student success dashboards, shared data systems, and predictive analytics models to enable real-time insights on learner engagement, learning outcomes, and career readiness
• Drives continuous innovation and enterprise agility, ensuring that all student success strategies are future-focused, technology-enhanced, and workforce-aligned
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned by the University President/CEO

Required education & experience: A demonstrated ability to get things done; an earned doctoral degree or other terminal degree from an accredited institution of higher learning; at least ten years of executive leadership in some combination of the following: academic affairs, learner experience, student affairs, ed-tech, military education, corporate learning, and/or online higher education roles; a demonstrated ability to (1) act with a sense of non-chaotic urgency, minimal drama and (2) prioritize effectively while separating signal from noise in a VUCA environment; recognized as a national or global expert in learner experience, digital learning, and workforce-aligned education strategies; as well as the gravitas of an emotionally intelligent, professionally mature global executive.

Preferred experience: Demonstrable evidence of critical thinking, tact, nuance, and diplomacy expertise in actions and both verbal and written communications; strong expertise in AI-driven learner engagement, behavioral analytics, and workforce development; deep knowledge of noncredit and other learning models, stackable credentials, comprehensive learning records, competency-based learning models, and other current innovations occurring within the higher education industry; proven track record of leading large-scale student success initiatives, cross-functional teams, and digital transformation projects; and comfortable leading in a shapeshifting organization characterized by fluid structures, cross-functional collaboration, a culture of  innovation, technology-driven agility, customer-centric approach, and resilient ecosystems.

All submissions should include a cover letter and resume.

The University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination. UMGC is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, ancestry, political affiliation or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

Workplace Accommodations:

The University of Maryland Global Campus Global Campus (UMGC) is committed to creating and maintaining a welcoming and inclusive working environment for people of all abilities. UMGC is dedicated to the principle that no qualified individual with a disability shall, based on disability, be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of the University, or be subjected to discrimination. For information about UMGC’s Reasonable Workplace Accommodation Policy or to request an accommodation, applicants/candidates can contact Employee Accommodations via email at [email protected]. 

Benefits Package Highlights:

• Generous Time Off: Enjoy 22 days of paid vacation, 15 days of sick leave, 3 personal days, and 15 paid holidays (16 during general election years). For part-time employees, time off rates will be prorated based on the number of hours worked.
• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Access to health care, medical with vision, dental, and prescription plans for both individuals and families, effective from the 1st of the month following your hire date.
• Insurance Options: Term Life Insurance, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, and Long-Term Disability (LTD) Insurance. Part-time employees working less than 0.5 FTE are not eligible for LTD.
• Flexible Spending Accounts: Available for medical and dependent care expenses.
• Retirement Plans: Choose between the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) or the Maryland State Retirement and Pension System (MSRPS).
• Supplemental Retirement Plans: include 401(k), 403(b), 457(b), and various Roth options. The university does not provide matching funds.
• Tuition Remission: Immediate availability for Regular Exempt Staff. Spouses and dependent children are eligible for undergraduate tuition remission after two years of service. NOTE: For part-time employees (at least 50 percent of the time), tuition remission benefits are prorated.

Hiring Range: