Academic Partnerships assists primarily regional universities in increasing their access and impact by making their academic programs available to students online. Founded in 2007, AP’s mission is to expand access to high-quality, affordable, and workforce-relevant education, especially for working and adult students. AP brings single-minded dedication to student success, an integrated set of services, and data-driven performance to our collaboration with university partners.

Job Summary

The Education Innovation team is focused on enabling our university partners to expand reach and relevance into new markets with differentiated, life-long learning and career-connected products and services. The team is focused on innovation that 1) builds bridges between higher education, industry and workforce needs at the community level as well as nationally and internationally; and 2) increases access to skills-based and work-integrated learning that creates economic mobility for our learners. 

The Sr. Director of Market Research and Market Innovation plays a pivotal leadership role in the Market Innovation team overseeing market research and data strategy efforts in service of our innovation products and services (domestic and international) as well as all market research and strategy for the core programming in our international markets.  The role requires a mature and experienced analyst versed in strategically using data from multiple sources, problem-solving, identifying new opportunities and collaborating with others across the enterprise.  This person will be comfortable working in the ‘what is next’ space; future initiatives that will require looking beyond traditional data sources in the higher education market to identify trends and opportunities.

Main Responsibilities

• Market research - deep understanding of market research methodologies, best practices, and industry trends to design and oversee comprehensive research projects.

• Strategic thinking - Ability to think strategically, translate research insights into recommendations that drive business growth and decision-making. Ability to evaluate opportunities with data and logic that may be outside the box and represent new approaches to evaluating opportunities and potential.

• Work collaboratively within team and other units in service of business goals and strategy. For example, identify the data and insights that support our business development and pilot efforts - work closely with these teams towards goals.  Working closely with the product strategy team and finance team to align marketing and predictive analytic insights more closely with market research to help build a more comprehensive picture of opportunity and landscape (SEO, media markets, previous enrollment and financial data, other etc.).

• Conduct comprehensive analyses of various international markets including UK, Australia, APEC region, the Middle East, other areas, and markets TBD.

• Lead unit in staying informed of the latest trends in related markets.  Identify new and emerging opportunities as well as potential risks.
• Leverage the latest in market research tools and AI supports where appropriate.
• Strong communication skills to present data, findings, and recommendations to key stakeholders (internal and external) clearly and compellingly.
• Manage, guide, and nurture analyst(s); Manage other 3rd party vendors as appropriate.
• Comfortable dealing with ambiguity.

Job Requirements

• Master’s degree required

• 10+ years of market research and/or business analytics experience in service of business strategy

• Experience in one or more of the following areas required - higher education markets – domestic and international, workforce education market, non-degree or skills-based learning markets

• Deep experience and knowledge with labor market and higher education information from IPEDs, Lightcast, EMSI, BLS and other untapped data sources. Experience with comparable data sources in international markets particularly, UK, Australia, Middle East and APEC markets.

• Advanced Excel, PowerPoint skills

• Experience using Tableau, Power BI or other comparable business intelligence tools

• Working knowledge of basic statistical approaches to data analysis 

• Excellent communications skills and attention to detail

Academic Partnerships is an equal opportunity employer and supports a diverse and inclusive workforce.

Academic Partnerships offers the following comprehensive benefits:

• PTO – accumulated from day one
• 11 designated holidays
• Medical – four options (including PPO and HDP)
• Dental
• Vision
• Life & Disability (company paid)
• Flexible Spending Account & Health Savings Account (company contribution to HSA)
• Retirement plan with company match
• Maternity / Paternity / Parental Leave (company paid)
• Volunteer Time Off

Supplemental Benefits:

• Wellness program
• Alternative medicine options
• Pet discounts
• Accident, Critical Illness and Hospital Indemnity

Personal and Professional Development:

• Continuous Professional and Leadership Development Programs
• Tuition Reimbursement for employees and their dependents