Position: Academic Manager, Prague
Details: 100% FTE | Onsite/In-Person (Must be authorized to work in country)
Location: Prague, Czech Republic
Verto is on a mission to provide the best possible start to college. We start by making travel and experiential education an affordable and accessible pathway to a 4-year college degree. Our participants begin college abroad in one of our Verto locations, before transferring to one of 70+ partner universities. While completing one or more experiences with Verto, participants become more mature, empathetic global citizens who have a greater sense of purpose and direction for their lives.
At Verto, we founded a new model. In partnership with our non-profit arm, The Verto Fund, we’re driving costs down and providing generous discounts, grants, and scholarships, especially to participants of low-income backgrounds. We’re creating a space for participants to thrive in the most diverse coming-of-age semester abroad out there while permitting a chance for discovery into who they are before deciding on a college major. We’re out to build a transformational company that makes higher education more equitable, accessible, and impactful. We are backed by First Round Capital and other top VCs.
Department Description
The Academics Department directs and executes all academic activities related to the student experience. Academics is the core of what we deliver at Verto – a high quality experience for students to have a collegiate experience, both inside and outside of the classroom.
Position Description
The Academic Manager (AM) is responsible for supporting the implementation of academic affairs onsite and supporting academic quality and student academic success. The position is responsible for coordinating onsite programming relevant to academic planning, implementation, and evaluation in partnership with the Academic Affairs Headquarters (AAHQ) team and partner institution, University of New York in Prague (UNYP). The Academic Manager directly supports students, academic staff, and faculty members in their day-to-day needs, and will work closely with UNYP to oversee faculty and problem solve faculty related issues. The Academic Manager acts as a liaison between Verto and UNYP to support academic operations and the implementation of all academic protocols and practices. The AM has a key role in faculty development, supporting experiential learning, providing oversight of compliance with academic providers and corresponding protocols and policy implementation, and ensuring overall academic success.
The Academic Manager reports to the Program Director with a dotted line to Verto Director of Academic Affairs.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITES:
Academic Affairs- Programming and Academic Management
Academic Programming & Curricular Support
Coordinate the academic program in cooperation with our partner institution, University of New York in Prague (UNYP), and AAHQ.
Meet regularly with AAHQ team to support academic programming, planning, and implementation.
Faculty Support
Support local faculty with the implementation of established Academic Policies and processes as outlined by Verto and its Academic Provider(s).
Support AAHQ to develop, deliver, or coordinate faculty training workshops and professional development prior to, or during, the semester, for faculty at local site.
Experiential Education, Active Learning, and Community Engagement
Monitor and report faculty use of budget for experiential learning activities.
Help build connections between curricular and co-curricular activities with an emphasis on helping students engage in the local community through courses, homework/projects, volunteering, and other activities as appropriate.
ACADEMIC OPERATIONS
Scheduling & Timetables and Student Course Registration
Work closely with partner institution UNYP to organize schedules: Classrooms, Faculty Availability, Courses/Contact Hours, and Student Planning.
Support the course registration process including initial course registration, final course registration, Add/Drop, and Course Withdrawal processes.
Academic Systems and Technology / Academic Data Management & Reporting
Maintain and update internal student records via various platforms (e.g. Salesforce, Canvas, Dropout Detective, etc.)
Serve as the local academic systems administrator and support faculty as needed with implementation of LMS, online textbooks, and other academic systems and technologies.
Course Syllabi and Course Information Coordination
Support the local Program Director and partner institution UNYP in coordinating syllabi distribution to faculty and collecting all final copies of syllabi at the start of term, and reviewing syllabi to ensure that they meet the requirements of Verto’s Academic Provider(s).
Other duties as reasonably assigned.
WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR
Experience—Professional work experience within US education abroad / international higher education programs. Familiarity with U.S. higher education culture and direct experience with U.S. college students.
Administration—Must have strong administrative and organizational skills, particularly attention to detail and the ability to complete assigned tasks efficiently and accurately, and in a timely manner. Ability to handle multiple tasks and priorities simultaneously.
Flexibility—Must be flexible and able to respond quickly to changing circumstances, applying good judgment under pressure and making reasoned and informed decisions in high-ambiguity situations.
Communication—Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, as well as great interpersonal skills.
Efficiency and sensitivity to deadlines—Must be able to complete detail-oriented tasks on time without sacrificing accuracy or quality.
Requirements & Qualifications
Authorized to work in the Czech Republic at time of hire. Verto will not sponsor a work visa.
At least two years of prior experience in academic advising, academic administration, teaching, and/or other student support services in education.
Education: Masters degree required in relevant fields such as international education, higher education, curriculum development, or related.
Experience with international education, academic administration and/or teaching and learning.