Senior Associate Accreditation and State Relations

Excelsior University, a regionally accredited, online private not-for-profit institution of higher learning is seeking dynamic applicants for the position of Senior Associate Accreditation and State Relations in the Learning Outcomes and Quality Improvement unit. Learning Outcomes and Quality Improvement at Excelsior University works to ensure smooth institutional operations and integrity by enabling and supporting data-informed actions to enhance the learning environment for student success. 

This position coordinates institutional and programmatic accreditation activities and serves as the operational lead for state authorization, physical-presence, additional/site-location, and international regulatory compliance. The Senior Associate monitors requirements across U.S. jurisdictions, including obligations not covered by interstate reciprocity agreements, and coordinates registrations, applications, renewals, reports, disclosures, and responses. The role also supports compliance with applicable foreign ministries, governmental agencies, recognition bodies, accreditors, and quality-assurance organizations in Canada, Europe, and other countries. Working with academic leaders, legal counsel, compliance partners, finance, student-facing units, and affiliated entities, the Senior Associate will maintain authoritative records, assess regulatory impact, coordinate submissions and visits, and translate complex requirements into practical institutional action.

This position is based out of the university’s home office in Albany, NY with the option of considering remote candidates. Remote employees will have mandatory occasional travel for meetings, conferences, and professional development opportunities. Remote employees are expected to be available during work hours 8:30am – 5:00pm Eastern time. The University will supply necessary equipment to perform the essential functions of this job (e.g., laptop, docking station). Employees are responsible for having a workspace where they can participate in virtual meetings without multiple interruptions and noise.

Duties and Responsibilities:  

• Coordinate institutional and programmatic accreditation submissions, monitoring reports, substantive changes, evidence requests, reviews, and site visits. 

• Maintain a comprehensive inventory of approvals and obligations by state, jurisdiction, location, program, delivery activity, and affiliated entity. 

• Evaluate whether instructional activity, employees, recruitment, placements, residencies, facilities, or other operations create physical presence or authorization requirements. 

• Manage applications, registrations, exemptions, renewals, annual reports, fees, bonds, agents, and related documentation required by state agencies. 

• Oversee compliance for additional locations, instructional sites, and operations not covered by interstate reciprocity agreements. 

• Coordinate requirements imposed by foreign ministries, regulators, recognition bodies, accreditors, and quality-assurance organizations in Canada, Europe, and other jurisdictions. 

• Conduct regulatory due diligence for new programs, locations, partnerships, acquisitions, teach-outs, and geographic expansion. 

• Maintain authoritative compliance calendars, agency contacts, approvals, correspondence, and evidence repositories. 

• Coordinate accurate consumer, complaint, professional licensure, and location-related disclosures with legal, compliance, marketing, admissions, and academic partners. 

• Prepare responses to agency inquiries, complaints, audits, and information requests; coordinate corrective actions and document completion. 

• Monitor regulatory and accreditation changes using Statenet, and other regulatory monitoring resources, assess institutional impact, brief leadership, and recommend policy or operational updates. 

• Collaborate with LOQI team and institutional collaborators to support related accreditation and quality improvement-related initiatives.

 Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Earned master’s degree in an Educational or Social Science field with an emphasis on assessment.
• At least three years of experience working in accreditation, compliance, or institutional research/institutional effectiveness at an institution.

• Demonstrated experience interpreting and operationalizing state authorization, physical-presence, additional-location, or distance-education requirements.

• Experience preparing regulatory or accreditation applications, reports, substantive changes, and responses to external agencies.

• Excellent research, analytical, writing, project-management, organizational, and record-management skills.

• Ability to explain complex requirements clearly and lead cross-functional work involving academic, legal, financial, operational, and student-facing partners.

• Ability to manage multiple deadlines independently while maintaining accuracy, sound judgment, discretion, and timely escalation of risk.

Preferred Qualifications: 

•  Experience managing multistate compliance for online, hybrid, and location-based education, including operations outside SARA coverage.
• Demonstrated success working effectively in a remote or hybrid environment.
• Experience with California postsecondary oversight and with Canadian, European, or other international regulatory or quality-assurance frameworks.

The hiring salary range for this position is $90,000.00 - $106,000.00. The hiring salary range above represents the University's good faith estimate at the time of posting.