Director, Program Evaluation

Air University's (AU) Education Support Squadron (ESS) invites applications from qualified individuals for the position of Director, Program Evaluation. This position takes the lead role in planning, coordinating, developing, and conducting Professional Education assessments for Air University Officer Professional Military Education (OPME) programs to provide meaningful data for strategic planning and contributing to assessment of AU Institutional Effectiveness efforts.

Air University is the intellectual and leadership-development center of the Air and Space Forces. Our mission is to educate and develop Air, Space, and Cyberspace warrior leaders in support of the National Defense Strategy. With headquarters at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, Air University is a major component of Air Education and Training Command and is the lead agent for Air Force education. The University provides the full spectrum of Air Force education, encompassing pre-commissioning programs for new officers; graduate programs in specialized military disciplines; progressive, career-long professional military development for officer, enlisted, and civilian Airmen; and specialized programs for US cabinet appointees, senior executive service civilians, and general officers.

Air University draws on a long legacy of airpower education. The Wright brothers established the first US civilian flying school here in 1910. In the early 1930s, the Army Air Corps Tactical School moved to Montgomery, establishing Maxwell Field. Air University was established in 1946, and today is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate, masters, and doctor of philosophy degrees.

Responsibilities

The Director, Program Assessments oversees OPME assessment programs IAW Air Force and Air University instructions (AUI). In this capacity the Director coordinates OPME inputs to AU’s comprehensive effectiveness program integrating the processes of planning, assessment/evaluation, and resourcing activities; directs all aspects of the ESS Program Assessment division in accordance with applicable Air Force and Air University instructions, including management responsibilities for a staff that includes government civil service and active duty personnel; establishes systems and processes to collect student, faculty, and alumni feedback on educational programs, and produces summary reports for presenting appropriate date for review by authorized personnel; and employs both qualitative and quantitative methodology for proper data gathering analysis, and reporting of findings on the effectiveness of the OPME school curricula, instructional methods and delivery, and academic support activities.

The Director also serves as research consultant for Air University’s institutional effectiveness research and independent research efforts; provides technical advice on research methodology to students, faculty, and external researchers seeking to collect data from OPME populations; provides guidance and assistance to faculty, students, alumni and employees IAW operating instructions; coordinates OPME inputs to Air University’s comprehensive institutional effectiveness program, integrating the processes of planning, assessment and evaluation, and resourcing activities; designs surveys and other data gathering instruments for OPME educational programs; provides training, assistance and guidance to the faculty and staff on Professional Education policies and procedures; and provides service roles to support the Air University OPME schools as academic institutions. Service roles may include providing advice and counsel to Course Directors, Department Directors, and Deans on topics related to Institutional Effectiveness.

Qualifications

Knowledge of scholarly research methods and the ability to conduct inquiry and publish in professional journals or books is desirable.

Knowledge of institutional and educational program evaluation methods, including design and production of data-gathering instructions such as surveys, questionnaires, and/or critiques.

Knowledge of statistical design and use of statistical models and computer-based statistical routines for analysis of data.

Knowledge of requirements for teaching effectively, including distributed learning techniques and curricula development in a complex academic environment.

A wide range of experience in strategic planning, educational technology, and distributed learning. Ability to plan, organize, and direct the functions of a small organization, including mentoring, motivating, and appraising subordinate personnel.

Air University is committed to building a culturally diverse and inclusive educational environment.  We are dedicated to recruiting and retaining a diverse faculty committed to inclusive teaching and scholarship. Prospective candidates must engender a climate that values and leverages diversity in all its forms to enrich debate and make the institution more inclusive.

Education

A master's degree is required, but a PhD is desired in a related field. The incumbent should have deep experience in program assessment and/or program curriculum evaluation from an accredited University.

Conditions of Employment

Candidates must be a U.S. citizen, registered for Selective Service, and capable of obtaining and maintaining a secret security clearance.

Applications

To apply for this position applicants must access the following USAJobs website and follow all instructions: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/584067500. Applications will be accepted until 14 December 2020.

For general background about the Education Support Squadron or any additional information regarding this position, contact Col Timothy Goodroe, timothy.goodroe@au.af.edu, or 334-953-8048.