Senior Director of Program Development

Your Role:

As the Senior Director of Program Development, you will lead cross-departmental collaboration to design and deliver innovative, high-quality academic programs aligned with institutional partner needs. Success in this role requires a deep understanding of higher education and the ability to translate partner priorities into effective program models and solutions.

The Senior Director oversees program development workflows and project plans, coordinating execution across globally dispersed teams. As a hands-on leader, you will manage a portfolio of programs while motivating and guiding a team to achieve established annual objectives. This role is both strategic and operational, requiring creativity, strong problem-solving skills, and a solution-oriented mindset to effectively serve internal and external stakeholders. The Senior Director establishes frameworks, standards, and best practices for university engagement, program design, and team training.

As a collaborative member of the Program Development & Innovation team, you will support the Chief Innovation Officer in shaping and advancing long-term innovation strategies, providing insights, resources, and leadership to drive continuous improvement and growth.

This role is eligible to be worked remotely within the continental U.S. or on a hybrid schedule based out of our office in Phoenix, AZ.

What You’ll Do:

• Establish annual development strategies with the Chief Innovation Officer, inclusive of curricular and geographic priorities
• Build project plans to achieve established strategies and set a launch calendar in collaboration with cross-functional leaders
• Manage development workflows, assigning projects to members of the Program Development team and select global colleagues, and lead efforts to meet established deadlines
• Establish a framework and cadence for regular reporting and project status updates to key internal stakeholders including but not limited to Global Operations, Academic Affairs, Enrollment, Marketing, Institutional Relations and the Executive Leadership Team
• Manage the Program Development team, setting goals for the team on an annual basis and regularly managing progress to goals
• Liaise regularly with leaders in Institutional Relations, Academic Relations and Global Operations to ensure knowledge of and alignment on all development initiatives
• Model and lead the Program Development team with core development processes:

• Monitoring market trends in higher education and the competitive landscape, and presenting research on emerging trends
• Engaging U.S. institutional personnel and faculty via strategic calls and campus visits to understand their curricular needs as related to study abroad and institutional goals
• Leading focus groups to explore institutional requirements/preferences and to identify synergies across institutions
• Engaging onsite academic and operational teams to ensure feasibility and financial viability of new development initiatives 
• Analyzing historical and institutional data to guide recommendations on the development of new CEA CAPA curriculum, programs, and locations
• Coordinating the design and launch of approved programs, inclusive of pricing, syllabi creation and database management

• Lead the identification and resolution of complex, cross-functional challenges by designing and implementing scalable, programmatic solutions
• Recommend new curriculum, programs and products to the CIO for review and approval
• Serve as internal lead for select CEA CAPA Advisory Board Committees
• Oversee the maintenance and data integrity of the CEA CAPA standard program portfolio, including term launches and routine updates based on information from global partners
• Lead efforts to develop and implement a framework for new product training in collaboration with key leaders in the Go-To-Market (GTM) and Global Operations teams
• Serve as a subject matter expert on new development initiatives to internal and external stakeholders, and lead the team in support of GTM efforts to build awareness and grow our partnerships through proposals, presentations and other account strategies
• Develop session proposals in collaboration with U.S. institutions that elevate CEA CAPA’s brand and programming and participate in industry conferences
• Engage regularly with other leaders within the Program Development & Innovation team, support shared objectives and work together toward continuous improvement of workflows
• Support the Chief Innovation Officer with the development of a multi-year innovation roadmap

Salary: $100,000-$110,000

What Makes a Great Candidate:

Education & Experience

• Master’s degree required
• 8+ years of progressively responsible experience designing study abroad programs
• 5+ years of progressively responsible experience managing department- or campus-wide curriculum integration initiatives
• Experience living, working, or studying abroad
• Demonstrated experience working effectively with faculty, university administrators, and international colleagues using proactive training and strong listening skills

Knowledge, Skills & Competencies

• Expertise in educational theory, curriculum design, and the alignment of programs to academic standards and learning outcomes
• Knowledge of best practices and trends in education abroad, with strong research and analytical skills to inform program design
• Evidence of strong organizational, problem-solving, and project management skills
• Excellent intercultural communication skills, both written and verbal
• Strong writing skills, including experience preparing proposals and reports
• Comfortable and effective working in both business and academic environments
• Resourceful, action-oriented, and able to work with a strong sense of urgency
• Commitment to providing timely, reliable support and follow-through to internal and external stakeholders
• Flexibility and adaptability in a rapidly changing, entrepreneurial environment

We believe great talent comes in many forms and that there is no one size fits all in hiring. If you feel you may be a great fit for this role but do not check all of the boxes, we encourage you to apply and show us why you're the right candidate for this position. 

Who We Are: 

CEA CAPA is a premier provider of transformative international education experiences, committed to empowering students to become thoughtful and thriving leaders through living and learning abroad. With a presence in 62 cities across 22 countries in Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Australia, we offer comprehensive study abroad and career readiness programs that integrate academic excellence and cultural immersion. Our global footprint includes 11 international study centers, and we proudly support over 10,000 students annually in partnership with more than 375 U.S. universities and over 50 international institutions. CEA CAPA is in a dynamic phase of growth and is powered by a global team of nearly 700 professionals who are deeply mission-driven and committed to creating inclusive, supportive and enriching environments that help students grow academically, personally and professionally. 

Why You’ll Love CEA CAPA:

Wellness & Snacks (In-Office): Fresh Fruit Wednesdays, coffee bar, wellness room, and ergonomic workspaces.

Time Off & Giving Back: 12 paid holidays, generous PTO, and up to 8 hours paid volunteer time—because balance matters.

Support for Your Whole Life: Comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage, benefits for domestic partners, paid parental leave, and compassionate time off for life events—because caring for your loved ones matters.

Fun & Community: We encourage team connection and celebration, from office events to informal get-togethers and virtual hangouts—exact activities vary by team.

Our commitment to creating a sense of belonging means we welcome individuals of all abilities, ages, citizenships, educations, ethnicities, family statuses, gender identities, genders, genetic information, languages, marital status, military experiences, political views, pregnancy, races, religions, sexes, sexual orientations, socioeconomic statuses, and work experiences and therefore we encourage applicants from diverse lived experiences to apply.