Academic Director​/Professor Practice of Project Management and IT Management; R0008215

Location: School of Professional Studies (Charlotte)

Open Date Sep 08, 2025

The Wake Forest University School of Professional Studies (SPS) is seeking an exceptional and dynamic faculty leader to serve as the Academic Director of the Project Management and IT Management programs, starting July 1, 2026. This full-time position is based in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The mission of the SPS is to accelerate the professional growth of adult learners across their careers and support the talent development needs of organizations. We believe this is best achieved through the strategic partnership of industry expertise and academic excellence, embodying principles of accessibility, flexibility, and a strong market orientation. All of our programs are designed for professionals who can apply acquired skills directly to their careers and reflect best and emerging practices from the field combined with rigorous, research-based knowledge from academia.

This is a unique opportunity to join an innovative school that's shaping the future of professional education, built on the quality and excellence of our university. As an influential, market-connected leader and key subject-matter expert, the Academic Director will be responsible for providing academic oversight and strategic direction for our graduate Project Management and IT Management degree programs. The director will be joining a creative, mission-centered, and highly collaborative team of faculty and staff who will be supporting these programs and their students.

The director will nurture a culture of innovation and collaboration that centers on the success of our students and community partners. The director will be expected to guide the programs' strategic positioning, guarantee their market leadership, and continuously enhance their impact by ensuring the quality and relevance of the program curriculum, monitoring outcomes and seeking input from students, faculty, advisors, and other stakeholders.

As the leader of a team of practitioner-scholars, the academic director will engage with program faculty and nurture close connections with industry leaders, leveraging a deep understanding of emerging trends and best practices. This includes leading Program Advisory Boards to advance the programs and provide mentorship to students, as well as engaging deeply with IT and project management professionals in the Charlotte region to advance program goals, enhance student success, and positively impact our community.

The candidate will be ranked as a professor of the practice (non-tenure track) and is expected to teach courses within the school in at least one of the two programs they lead.

• An earned master’s degree in a related field such as technology, computer science, business, management, or IT management, along with relevant professional certifications.
• Significant experience leading and managing IT and other high-level projects in a professional setting.
• Prior experience teaching online at the graduate level is required, with evidence of teaching effectiveness.
• Prior academic leadership or business managerial experience is preferred.

The Project Management program delivers a well-calibrated balance of the "art and science" of the discipline. Students gain essential leadership skills in communication and stakeholder engagement, alongside the technical skills needed to master proven and emerging methodologies. The program enables students to pursue industry certifications such as PMP® and Scrum Master.

The IT Management program is designed to equip working professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to align IT strategies with business objectives, support digital transformation, and drive IT-enabled innovation. It s a cross-industry program for professionals looking to pivot into more significant leadership roles.

This joint leadership role presents a unique opportunity to build synergies between two critical fields: the "art and science" of project management and the strategic leadership of IT. The director will guide a curriculum that prepares…