VP, Software Development

As the VP of Software Development, you play a pivotal role that requires a visionary leader with a robust understanding of software development and systems architecture. You will be responsible for guiding the strategic direction of software development initiatives, ensuring the alignment of project deliverables with business objectives, and fostering an environment of innovation and continuous improvement.

Requirements

Who is American College of Education

Founded in 2005, American College of Education continues to be a leader in professional development through our online programs. The mission of ACE is to deliver high-quality, affordable and accessible online programs grounded in evidence-based content and relevant application. Our graduates are prepared to serve, lead and achieve personal and professional goals in diverse, evolving communities. As a socially conscious institution, we’re dedicated to making a positive impact and inspiring our students to do the same.

ACE is a premier organization that is continually recognized for its commitment to social responsibility. In 2016, ACE became a Certified B Corporation. As a socially conscious institution, we believe we have a responsibility to our students, alumni, employees, local communities, and society. We strive to make an impact in the world that goes well beyond our bottom line.

Who You Are

You are passionate about helping students achieve their educational goals. You thrive in a competitive and collaborative team environment. You are comfortable working remotely and have experience collaborating with others in a virtual environment. You possess a strong attention to detail.

As the VP of Software Development, you play a pivotal role that requires a visionary leader with a robust understanding of software development and systems architecture. You will be responsible for guiding the strategic direction of software development initiatives, ensuring the alignment of project deliverables with business objectives, and fostering an environment of innovation and continuous improvement.

Compensation

ACE is committed to paying a competitive wage while staying true to our mission of maintaining high quality, affordable programs for our students. The starting salary range for this position is $150,000 plus all full-time employees are eligible for an annual bonus. Offers vary depending on education, prior experience, and expertise being applied to the role.

What We Look for in the Ideal Candidate

• Demonstrates self-reliance by meeting/exceeding workflow needs.
• Demonstrates positive attitude and motivation, concern for students, teamwork, and excellent time management skills.
• Follows established processes as outlined by organization and leadership.
• Completes assigned duties based on daily business needs and individual skill set.
• Consistently produces a high volume of quality work.
• Capable, and adapts as needed, to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
• Proven ability to work independently with limited supervision and with other department personnel.
• Must support and embrace the College’s B Corp mission to improve the people and communities we serve through our civic engagement initiatives.
• Must have exceptional communication, organization, and time management skills.
• Must be "self-motivated" as well as creative and efficient in proposing solutions to complex, time-critical problems.
• Must be collaborative in driving decisions and a team-player.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a high attention to detail.
• Builds and maintains student satisfaction.
• Recognizes and anticipates student needs.

Day to Day Responsibilities

In this role you will wear different hats, but your skills will be especially essential in the following areas:

Leadership

• Provide strategic leadership and vision for the development and implementation of software solutions that align with the company's goals.
• Oversee the design, development, and maintenance of software applications, systems, and services, ensuring high-quality standards and timely delivery.
• Serve as the department’s interface with relevant information technology vendors and other technology units regarding computer services and functions/configurations of the systems operated within the IT Department.
• Manage and lead the team.
• Develop, defend, and execute the budget for all computing needs in supervision.
• Drive the software development lifecycle within the department.
• Collaborate effectively with multiple stakeholders, including clients and direct operations groups, program, and project managers. Collaborate with stakeholders across the organization, including clients, operations groups, program managers, and project managers, to ensure cohesive efforts and successful outcomes.
• Make resource allocation and staffing decisions.
• Collaborate with other departments to identify and generate potential business intelligence initiatives.

Program Initiatives

• Plan, design, and maintain academic systems to support systems within the corporation.
• Plan, design, implement and support integration services and devices. Leverage integration services brokerages, with the use of APIs, LTIs, and integration tools.
• Develop, implement, and maintains corporate applications as appropriate.
• Design, develop, maintain, and extend support of all systems and reports to support internal operations, faculty, and students.
• Develops business processes and functions dedicated to planning and implementing enhancements to the academic and research environment, through a continuous cycle of process improvement assuring tighter alignment of operations with business needs and longer team business strategies.
• Leverages Agile framework within the SDLC. Facilitate Agile ceremonies and incorporate Agile methodologies within the software development lifecycle (SDLC) to enhance team efficiency and product quality.
• Works with Product management to translate requirements into system, product, and technology roadmaps.
• Demonstrates proficiency in software development, database, and application development and support.
• Fosters an understanding of the field to produce effective dashboards, reports, and metrics.
• Oversees the planning, design, implementation, and maintenance of databases.
• Ensures data integrity, security, and availability.
• Monitors and optimize database performance.
• Implements and enforce security protocols to protect sensitive data.
• Partners with Product Management to translate business requirements into actionable systems, products, and technology roadmaps.
• Ensures compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements are applied to databases, applications, integrations in collaboration with infrastructure teams.
• Ensures that backup and disaster recovery procedures are implemented and followed.
• Works closely with the business intelligence team to design efficient database structures.
• Responsibilities include overseeing the design and deployment of AI systems, managing a team of AI specialists and engineers, and collaborating with cross- functional teams to integrate AI solutions into business operations.
• Provides technical guidance in mobile development (iOS and Android).
• An understanding of mobile platform languages, such as Swift, ReactJS, and/or Xamarin.

Qualifications and Education Requirements

• The role requires a high-energy approach, excellent communication skills, deep process development/management capabilities and strong leadership.
• Bachelor's Degree, Information Systems, Business or equivalent.
• 8 + years of experience of progressive roles in software development teams, project management, or software product management.
• 8 + years of people and vendor management.
• Proven experience innovating and executing large scale IT application projects.
• Proven experience with the management of teams, including team development and mentoring while delivering on a KPI-driven plan.
• An understanding of mobile platform languages, such as Swift, ReactJS, and/or Xamarin.
• Strong background in software development and a deep understanding of AI and machine learning technologies.
• Proficiency in coding and familiarity with educational technology platforms such as Anthology/Campus Nexus, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, and Canvas. 
• Capability to comprehend and map out intricate systems at the application, database, and integration levels. 
• Expertise in overseeing code reviews, enforcing coding standards, and maintaining comprehensive software documentation. 
• Proven track record of successfully transitioning from custom-built applications to established cloud-based educational technology platforms. 
• Implementation of cross-functional testing procedures in both staging and production environments, accompanied by thorough documentation. 
• Demonstrated experience in effectively establishing and managing Project Management Offices (PMO) and project management processes within software development contexts. 
  

Our Commitment to Employees

Just as we strive to empower our students for success, we also aim to enrich the lives of our employees. For 6 consecutive years, ACE was recognized as one of Indiana’s Best Places to Work, winning the #1 spot for medium-sized companies in 2020. In addition, ACE has earned national recognition, being named a USA Top Workplace in 2022, 2023 and 2024. As a virtual first organization, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating a family-like inclusive work environment. For our full-time employees, we offer the following benefits:

• Medical, dental, & vision Insurance
• HSA and FSA options
• Paid parental leave
• Paid volunteer time
• Tuition reimbursement & reduction programs
• Generous PTO
• 401k and employer match
• Full-service wellness and EAP program
• Employee recognition and awards programs
• Employer paid life & AD& D insurance
• Short-term disability
• Employer paid long-term disability
• And more…

Physical Demands

The physical demand described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to communicate with and receive communications from students and ACE employees in real time using online and other electronic media.

Diversity

At American College of Education, we believe that the best learning environment for students and staff is one in which we encounter viewpoints and experiences that are different, yet complementary to ours. This environment is fostered by the presence of persons with diverse backgrounds. We recognize that acknowledging diversity is a necessary precondition, but sustained effort is necessary to ensure equity and greater inclusion. Through strategic planning and initiatives, we seek to develop programs that promote equity and inclusion for everyone so that all members of ACE’s community can reach their full potential. To create and maintain a truly diverse, equitable and inclusive learning community, we strive to make all feel equally valued, and we uphold our Commitment to Freedom of Expression. We may celebrate diversity, but we “live” inclusion.

Additional Notes

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Internet bandwidth speeds from an employee's remote work location must be a minimum of 50Mbps download speeds and 5Mbps upload speeds. Please note if the bandwidth is shared across multiple devices (tablets, computer, streaming, phone, etc.) you will need higher overall speeds. You can test the speed of your connection by visiting speedtest.net Purchase, setup, installation, support, and ongoing maintenance of reliable internet service is the responsibility of the individual.

American College of Education seeks to attract and retain a diverse staff consistent with its diverse student body and surrounding communities. At this time we cannot consider candidates residing in Alaska, Washington D.C., Massachusetts, South Dakota, or Alabama.

ACE is an Equal Opportunity Employer.