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Higher Ed Adjacent Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Higher Ed Adjacent information

What is a higher ed adjacent?

A Higher Ed Adjacent job refers to roles that support or interact with higher education institutions without being traditional faculty or administrative positions. These jobs can be found in educational technology companies, research organizations, nonprofit associations, and government agencies that work with colleges and universities. They often involve areas like policy, student success, academic publishing, professional development, or technology services. These roles allow professionals to contribute to the education sector while working outside the traditional university setting.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in a higher ed adjacent role?

To thrive in a Higher Ed Adjacent role, you typically need expertise in project management, program coordination, and a solid understanding of higher education operations, often supported by a relevant bachelor’s or master’s degree. Familiarity with Learning Management Systems (LMS), CRM platforms like Salesforce, and data analysis tools is often required. Strong communication, relationship-building, and problem-solving skills distinguish successful candidates in this space. These competencies ensure effective collaboration with educational institutions and stakeholders, providing critical support to programs and services linked to higher education.

What are the typical career growth opportunities for someone in a higher ed adjacent role?

Higher Ed Adjacent roles often provide clear pathways for advancement into senior project management, partnership development, or strategic leadership positions, especially within organizations serving or supporting colleges and universities. Professionals can expand their careers by specializing in areas like technology implementation, curriculum design support, or education consulting. Many organizations also offer professional development options, such as workshops or mentorship programs, to help employees build specialized expertise. As you gain experience, you may take on broader responsibilities, lead larger teams, or move into cross-functional roles that further shape the higher education landscape.

What are popular job titles related to Higher Ed Adjacent jobs in Virginia?

For Higher Ed Adjacent jobs in Virginia, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Higher Ed Adjacent jobs in Virginia look for?

The top searched job categories for Higher Ed Adjacent jobs in Virginia are:

Infographic showing various Higher Ed Adjacent job openings in Virginia as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 77% Full Time, and 23% Part Time. Highlights an 74% In-person, 13% Hybrid, and 13% Remote job distribution.

Adjunct Instructor- Educational Leadership

Vcu Rrtc

Richmond, VA • On-site

$250/hr

Other

Posted 6 days ago


Job description

The Department of Educational Leadership in the School of Education at Virginia Commonwealth University is recruiting a pool of adjunct faculty beginning in Summer 2025. Adjunct faculty may teach online or face-to-face undergraduate or graduate courses in educational leadership and practice and integrate approaches and perspectives with a focus on equity and belonging. The adjunct faculty pool will be utilized on an as-needed basis, and you may resubmit your application for subsequent years or when the application is periodically refreshed and prior applicants are purged.

The Department of Educational Leadership prepares visionary scholars and leaders who promote justice across a variety of spheres. We have a robust set of programs spanning the PK20W (pre-kindergarten, postsecondary undergraduate and graduate education, and workforce development/adult learning). Programs in need of adjunct instructors include:

  • BA in Human and Organizational Development
  • EdD in Leadership (PK12, Higher Education, and General Leadership cohorts)
  • M.Ed. in Educational Leadership (concentrations in Administration and Supervision (licensure), Culturally Responsive Leadership, Higher Education Administration, Leadership Studies)
  • Graduate Certificate in Culturally Responsive Leadership
  • Post-Master’s Certificate (PMC) in Educational Leadership (licensure)
Benefits

All VCU employee types are eligible for a wide array of benefits to support you during your employment at VCU. Consult the benefits website for information on benefits eligibility according to employee type.

Unit

School Of Education MBU

Department

SOE Ed Ldshp Dept

Duties & Responsibilities
  1. Meet all designated course instruction guidelines, including delivery of content specific to the course and in the modality assigned.
  2. Provide written feedback and assign grades to student work in a timely manner.
  3. Respond to student inquiries within 24 hours.
  4. Submit final grades according to policy.
  5. Attend orientation and program/curriculum continuous improvement sessions, as appropriate.
  6. Instructors in the Ed.D. must teach to a prepared syllabus, which instructors may modify and personalize, and complete specific post-semester tasks to provide program level feedback about students and the course for student assessment purposes and continual improvement efforts. The Ed.D. is grounded in improvement science; therefore knowledge of and the ability to weave improvement science into coursework is paramount.
Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications: To teach in the BA, applicants must have a master’s degree. For all other programs, a terminal degree in education (Ph.D. or Ed.D.) is required. Applicants must have a combination of professional experience and/or content knowledge related to leadership and policy in one of the following sectors: PK12, higher education, and/or general leadership (public sector, nonprofit, military, academic leadership, and leadership in education-adjacent disciplines such as social work and healthcare). In your cover letter, please highlight the program(s), content areas (e.g., courses), and teaching modality experience (online asynchronous, synchronous, hybrid, in‑person, etc), in which you have expertise and are interested in teaching.

Program Specific Areas of Needed Expertise

BA in Human and Organizational Development (and undergraduate minor in Instructional Design and Technology)

  • Facilitation skill.
  • Designing online learning and instructional design.
  • Developing culturally competent workplaces.
  • Organizational development & change.
  • Project management.
  • Consulting skills.

Post-Master’s Certificate (PMC), Graduate Certificate in Culturally Responsive Leadership, and M.Ed. in Educational Leadership (concentrations in Administration and Supervision, Higher Education, Culturally Responsive Leadership, and Leadership Studies)

  • Legal and regulatory frameworks in education.
  • DEIB principles and social justice theory and application.
  • College student developmental theory and practices.
  • Human resource management in education.
  • Individualized learning strategies and practices.
  • Crisis leadership and management skills.
  • Immigration theory and practice analysis.
  • Student centered policy development.
  • Higher education policy.
  • School community and education stakeholder engagement.
  • Higher education administration.

EdD in Leadership

  • Research methods and improvement science, especially using quantitative data and data visualization.
  • Budgeting and finance (public and nonprofit sectors, higher education, and PK12).
  • Leading for organizational culture change (public and nonprofit sectors).
  • Systems analysis and improvement science (public and nonprofit sectors).
  • Teamwork, project management & conflict resolution.
  • Policy and ethics (public and nonprofit sectors and higher education).
  • Organizational analysis and epistemologies.
  • Legal perspectives (public and nonprofit sectors and higher education).
  • Professional and academic writing.
  • Crisis management and leadership (public and nonprofit sectors).
Salary Range

$1,437 per 1 credit

FLSA Exemption Status

Exempt

Hours per Week

Varies

Rank

Instructor

Contact Information

Contact Name: Mariah Taghavie-Moghadam
Contact Email: taghaviemoghm@vcu.edu

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