Principal Technology Strategist

Principal Technology Strategist Location: Salt Lake City, UT If you’re passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country—and you’re committed to working hard to play your part in building that future—consider WGU as the next step in your career. Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families. The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs. At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is: Grade: Technical 411 Pay Range: $157,000.00 - $243,400.00 Job Description The Principal Technology Strategist is an expert in higher education technology systems and processes, with deep expertise in higher-ed technology ecosystems and the higher-ed processes that are use them. This individual understands how complex higher-ed platforms, including learning management systems (LMS), student information systems (SIS), customer relationship management (CRM) systems, and other higher-ed systems are used by students and staff across the higher education technology landscape. The role is responsible for identifying and understanding issues across WGU higher-ed systems that currently prevent or limit the scalability, flexibility, and innovation that WGU leadership need to innovate and serve students better. This individual works directly for the VP of University Technology and partners with architecture, engineering, product management, business process leaders, and university leadership to design flexible, scalable, secure, and future-state solutions. This is a highly influential role requiring deep higher-ed tech fluency as well as strong domain expertise in higher education operations and online learning ecosystems. Primary Responsibilities Enterprise & Systems Architecture Lead end-to-end analysis of complex higher education technology ecosystems, including LMS, SIS, CRM, and other higher-ed technology ecosystem platforms Identify architectural gaps, integration challenges, technical debt, and scalability constraints across higher-ed systems Define target-state architectures that support modern online learning environments Serve as a thought leader and trusted advisor to executive leadership, translating market trends and learner insights into actionable strategy. Higher Education Technology Domain Expertise Serve as SME and consultant to product management, engineering, and academic leaders Understand academic workflows including course lifecycle management, enrollment, grading, assessments, curriculum design, and credentialing Partner with academic technology and institutional leadership to align technology capabilities with teaching, learning, and student success outcomes Evaluate SIS, LMS, and CRM extensibility, interoperability, and integration with third-party education tools (e.g., proctoring, content authoring, video platforms, analytics tools) Cross-Functional Leadership Partner with Enterprise Architecture, Engineering, Product, Academic Affairs, Institutional Research, and IT leadership Translate institutional and academic needs into scalable technical architectures and roadmaps Influence strategic multi-year higher-ed platform modernization strategies Provide technical advisory support to senior leadership on platform decisions and vendor evaluations Represent WGU at industry sector meetings, advisory boards, and strategic partnership discussions. Modernization & Innovation Evaluate and recommend emerging higher-ed technologies Identify opportunities to improve student experience, faculty experience, and operational efficiency through technology Performs other job-related duties as assigned. This job description includes a general representation of job requirements rather than a comprehensive inventory of all required responsibilities or work activities.  The contents of this document or related job requirements may change at any time with or without notice. Qualifications Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Higher Education Systems Expertise (LMS, SIS, Academic Technology Ecosystems) Enterprise Architecture & Systems Thinking Digital Learning & Student Experience Design Strategic Technical Leadership Cross-Functional Influence & Stakeholder Management Translating Academic Needs into Technical Solutions Education Master's degree from an accredited institution. Experience 15+ years of experience in education technology, digital transformation, or strategic program leadership. Deep fluency in higher education markets, particularly online, non-credit, and competency-based programs. Deep domain expertise in higher education technology ecosystems, including LMS and SIS platforms Demonstrated success managing complex portfolios of technology initiatives within or alongside higher education institutions. Exceptional communication, facilitation, and stakeholder alignment skills across technical and non-technical audiences. Strong understanding of higher education workflows: admissions, enrollment, course delivery, grading, advising, and credentialing Proven ability to build and lead high-performing, cross-functional teams and initiatives. Strong background in vendor management, partnership strategy, and cross-functional leadership. Experience with AI-powered tools and automations in an educational or enterprise context. Preferred Qualifications PhD or Doctoral Degree Industry recognition, publications, or thought leadership in ed-tech or higher education transformation. Familiarity with Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI), IMS Global standards, or similar education interoperability frameworks Background in instructional technology, academic technology, or educational data systems Physical Requirements: Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer. Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times. Working Condition: This position requires occasional travel of up to 20%, including required attendance at designated company summits (typically one to two per year). Additional travel may include conferences, visits to company locations, and other business-related events as needed. Additional travel may be assigned as needed to support business requirements. Position & Application Details Full-Time Regular Positions (classified as regular and working 40 standard weekly hours): This is a full-time, regular position (classified for 40 standard weekly hours) that is eligible for bonuses; medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare; health savings account and flexible spending account; basic and voluntary life insurance; disability coverage; accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages; legal and identity theft coverage; retirement savings plan; wellbeing program; discounted WGU tuition; and flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual, flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual, 11 paid holidays, and other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave. How to Apply: If interested, an application will need to be submitted online. Internal WGU employees will need to apply through the internal job board in Workday. Additional Information Disclaimer: The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It’s not all-inclusive. Accommodations: Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at recruiting@wgu.edu. Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic as required by law.