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Jarrod K. Murray, M.S.

Owner

Equipped with exceptional leadership skills; along with key talents in strategic planning and decision making to effectively resolve problems and enhance operational efficiencies, while ensuring successful and timely execution of program initiatives.  Top-performing and results-driven senior professional; armed with proven history of success in improving programs, acquiring business partners, and optimizing employee engagement.

Known as an efficient change agent and influential leader; with strong record of integrity, dependability, and outstanding service through design and implementation of human resource programs in a high-growth professional services environment.  People person and articulate communicator; able to build and strengthen positive relationships with all levels of professionals to achieve organizational goals and objectives.

Experience Highlights

Higher Design, LLC 

Owner

  • Oversee all facets of company operations, such as strategic planning, policy and procedure consultation, project management, job analysis and salary studies, instructional design, policy and procedure creation, and web design/hosting for clients

  • Assess organizational functioning through extensive research studies of physical work environments, organizational structures, communication systems, group interactions, morale, or motivation, while conducting presentations on research findings for clients

  • Evaluate skills, abilities, and interests for the purpose of employee selection, placement, or promotion by formulating interview techniques, rating scales, and psychological tests for clients

  • Carry out individual assessments, which involved interpreting measures and providing feedback for selection, placement, or promotion

  • Lead the strategic development and implementation of the following:

  • Training programs to apply principles of learning and individual differences, while identifying training and development needs;

  • New business by contacting potential clients, making sales presentations, and writing proposals;

  • Employee selection or placement programs

  • Provide training to clients to administer HR functions, encompassing testing, selection, and performance management; coaching to senior executives and managers on leadership and performance; and effectual advice to management concerning personnel, managerial, and marketing policies and practices and their potential effects on organizational effectiveness and efficiency

  • Gather information regarding physical, mental, and educational requirements of jobs, as well as information related to aspects, such as job satisfaction by supervising and interviewing workers

Tarragona Associates

Managing Partner

  • Provide sound decisions for the company as one of the four board of directors, as well as solutions to organizational or departmental problems through execution of corrective action plans

  • Direct, plan, and implement policies, objectives, or activities of organizations/businesses to ensure continuing operations, maximize returns on investments, and increase productivity

  • Develop bylaws approved by elected officials and ensure the enforcement of bylaws

  • Take charge of organizing and approving promotional campaigns

  • Facilitate and conduct research on issues affecting areas of responsibility

  • Effectively administer human resources activities, including approving human resource plans or activities, selecting directors or other high-level staff, and establishing/coordinating major departments

  • Perform strategic design and management of company website

Valdosta State University 

Associate Director of the Center For eLearning

  • Effectively directed a staff of six full-time and three part-time positions, while handling budget of approximately $1M

  • Led the creation, execution, and facilitation of policies, programs, and initiatives in alignment with the institution’s strategic plan, as well as in adherence to federal, system, and campus guidelines and policies for eLearning

  • Strategically established distance learning program goals or plans, which involved recommending new program development, instructional design services and objectives, course offering plans, and quality assurance

  • Efficiently handled state authorization efforts for the university with National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA)

  • Carried out the development and delivery of technical resources, such as course management and videoconferencing systems, networking, and webcasting for distance learning programs

  • Coordinated availability of or changes to distance learning courses or materials, programs, services, and applications to faculty, students, and other users

  • Promptly addressed problems related to distance learning equipment or applications

  • Assisted communication between organizations, shareholders, and outside organizations by serving as liaison

  • Capitalized on industry expertise in managing the following initiatives:

  • Education technology adoption, selection, and implementation;

  • Instructional design, faculty training, and professional development;

  • Course and instructional quality promotion and new technology advancement to improve instruction modalities and techniques;

  • Online program administration and initiation to ensure online student success; and

  • Online learning and online enrollment marketing

Valdosta State University

Assistant Director of Program Development and Administration

  • Restructured the department and identified most efficient programs to use by conducting program and departmental assessments

  • Held responsibility in creating and assessing program, building policy, negotiating contract, and researching and analyzing target market for online programs

  • Spearheaded the standardization of systems and procedures for the Center for eLearning and university’s eMajor initiative

  • Set key direction to five staff members in the department; and trained personnel in updating faculty training curricula, applying eMajor training protocols, and producing faculty resources and policy manuals

  • Supported the establishment of collaborative programs initiated by the University Systems of Georgia Office in partnership with assistant vice chancellors

  • Ensured consistent assessment and improvement of the programs through execution of training evaluation

  • Promoted faculty and student engagement through development of online programs and initiatives

  • Generated a standard enrollment report shared with department heads, deans, and vice presidents in collaboration with other departments, while reporting challenges and success to stakeholders on a weekly basis

  • Drove strategic efforts in initiating and executing the following functions:

  • Records management program for eMajor budgeting and faculty credential tracking;

  • Relevant program policy for University System of Georgia’s eMajor and for the Office of Extended Learning at Valdosta State University;

  • On-going evaluation and assessment processes for the effectiveness of University System of Georgia’s eMajor policy and practices as well as the Office of Extended Learning at Valdosta State University; and

  • New program opportunities for Valdosta State University, such as certification programs and high-demand degrees with rapid job placement demand growth

  • Demonstrated flexibility and multitasking skills in performing the following diverse roles:

  • Project manager for new online program initiatives and SmartPath core initiative, including new development of 15 courses and moving of Bachelor of Arts in Psychology online;

  • Substitute during absence of the director;

  • Budget manager for budgetary compliance and allocation of funds to institutional partners per semester, amounting to $4.4M annually;

  • NC-SARA representative for the university; and

  • Liaison between the University System of Georgia’s eMajor Administrative Unit located at Valdosta State University for new affiliate recruitment

 

Career Highlights:

  • Succeeded in creating and expanding the scope of institutional affiliates in the University System of Georgia’s eMajor initiative, which led to acquisition of two affiliate institutions in Fall 2013 and nine in Fall 2015

  • Played a key role as representative for University System of Georgia’s eMajor at the institution- and system-levels to build policies and procedures, which resulted in rapid growth of the program that generated more than 700 credit hours in Fall 2013 and over 3000 credit hours in Fall 2015

Education 

Master of Science in Industrial and Organizational Psychology: May 2013 | Valdosta State University â–ª Valdosta, GA

 

Bachelor of Science in Psychology: May 2011 | Southern Utah University â–ª Cedar City, UT

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Introduction to Project Management Principles and Practices: 2016 | University California, Irvine Extension 

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Activities

Area Director, Business Network International (BNI), Winnersville Chapter, 2022-present

 

Vice-President, Business Network International (BNI), Winnersville Chapter, 2021-2022

 

Education Coordinator, Business Network International (BNI), Winnersville Chapter, 2020-2021

 

Member, Student Success Council (SSC), 2017–2019

 

Member, Regional Accrediting Committee of Distance Education (RAC-DE), 2017–2019

 

Chair and Coordinator, UPCEA Program Planning and Implementation Network Committee, 2017–2019

 

Member, eCore Regional Accrediting Committee of Distance Education (eCore-RAC), 2016–2019

 

Marketing Coordinator, Conference on Instructional Technology, Innovations, and Education Strategies, 2014–2016

 

Member, Fifth-Year Report Committee (SACSCOC), 2015–2016

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