Director, Learning Solutions

Job Description

Director, Learning Solutions

Office of Integrative Learning Design

Exempt, Regular, Full-time, Pay Grade 4.3

Location: Stateside Remote

The Director, Learning Solutions (DLS) will be a key position within the launch of a new agile and scalable production process that enables both the more rapid creation of new learning products as well as making updates and upgrades to existing courses and programs. Within this new unit, the DLSs are responsible for executing and delivering on the creation of new learning products as well as updates and upgrades to existing programs and courses. The DLSs will work collaboratively with their assigned Program Directors to envision, develop, and maintain best-in-class program designs within the discipline, and they will manage workflow from subject-matter experts to Learning Architects to Learning Technologists and Media Producers. In this way, the role serves dual purposes, both as a key point of contact for the schools and Program Directors as well as a senior leader within the ILD team who ensures UMGC’s new learning model is reflected in all aspects of the student experience.

The DLS will supervise a lean, but highly qualified team of instructional design and technology professionals and outside vendors who will produce and maintain industry-informed, student-centered credit and non-credit learning products that focus on applicable real-world/workplace skills and meet the design specifications co-developed with the Program Directors.  The ideal candidates will be individuals with some subject-matter expertise in one of the school’s meta-disciplines (IT, business, arts/humanities, or sciences) as well as a deep understanding of how people best learn in those fields. The successful candidate will excel in dynamic and fast-paced environments, have an entrepreneurial spirit, be forward-thinking, and enjoy making a positive impact via student-centered, engaging learning experiences.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Deliver best-in-class learning experiences respectful of timelines and budgets while also attending to opportunities to improve student success through continuous improvement/update efforts.

Maintain knowledge of assigned product portfolio, supporting PD’s efforts to identify, plan for, and execute continuous improvement/updates to learning solutions being taught/delivered by the school.

Work closely with Program Directors and ILD’s Associate Vice President to gather and respond to faculty and student feedback on courses as part of a continuous improvement/update process.

Facilitate new program development meetings to establish vision, desired outcomes, and effective design of academic programs in close collaboration with the Program Directors.

Oversee new program development work plans (both new projects and redesigns) and manage teams comprising subject-matter experts, learning architects, media designers, learning technologists, and vendors who bring the curricular vision to life.

Develop storyboards/blueprints, scope and sequences, and other project content-planning documents for use by Learning Architects and Learning Technologists.

Establish project management plans that ensure product launch dates are met and ensure appropriate resourcing of all projects.

Monitor project status and progress; identify and remove barriers to keep production on schedule and resolve production delays.

Apply innovative, evidence-based curriculum development strategies to the design and redesign of degree programs.

Ensuring new course/program production and upgrades result in highly engaging, goal-oriented, beautiful learning objects and fair, valid, and reliable assessments, all of which are true to the integrity of the targeted design, desired learning outcomes, and UMGC’s learning model.

Engage key stakeholders and subject matter experts to ensure learning experiences drive innovation and business results, especially those advancing inclusive pedagogies and digital accessibility.

Evaluate pedagogy goals against available technology tools, with emphasis on designing and using appropriate technology for the situation.

Perform other related duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

A Master’s degree in instructional design, learning sciences, educational technology, curriculum and instruction, instructional technology, or related field; a doctorate is strongly preferred.

7+ years of experience in digital teaching and learning in higher education with increasing leadership roles. Online teaching experience preferred but not required.

Demonstrated ability to apply current adult-centered pedagogy and discipline-specific learning theories to innovative online and instructor-led academic program designs, including active learning principles, project-based learning, microlearning, gamification, virtual/augmented reality, and the like.

Discipline-based experience and/or expertise demonstrated either through education (such as an undergraduate degree in biology or the humanities) or related work experience (as a chemist or as an instructional designer embedded in the health sciences, for example).

Demonstrated ability to facilitate design-thinking approaches and change management practices in the design and development of academic programs and curricula.

Ability to manage multiple projects at different stages while meeting deadlines and quality standards.

Excellent interpersonal, organizational, and problem-solving skills.

Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly and thoughtfully with faculty and academic leadership.

Ability to process complex academic and real-life information and translate and integrate this information into effective, dynamic learning experiences.

Ability to be creative, flexible, and innovative in learning design, also with high attention to detail.

Experience leading and managing projects in a remote/distributed environment.

Proven ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and staff to create a high-quality, results-driven, team-oriented environment.