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Posted Job Title
Assistant Director of Instructional Design - Office of Academic Innovation - Penn Engineering
Job Profile Title
Information Technology Manager
Job Description Summary
Penn Engineering’s Office of Academic Innovation is seeking an experienced Instructional Design manager interested in leading a team of instructional designers within a fast-paced and entrepreneurial organization.
Job Description
The Assistant Director of Instructional Design manages course development and revision for Penn Engineering Online. Reporting to the Senior Director of the Office of Academic Innovation, this role leads a growing team of instructional designers and oversees the successful delivery of high-quality online courses that are completed on time, within budget, and aligned with academic, accessibility, and technology standards.
Working closely with faculty, staff, and external partners, the Assistant Director guides the design and development of online learning experiences for Penn Engineering's portfolio of online graduate degree programs, as well as for-credit, non-credit, and blended learning initiatives. The role provides leadership in instructional design, project management, quality assurance, and continuous improvement across the course portfolio.
The Assistant Director collaborates closely with colleagues across the Learning Design and Technology team to ensure successful course implementation, resolve instructional challenges, evaluate course effectiveness, and identify opportunities to improve online teaching and learning through innovative practices and emerging technologies.
Responsibilities
- Lead the Instructional Design team and all course development efforts. Specifically, manage the day-to-day operations of the Instructional Design Team and include serving as a bona fide supervisor to a growing team that currently has two Senior Instructional Designers, two Instructional Designers, and multiple student workers and vendors. Responsible for maintaining and enforcing deadlines, establishing team and project priorities to align efforts with organizational priorities, and negotiating resources and deadlines with internal and external stakeholders. In partnership with the Assistant Director of Instructional Technology, spearhead technical communication efforts, like knowledge base articles, guidelines, and newsletters.
- Project manage or oversee the project management of all new course developments, ensuring courses meet online learning standards. Manage all logistics, communications, and client relations during the design phase and prepare for hand-off to the Instructional Technology Team for implementation. Assist with faculty contracting, school approvals, and registrar rostering.
- Manage the course review and evaluation process. Maintain a system for course revision cycles and perform a detailed evaluation of active courses. Analyzing data from a variety of sources in an ongoing process and report findings to the Senior Director of Learning Design and Technology for final approval. Aid in the creation of surveys and other forms of data to inform revisions. Ensure all approved revisions are completed on time and monitor the success of revisions the following semester.
- Serve as the lead instructional designer for a small portfolio of course development projects. Design and develop 1-2 online courses at a time, partnering directly with faculty to translate learning objectives into engaging, evidence-based online learning experiences. Apply instructional design best practices, collaborate with multimedia and instructional technology colleagues, and model high-quality course development practices for the instructional design team.
- Strategize the recruitment, hiring, and training of large groups of student worker subject matter experts to support technical course development projects. Work with the Instructional Technology Team and IDs to recruit, train, and evaluate course development assistants, instructional design assistants, and beta-testers.
- Manage Penn Engineering Online's portfolio of non-credit courses and programs. Oversee the quality, staffing, and continuous improvement of non-credit offerings across Penn Engineering Online's learning platforms. Partner with faculty and internal stakeholders to support the development, delivery, and revision of non-credit learning experiences and coordinate with external platform partners as needed.
- Serve as a liaison to the larger online course development community (internal and external). Stay abreast of current trends in online course design and delivery and facilitate the success and satisfaction of online learners. Review relevant new instructional technology and lead the implementation into course offerings. Provide input and guidance for special technical projects and school-wide training
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree with 3-5 years of experience in instructional design, preferably designing fully online courses in a higher education environment or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Master's degree in a related field and/or a background in STEM is strongly preferred.
- Supervisory experience leading instructional design or related staff.
- Experience with an LMS platform, Canvas preferred
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and staff simultaneously
- Strong collaborator and communicator
- Passion for learning and remaining on the cutting edge of current thinking in the field and an ability to articulate a perspective on these topics
- Knowledge of best practices, processes, and current developments in online education and learning science
- Cover letter encouraged
Job Location - City, StatePhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Department / SchoolSchool of Engineering and Applied Science
Pay Range$84,961.00 - $97,000.00 Annual Rate
Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, and in alignment with salary ranges based on external market data for the job’s level. Internal organization and peer data at Penn are also considered.
Equal Opportunity Statement The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state or local law.
Special Requirements Background checks may be required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.
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