Chief Academic & Innovation Officer

PURPOSE AND SCOPE:

The Chief Academic and Innovation Officer (CAIO) is the senior executive responsible for advancing the academic vision, intellectual identity, and innovation agenda of LSC-Online. Reporting directly to the President, the CAIO serves as the institution's primary architect of pedagogical transformation leading the design and implementation of emerging instructional models, technology-integrated learning environments, and workforce-aligned academic pathways that position LSC-Online as a national leader among fully online community colleges.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

1. Serves as LSC-Online's chief architect of academic innovation, providing executive leadership for the identification, design, piloting, and institutional scaling of emerging instructional models, including Competency-Based Education (CBE), Prior Learning Assessment (PLA), HyFlex modalities, AI-enhanced learning environments, and adaptive courseware
2. Leads the implementation of innovative learning models, accelerated education, digitally-enabled education, in a multi-lane/multi-channel format
3. Leads the ongoing development and articulation of LSC-Online's academic identity, ensuring the institution is positioned as a thought leader in fully online community college education at the state and national levels
4. Develops and maintains a multi-year Academic Innovation Roadmap aligned to the LSCS 'Do the Thing & Be the Bridge' strategic plan, THECB Building a Talent Strong Texas, and House Bill 8 workforce outcomes requirements
5. Oversees the LSC-Online HyFlex Center of Excellence initiative, providing executive sponsorship for implementation, faculty development, technical infrastructure, and system-wide knowledge transfer
6. Leads implementation and scaling plans across its full three-phase lifecycle (2025-2030), ensuring institutional readiness, faculty alignment, and student outcome measurement
7. Provides strategic direction for the Office of Instructional Design, Digital Learning, and Academic Technology, ensuring that technology investments are pedagogically grounded and aligned to measurable learning outcomes
8. Champions the adoption and ethical integration of artificial intelligence tools into instructional design, faculty workflows, and student learning environments, establishing institutional policy frameworks that balance innovation with academic integrity
9. Leads the development and implementation of LSC-Online's Open Educational Resources (OER) and zero-cost course material strategy, advancing affordability and access without compromising instructional quality
10. Ensures that digital learning environments, learning management systems, and instructional tools meet accessibility standards, including compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and WCAG 2.1 guidelines
11. Leads the development of industry-aligned academic programs and stackable credentials that respond to Texas regional workforce demands and satisfy the outcomes-based funding metrics established under Texas HB 8
12. Cultivates and manages strategic partnerships with employers, industry associations, and sector-specific workforce boards to ensure that LSC-Online's program portfolio reflects current and emerging labor market needs
13. Oversees prior learning assessment (PLA) strategy and implementation, including credit for industry certifications, apprenticeships, and experiential learning, expanding access to credential completion for adult and working learners
14. Collaborates with the THECB, the Texas Reskilling and Upskilling through Education (TRUE) initiative, and relevant state agencies to position LSC-Online as a preferred provider for workforce development programming
15. Responsible for other reasonable, related duties as assigned