Executive Director for Teaching Innovation

About this opportunity

The right candidate is experienced in and enthusiastic to manage multiple ongoing initiatives, including programs where the Teaching Innovation Team plays a vital role in supporting course development efforts. The executive director serves as our voice for quality assurance and regularly presents to University leadership to advocate for our services and reducing barriers to learning. They are highly collaborative, organized, and effectively engage others in dialogue to facilitate meaningful partnerships.

We're seeking someone who doesn't just deliver the fish, but teaches others how to fish-a professional who equips faculty with the skills, strategies, and tools they need to teach effectively and confidently, fostering long-term self-sufficiency and scalable impact. Work collaboratively with the student support and market development teams within the unit to achieve cross-functional goals and best practices. This role is a key leadership role for Ball State Online, which has an enrollment of more than 6,000 online-only undergraduate and graduate students in 110+ online programs.

This role requires regular on-site presence at our campus, but a flexible weekly remote work schedule is an option as approved by the supervisor upon on-boarding.

Candidates for searches must have current authorization to be employed in the United States without employer sponsorship.

Position Function

Provide dynamic and energetic leadership toward faculty development and efforts in teaching and learning in online, face-to-face, and hybrid settings. Work to meet unit and university goals of engaging and inspiring learners and developing faculty through innovative and data-informed practices, research, assessment, and pedagogical consultation. Manage, lead, and inspire a highly effective and productive team of instructional consultants and specialists. Cultivate a positive culture of continuous improvement with team and faculty at-large.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Provide strategic leadership to the university's academic leaders and faculty related to teaching and learning, which may include, but is not limited to: pedagogical issues, innovative practices, online learning, peer review, curriculum design, data collection, assessment, new programs, campus initiatives, etc. Includes staying current in best-practices for course design, pedagogical strategies, and emerging technologies and share knowledge and insights with faculty and colleagues.
2. Manage faculty development, support for academic program development, and campus initiatives in conjunction with the Assistant Provost for Learning Initiatives. This includes collaborating with academic departments, campus offices, internal and external stakeholders, etc.
3. Develop and implement both short-term (1 year) and long-term (3-5 years) success metrics in consultation with the Assistant Provost for Learning Initiatives.
4. Oversee efforts in faculty support services including academies, faculty learning communities, training (including LMS), consultation, workshops, yearly meetings and events, etc.
5. Lead a team to be campus, regional, and national thought leaders in innovative teaching practices. This includes, but is not limited to, creating in-person and virtual summits open to faculty from Ball State and other institutions, specialized workshops, and other resources to assist faculty in adopting effective teaching practices, as well as continuing a teaching innovation blog that draws a world-wide audience.
6. Develop, foster, implement, and post/publish collaborative teaching strategies for the unit regarding best practices in teaching and learning (Example: Teaching Innovation Blog).
7. Work in conjunction with the Executive Director for Learner Experience (student support) on initiatives that directly affect learner experience, including pedagogies related to adult online learners.
8. Foster, oversee and work collaboratively on grant and award opportunities.
9. Work collaboratively on external and strategic partnerships.
10. Deliver timely, accurate, detailed, professional reports for internal and external stakeholders.
11. Work collaboratively within the unit, particularly the unit's leadership team, to meet university goals and lead the unit in areas of creativity and impact.
12. Value cross-functional teams, wellness in the workplace, try and fail scenarios, and examples of leadership that foster employee growth and productivity.
13. Perform other related duties as assigned.