Assistant Director, Academic Services & Instructional Design

Department: Education & Social Policy
Salary/Grade: EXS/7

Target hiring range for this position will be between $68,000 - $75,000 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data

Job Summary:

The Assistant Director, Academic Services and Instructional Design manages and advances a portfolio of shared faculty and course services across SESP's master's and professional programs. The role combines expertise in instructional and learning experience design, instructional technologies, and faculty development with significant responsibility for the design and implementation of Academic Services operations and services that enable high-quality teaching and student learning experiences. In partnership with the Director, the Assistant Director translates Academic Services priorities into effective services and initiatives, working with administrative staff and other cross-functional partners to manage and contribute directly to implementation. Responsibilities may span faculty onboarding, course management and preparation, faculty consultation and development, learning design and instructional technology, service and resource development, evaluation, and other evolving academic and instructional needs. The Assistant Director works across functions and academic units to lead complex initiatives, identify shared needs and recurring challenges, and develop scalable approaches where appropriate. The role uses evidence and feedback to improve services and operations and make recommendations to the Director about opportunities to strengthen instructional quality, faculty experience, operational effectiveness, and student learning outcomes.

Please note:

Because SESP's MS programs regularly offer courses in the evening (6-9pm), the incumbent must be available to provide occasional evening support or facilitate sessions for faculty. Weekly on-campus days will be established to promote collaboration with faculty and staff, and adjustments will be made as needed to accommodate evening and weekend responsibilities that arise during an academic term. Occasional attendance at special evening or weekend events also is expected.

Specific Responsibilities:

Instructional Operations and Service Delivery (35%)

• Oversees and contributes to the day-to-day operations of Academic Services' offerings, coordinating with administrative staff to lead activities including the development and delivery of support plans, instructor and course readiness activities, communications, and related workflows.
• Collaborates with partners across programs to align instructional and operational preparation activities and resolve readiness issues and implementation challenges.
• Establishes and maintains practical follow-up, escalation, and communication processes for cross-unit instructional and operational issues.
• Manages and contributes directly to learning environment operations, including Canvas, instructional technologies, templates, and related course-preparation processes.
• Ensures recurring instructional processes and cross-functional handoffs are executed reliably.
• Partners with the Academic Services Director on designated operational matters, taking the lead as appropriate on translating strategic decisions into coordinated implementation.

Faculty Consultation and Learning Experience (25%)

• Consults with and supports faculty at various points in the teaching lifecycle, from onboarding and course preparation through delivery and post-course reflection, to facilitate effective instruction.
• Provides expertise and strategic guidance to faculty and academic program staff on instructional design, assessment approaches, student engagement, accessibility, inclusive teaching, delivery modality, and other aspects of the learning experience.
• Advises faculty on the effective pedagogical use of instructional technologies, helping them select and implement approaches that support student learning outcomes.
• Reviews Canvas sites, syllabi, and other course materials as appropriate to identify opportunities to strengthen alignment, usability, accessibility, or student engagement.
• Supports the development of new programs, program learning objectives, or courses where learning design, faculty development, assessment, or educational technology expertise would be useful.

Service Design, Resource Development, and Project Management (20%)

• Partners with the Director to translate Academic Services strategic priorities into practical approaches for implementation and has significant responsibility for advancing sustainable improvements to the service portfolio.
• Designs and develops components of the Academic Services portfolio, including services, resources, and tools that respond to identified needs and priorities.
• Engages academic Program Leaders and staff, faculty, and other stakeholders to identify needs, gather requirements, test approaches, and incorporate feedback into the design and refinement of Academic Services offerings.
• Leads complex, cross-functional projects involving multiple stakeholders, coordinating implementation and contributing directly to project delivery.
• Identifies and advances opportunities to standardize or streamline processes or resources where consistency would improve faculty experience or operational efficiency while preserving appropriate flexibility for program-specific needs.
• Maintains institutional knowledge about recurring instructional needs, compliance and accreditation requirements, effective practices, program-specific requirements, processes, and operational lessons to inform the ongoing development and improvement of the Academic Services function.

Evaluation and Continuous Improvement (10%)

• Leads evaluation processes for courses, instructional services, and Academic Services operations using course feedback, operational information, faculty and staff feedback, After Action Reviews (AARs), readiness data, and other available evidence to drive continuous improvement.
• Organizes and analyzes instructional and operational data to identify recurring themes, pain points, service gaps, and improvement opportunities.
• Prepares analyses and recommendations that inform strategic decision-making and, as appropriate, leads or implements improvements to services, resources, and operational processes.
• Tracks the impact of selected improvements and adjusts approaches as needed.
• Monitors service demand, readiness, operational challenges, and capacity, and surfaces implications for Academic Services priorities and resource needs for the Director.
• Develops and refines practical approaches for gathering and using evidence about the effectiveness of Academic Services and instructional support.

Cross-Program Capability Building and Innovation (10%)

• Identifies opportunities to address shared instructional needs and develops strategies for adapting, extending, or scaling promising instructional practices across programs, considering both potential value and operational feasibility.
• Develops and contributes to opportunities for faculty development, peer learning, community-building, and other initiatives that build shared capabilities across the graduate portfolio.
• Identifies and shares effective practices, resources, and approaches that could benefit faculty and students across programs.
• Where appropriate, pilots new approaches related to learning design, educational technology, accessibility, inclusive teaching, assessment, student engagement, flexible delivery, and other emerging needs in partnership with faculty and academic program staff.
• Leads or contributes to designated strategic cross-program initiatives in partnership with Academic Services and academic program staff.
• Recommends emerging opportunities for shared capabilities, innovation, or future investment to the Director for consideration.

Miscellaneous

Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master's degree in education, instructional design, learning sciences, educational technology, curriculum and instruction, or related field.
• 3-5 years of progressively responsible professional experience in instructional design, learning design, faculty development, educational technology, higher education, academic or instructional operations, or a related setting.
• Demonstrated experience designing, developing, and delivering instructional support, faculty development, learning experiences, or academic services and operations.
• Demonstrated knowledge of instructional design, learning theories, and practices that support effective teaching and adult learning, with experience applying this expertise in work with instructors.
• Demonstrated experience using and supporting instructional technologies, such as learning management systems (e.g., Canvas), web conferencing platforms (e.g., Zoom), classroom technologies, and survey tools.
• Experience managing complex instructional or academic projects, programs, services, or processes involving multiple stakeholders, including designing and implementing workflows, timelines, communications, roles, handoffs, and approaches for monitoring progress and resolving issues.
• Strong project management, problem-solving, facilitation, implementation, and analytical thinking skills, with demonstrated ability to exercise independent judgment, take initiative, and manage competing priorities in an evolving environment.
• Ability to advise, collaborate, and communicate effectively with instructors, academic leaders, and staff from diverse professional backgrounds and varying levels of experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working within a complex higher education environment.
• Knowledge of accessibility standards and inclusive design practices, including Universal Design for Learning (UDL), WCAG, and approaches for creating accessible and inclusive learning experiences.
• Experience designing and facilitating faculty development, professional learning, workshops, training, or other development experiences.
• Experience evaluating, piloting, or supporting the adoption of emerging educational technologies, including generative AI, for teaching, learning, or academic operations.
• Experience supporting teaching and learning across in-person, online, hybrid, blended, or other flexible delivery modalities.
• Experience designing, managing, or improving operational processes that support faculty and academic programs.
• Experience managing information, tracking activity, and creating reports in Salesforce or similar CRM systems.
• Experience developing or improving shared services, resources, or processes across multiple academic programs or functional areas.

Benefits:

At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful and competitive benefits. The available benefits package for this position will include health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance; paid vacation and holidays; paid medical/sick and parental leave; tuition benefits for the employee and dependents; pre-tax and flex spending accounts for commuting and dependent care; generous retirement savings options; and wellness programs. For a comprehensive overview of available benefits, including eligibility details, visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.

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