Assistant Director of Instructional Design - Office of Academic Innovation - Penn Engineering

University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

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, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

School 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.

University Benefits

• Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.

• Tuition: Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.

• Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.

• Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family—whatever your personal needs may be.

• Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.

• Wellness and Work-life Resources: Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.

• Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.

• University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement—and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.

• Discounts and Special Services: From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.

• Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.

• Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.

• Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.

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To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay