Director of Virtual Education and Innovative Learning

*JOB TITLE* *DIRECTOR OF VIRTUAL EDUCATION AND INNOVATIVE LEARNING* *JOB SUMMARY* The Director of Virtual Education and Innovative Learning is responsible for working with faculty and staff to lead and manage PUPR’s San Juan, Orlando, and Miami campuses’ Educational Technology program, online courses, and robust suite of programs.
The incumbent must evaluate and recommend innovative concepts, technologies, and delivery modes of online and hybrid learning, and classroom technology, ensuring the exemplary quality of educational processes.
Moreover, he/she must ensure that all accreditation and regulatory requirements are met, while aligning efforts with PUPR’s academic priorities, mission, branding, and institutional learning outcomes.
He/She must also collaborate with academic departments, faculty, and staff; show knowledge of federal and state requirements, that include but are not limited to SARA and ADA, while serving as the key point of contact for our service providers.
Finally, the incumbent must facilitate and recommend related professional development for faculty.
*ESSENTIAL TASKS*: Employee must be able to perform the following essential functions to the satisfaction of the employee’s supervisor: * Oversight of the distance learning program, learning management system, staff, and budget.
* Liaison duties between online students and PUPR’s San Juan, Orlando, and Miami academic support services.
* Oversight of initial distance education training and continuing education for faculty; facilitate faculty development workshops in the areas of online and web enhanced teaching.
* Training faculty/staff on fair use and copyright laws as they relate to distance learning.
* Identifying and implementing best practices for distance learning pedagogy to ensure the quality and effectiveness of distance education course programming.
* Provide support to faculty through ongoing research on emerging technologies that may be adapted to technology enhanced learning courses and program development.
* Ensure compliance with HLC standards for technology enhanced learning.
* Direct operations of the PUPR online programs (scheduling, student support, faculty coordination, scheduling, PUPR-wide services - ITS, registrar, enrollment processing).
* Manage PUPR’s relationships and projects with third party service providers for online education programs.
* Develop and implement strategic plans and policies for online learning, perform yearly program assessments, and provide ongoing budgetary analysis.
* Identify and research new revenue streams for the PUPR and enhance educational experiences for students relating to technology enhanced learning programming.
* Collaborate with and advise deans, departments chairs or other supervisors to ensure the instructional quality of courses/programs, the assessment of faculty teaching styles, and the use of appropriate pedagogy and and andragogy.
Also ensure that areas of weakness in courses/programs are identified and that strategies for improvement are employed.
* Build strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders; evaluate recruitment success; enhance the regional, national, and international reputation of the PUPR through marketing and recruitment efforts.
* Conduct business in a professional and ethical manner that includes the PUPR’s core values of integrity, diversity, empowerment, service, learning, sustainability, and collaboration.
* Communicate effectively in a professional, tactful, and courteous manner with students, employees, faculty, and the public.
* Ensure that all activities are conducted within the established PUPR policies, FERPA guidelines, and other applicable laws pertaining to employment and education.
* Perform assigned responsibilities, other related duties, and tasks according to established practices, procedures, techniques, and standards in a safe manner and with minimal supervision.
* Knowledge of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Title VII, Title IX, ADA, and other applicable laws pertaining to employment and education.
* Understanding technology enhanced learning.
*KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES*: * Knowledge of University policies, procedures, and practices.
* Ability to plan, organize and implement assigned responsibilities and to work well under pressure to meet deadlines.
* Excellent organizational, analytical, and planning skills.
* Ability to participate as a team member, ability to understand and interpret rules and regulations, * Ability to adjust to change, skill in budget development and management.
* Ability to prepare and analyze financial reports.
* Ability to handle confidential material judiciously, understanding of higher education programs and tools.
* Ability to supervise and train employees, including organizing, prioritizing, and scheduling work assignments.
* Extensive working knowledge of computer software and hardware; web design and development productivity software; multimedia development software; online learning applications; training development software, and design methodologies.
*LEADERSHIP and COMMUNICATION SKILLS*: * Ability to clearly exchange ideas and information with others in order to arrive at decision making, develop conclusions or solutions.
* Ability to communicate effectively with a diverse academic community.
* Ability to prioritize and delegate projects; ability to meet timelines and follow-through.
* Ability to present materials effectively to individual students or groups.
* Ability to manage interpersonal conflict situations requiring tact.
* Diplomacy and discretion; demonstrate ethical conduct and professionalism.
* Ability to effectively train, evaluate and develop staff members.
* Ability to handle personnel issues in a highly confidential manner.
* Ability to direct, manage, or lead others.
* Establish and maintain effective working relationships with faculty, staff, students, and the public.
* Collaborate with relevant leadership regarding strategic planning, marketing, and process improvements.
*DECISION-MAKING and ANALYTICAL SKILLS*: * Ability to make administrative and procedural decisions.
* Ability to interpret policy and establish methods and procedures.
* Ability to determine work procedures, assign duties, promote efficiency.
* Perform advanced professional work methods to formulate important recommendations or make technical decisions that have an organization-wide impact and complex-decision making ability.
*EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, and LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS:* * Doctoral degree from an accredited institution in Instructional Design, Educational Technology, Education, Higher Education, or related field.
* Demonstrated knowledge or application of instructional design theory and principles, instructional technology, and adult learning theory.
* 3-5 years of instructional design experience collaborating/consulting with faculty in a higher education environment, including support for online, hybrid, and web-enhanced courses.
* Excellent leadership skills.
* Experience with online proctoring tools to guarantee academic integrity.
* Experience providing professional development for faculty and managing design and development projects with a team-centric approach.
* Experience supervising learning management systems such as Blackboard, D2L, Brightspace, Canvas, or Moodle * Experience with Quality Matters Rubric & Standards.
* Knowledge and experience with student centered education strategies.
* Proficiency with virtual meeting and video applications.
* Strong written and oral communication in both English and Spanish.
* Analytical and problem-solving skills.
* Ability to work well with diverse populations.
* Self-motivated, disciplined, organized and able to prioritize workflow and meet deadlines.
Job Type: Full-time Experience level: * 3 years * 5 years Work Location: In person