Executive Director For Teaching, Assessment And Design Excellence

Daemen University is a dynamic, independent, liberal arts institution committed to excellence in student-centered learning. The University places special emphasis on preparing students for excellence in professional life, and civic engagement, and on instilling and understanding that learning is an exciting lifelong journey. Students are encouraged to be creative, innovative, ethically minded leaders for an ever-changing, diverse, and interconnected world.
The Mission of Daemen University is to prepare students for life and leadership in an increasingly diverse and complex world through the integration of education and professional preparation. Daemen University is going beyond instrumental needs to foster the development of individuals who are dedicated to the health and well-being of local and global communities.
Purpose of Role
The Executive Director of Teaching, Assessment, and Design Excellence is responsible for oversight of our Center for Excellence Teaching and Learning and our Instructional Designers. The Executive Director is a key leadership role within Daemen University responsible for enhancing and optimizing the teaching and learning experience across the institution. They play a crucial role in driving educational excellence by overseeing assessment practices, teaching methods, instructional design strategies, and technology integration.
Our Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning leads professional development efforts for our adjunct faculty, faculty, and academic leadership. These efforts focus on inclusion and engagement in and outside of the classroom. This includes the development of academic leadership in the areas of assessment, curriculum, and academic policy.
The Executive Director also oversees the development and implementation of instructional design strategies and technologies that support the university's teaching and learning mission. They will work with faculty, staff, and students to create innovative and effective learning experiences that meet the needs of a diverse student body.
About This Opportunity
Joining our Teaching, Assessment, and Design Excellence team within the academic unit of Institutional Effectiveness and Systems Integration, the Executive Director will be responsible for the following:
Responsibilities:

• Leadership, Vision, and Influence, this includes elevating teaching and learning innovation and excellence at the University by creating and enacting a clear mission, vision, strategy, and tactics.
• Lead and promote structures, programs, policies, and procedures that enhance effective teaching and learning throughout the University.
• Advance the University's diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts with a particular focus on teaching, learning, and innovation.
• Manage the budget for assessment, teaching, design strategies, and technology initiatives.
• Communicate the vision and goals of the department to key stakeholders, including faculty, staff, and senior administrators.
• Assessment and Evaluation, lead the collection and analysis of data related to student outcomes, instructional quality, and program effectiveness.
• Collaborate with faculty and academic departments to promote a culture of continuous improvement and data-informed decision-making.
• Provide leadership and support for faculty in pedagogical and instructional practices that enhance student engagement and learning outcomes.
• Facilitate professional development opportunities for faculty to enhance their teaching skills.
• Instructional Design Strategies, oversee the development and implementation of instructional design strategies that align with best practices in curriculum development and course design.
• Support and aid faculty in preparing online courses for a quality review in accordance with the Quality Matters (QM) Higher Education Rubric.
• Promote the use of technology and digital resources to enhance course content, accessibility, and engagement.
• Technology Integration, lead the strategic planning and implementation of technology solutions to support teaching and learning.
• Stay current with emerging educational technologies and recommend their integration into the curriculum.
• Provide LMS support to university end-users for business processes.

Minimum Qualifications:

• A master's in education, instructional design, educational technology, or a related field.
• A minimum of 3 years of experience in a leadership role in higher education or a related field.
• A minimum of 3 years of experience in instructional design.
• Proven ability to develop and implement strategic initiatives and manage resources effectively.
• Experience with a variety of instructional design strategies and technologies.
• Proven experience with Learning Management Systems (LMS), such as Blackboard, Demonstrated expertise in assessment, teaching, instructional design, and technology integration.
• ADA Regulations understanding - astute in federal law and operationalizing compliance
• Strong understanding of the principles of adult learning.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging
• Strong communication, interpersonal, and leadership skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Doctoral degree in education, instructional design, educational technology, or a related field.
• Experience as a functional administrator for an LMS system including proficiency in their administration, customization, and support preferably Anthology Blackboard Ultra.
• Experience with the Quality Matters (QM) Higher Education Rubric.

Total Compensation
Daemen University offers a robust total compensation package that includes:

• Health insurance with an option of two plans: an HSA plan with the deductible funded by employer HSA contributions, or a copay plan.
• Dental insurance through the Guardian network.
• Vision insurance through the Guardian network, and an option between the VSP or Davis plans.
• An 8% employer contribution to the retirement savings account when employees contribute just 5%.
• Fully paid long term disability insurance, guaranteed-issue life insurance for new hires up to a volume of $150,000.
• Tuition waiver for full-time employees and their qualified dependents. Entrance in Tuition Exchange scholarship opportunities to pursue education at other institutions.
• Generous time off for administrative and staff employees.

Daemen University strongly encourages all campus community members to get vaccinated for COVID-19, including a booster vaccine.