Director of Expanded Education, Rhode Island School of Design

Job Summary

Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) Continuing Education provides an immersive and innovative art and design education for everyone, at all stages of life and all levels of experience. In response to the Division’s enormous enrollment and geographic growth, the College will launch a new initiative: RISD Expanded Education (RISD EE), which will offer scalable, custom-crafte d immersive learning experiences, multi-day initiatives, and a diverse menu of short courses for corporate and nonprofit entities. RISD EE will align with the core of our Strategic Plan , making a positive global impact through the power of active inquiry, connected practice, and creative response.

RISD EE seeks a Director of Expanded Education to recommend and implement the programmatic plan for Expanded Education. This role is responsible for the creation, business development, and execution of a diverse offering of art, design, and scholarly programs that increase revenues while enhancing RISD’s visibility in new corporate landscapes. Predicated in educational innovation and driven to engage new and diverse markets, this position develops new programs to meet executive needs. Reporting to the Executive Director, Continuing and Expanded Education, the Director utilizes existing RISD relationships in academic departments, Careers, Institutional Engagement, and Strategic Partnerships to offer new educational opportunities for current and prospective corporate partners. Such opportunities should translate to new audiences and relationships in order to foster replicable curricula that can generate revenue growth for the College. This position leads the efforts to meet the needs of employers by providing company-specific training as well as ongoing large multi-year customized training projects.

RISD is committed to building a campus culture that advances transformational justice, cultural humility and curiosity. As such, we seek candidates whose professional practice is aligned with the principles of sustainability, social equity and inclusion, and equal access to resources and opportunity.

Essential Functions

• Develop, recommend, and implement a strategic plan for programmatic growth in the context of corporate outreach that leverage RISD’s core strengths, reputation, and resources to competitively be a market leader, both domestically and abroad.
  
  
• Collaborate with academic deans and departments to align course content, recruit and train faculty, and optimize existing corporate opportunities linked to departments. Manage the training, orientation, evaluation, review and reappointment, and professional development of associated faculty.
  
  
• Assess market demands, work alongside the Director of CE Business and Enrollment Operations to develop and implement a comprehensive business plan for corporate education programs to include training to local, regional, and global businesses and nonprofit entities.
  
  
• Identify, build, and steward relationships with a variety of constituents to recognize educational needs and opportunities of the corporate sector. Utilize internal RISD partners including Careers, Institutional Engagement, Research and Strategic Partnerships office in order to build relationships and understand the needs of potential clients
  
  
• Develop, plan and implement a balanced curriculum of fee-supported and contract classes and events that promote institutional educational goals; and ensure academic integrity and high standards of all programs by guiding the program staff to ensure that the standards and obligations of all programs are achieved. Works strategically to ensure programmatic integrity.
  
  
• Hire, train, supervise, evaluate, and lead the program staff. Holds decision authority with regard to programmatic matters including but not limited to hiring, negotiating space, equipment needs, technology, and materials, as well as other necessary programmatic matters. Direct the program planning cycle and processes, logistics and other planning requirements while upholding deadlines and standards as they pertain to other departmental partners. Ensure continuity and communication of the process and expectations throughout the department.
  
  
• Collaborate with RISD Media to develop branding identity and interstitials for the Expanded Education program, as well as meet graphic and media design standards that speak to programs within an art and design school and best market the program.
  
  
• Provide input and content to the Continuing Education Director of Marketing to assist with the development of all marketing and promotional materials including the website. Make suggestions for revising current marketing initiatives and generating new ones.
  
  
• Collaborate with the Director for Continuing Education’s Enrollment and Business Operations to analyze and review budgetary and financial data and control and authorize expenditures in accordance with established limitations and use data-driven trends to develop and prepare the annual preliminary budget for the Expanded Education
  
  
• Routinely review, revise, create, and/or approve new policies and procedures for the department ranging from faculty compensation to resource allocation; draft, edit, and/or comment on new policies, procedures, or potential business opportunities
  
  
• Develop and implement systems to evaluate the effectiveness of all programs, advising the Executive Director of Continuing Education on such efforts through the promulgation of written recommendations, action plans, and reports. Ensure that programmatic practices meet institutional and departmental policy and standards.
  
  
• Align program development, in content and operations, with understanding of best practices in equity and inclusion and ensures that these new programs align with RISD’s commitment to decolonize the curriculum.
  
  

Required Knowledge/Skills/Experience

BFA or BA required, a graduate degree preferred. Minimum 10 years of experience and understanding of corporate culture with a proven ability to develop lasting external relationships and work with higher education. Previous supervisory experience required. Knowledge and understanding of educational and corporate markets and trends in an effort to determine viability of programs. Proven public speaking, strong writing and communication skills and a commitment to the values of RISD education required. Demonstrated ability to translate conceptual frameworks into everyday language for a variety of audiences. An understanding of strategic development and administration of corporate education programs; extensive relationships within the corporate sector, and a desire to be innovative, yet thrive in a team environment required. Experience working with online learning management platforms required. Experience utilizing social media for market advantage preferred. Demonstrated experience working effectively with ethnically and culturally diverse communities. Ability to identify and steward relationships which result in high-impact outcomes. Must have the ability to operate well under pressure, have strong time management and organizational skills, and act with integrity at all times.

Union:

No



Work Schedule:

35 hours per week, 12 months per year

Some travel required



Employment Status:

Full-time, Exempt



Grade:

06/AD



Documents Needed to Apply:

Resume

Cover Letter

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please upload all required documents.

The successful candidate will be required to meet our pre-employment background screening requirements.

For certain positions, RISD is currently supporting remote work arrangements due to the pandemic. When work resumes in person, employees are expected to perform work on campus.

RISD recognizes diversity and inclusivity as fundamental to its learning community and integral to an art and design education. We welcome candidates whose experience has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to diversity and excellence. RISD is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetics, or any other protected characteristic as established by law.

For internal use only - Job Family:

CE - Operations