Director of Digital Learning

Director of Digital Learning

Overview

The University of North Carolina System is a treasured public institution dedicated to serving the people of North Carolina through world-class teaching, research, and community engagement. Today, nearly 250,000 students are enrolled in our 16 universities across the state and at the NC School of Science and Mathematics.

Individually Remarkable. Collectively Extraordinary.

The UNC System is one of the strongest and most successful systems of public higher education in the nation. It’s mission—to discover, create, transmit, and apply knowledge to address the needs of individuals and society—remains true to the University’s founding ideal of shared knowledge in a free society. In addition, the UNC System has a long-standing commitment to public service. PBS North Carolina, the UNC Health Care System, the NC Arboretum, and other University affiliates and programs reap social and economic benefits for the citizens of the state.

System Office

The UNC System Office, located in Chapel Hill, houses the offices of the president and senior administrative staff for the University. This core administrative staff executes the policies of the UNC Board of Governors and provides System-wide leadership and support in the areas of academic affairs, business and financial management, communications, strategy and policy, human resources, legal affairs, and government relations. The UNC System Office also has administrative oversight of a number of University affiliates.

 The Opportunity

The Office of Digital Learning, within the Academic Affairs Division, researches, creates, and facilitates System-wide efforts to expand the appropriate use of digital learning technologies and digital infrastructure to support student success. The focus is not only online and remote learning, but also hybrid and in-person instruction. In collaboration with the UNC institutions, the Faculty Assembly, and Faculty Development Centers, the department investigates the applicability of technology solutions to the instructional process by considering the interrelationship among technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge. Throughout the process, the department increases professional development, communication, and sharing of digital learning best practices and instructional resources through direct engagement with faculty and staff, weekly digital Lunch & Learn sessions, monthly webinars featuring UNC and outside experts, online communities of practice, and a yearly Digital Learning Symposium. Digital Learning also supports the evaluation and development of provider contracts for technologies and services and creates enterprise agreements that any of the 17 institutions can leverage at their discretion. Through UNC Online, the department provides students the opportunity to access courses across the UNC System, increasing flexibility, reducing cost, and shortening time-to-degree.

The Director of Digital Learning will shape the future direction of technology-enhanced online, hybrid, and in-person instruction designed to increase access, reduce cost, and improve student success across the System. The position will provide leadership for special projects that support the evaluation, piloting, and scaling of digital learning. The Director will work within academic affairs/digital learning across the System to identify gaps/opportunities in digital learning capabilities and recommend and/or implement programs to support closing the gaps. Further, the Director is responsible for departmental project management.

Qualifications

• A doctorate (PhD preferred) from a regionally accredited institution and a minimum of five (5) years of experience (after obtaining doctorate) at a regionally accredited, four-year university as a faculty member or instructional designer is required.
• Experience in public higher education with demonstrated accomplishments in leading faculty development initiatives, project management, and technology/pedagogy integration as related to instructional problems of practice.
• A working knowledge (or familiarity and the ability to quickly scale) on the use of Zoom, Camtasia, Vimeo, MailChimp, WordPress, a learning management system (e.g., Moodle, Canvas, Blackboard), Tableau and Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Teams.

A sound understanding of adaptive courseware and Quality Matters

 Preferred Competencies

• Experience in designing faculty development programs.
• Experiencing teaching online and for-credit.
• Experience assessing the value of technology products and solutions to instructional problems of practice.
• Sophisticated creation-to-completion project management skills, to include managing projects with short deadlines.
• Excellent written, verbal, listening, interpersonal, presentation and negotiation skills.
• Ability to deal with ambiguity, collect information and data through research, and handle multiple demands concurrently.
• Ability to exercise a high degree of judgment, discretion and individual initiative, and to work independently once given broad guidance.
• Proficiency to interpret, develop, and carry out policies and procedures.
• Ability to create a collegial work environment and encourage and promote collaboration and cooperation among staff and System personnel.

 Location

Chapel Hill, where the System Office is located, is part of a larger area called “The Triangle,” a term that references Research Triangle Park, a globally recognized center of research, innovation and thought leadership located between, and around, the three cities of Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill. Each of these cities is home to one or more UNC System institutions, as well as private universities, and other centers of learning and research.

 These three cities, as well as the cities and communities in the surrounding areas, offer a mix of suburban, urban, and rural living, combined with access to an outstanding array of civic, cultural, and athletic events. Outdoor enthusiasts will be thrilled with the area’s comfortable climate and easy access to both mountains and sea. Food lovers will appreciate access to a thriving Triangle restaurant scene often profiled in national media.

 More affordable living than many metropolitan areas and host to many vibrant businesses, the Triangle area is part of the reason North Carolina was voted #1 by Forbes as the “Best State to Do Business.” Often ranked high on lists of best places to live, the Triangle area offers beauty, diversity, and interest for residents and visitors alike. For more information, see: http://www.workinthetriangle.com/.

 How to Apply

 Interested applicants, please visit: https://bit.ly/Dir-DL. For priority consideration, please apply by July 18, 2021.

 The UNC System Office is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or status as a protected veteran.