Center for Learning Design Director

Holy Family University•Philadelphia, PA

About The Position

The Director establishes and leads Holy Family University’s Center for Learning Design and serves as Project Director for the University’s U.S. Department of Education Title III Strengthening Institutions Program grant. The Director oversees course redesign, experiential learning, and adult degree-completion activities, ensuring delivery on schedule, within budget, and in alignment with measurable grant objectives. The role supports faculty in improving student learning and course completion, strengthening persistence in technology programs, and preparing students to demonstrate skills for professional and civic life. Reporting to the Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Director builds practical collaboration across the University’s four academic schools and administrative offices. The work reflects Holy Family University’s Catholic mission and commitment to the formation of the whole person, with attention to first-generation, adult, and other learners. There are no direct reports. Grant-funded staff report to the offices that will sustain their roles; the Director directs their project work and milestones in coordination with those supervisors. The Director leads Center operations and cross-unit collaboration; coordinates faculty course-redesign cohorts and learning communities; supports durable-skills, credential, and learning-technology integration; and coordinates planning and implementation of an immersive and maker-centered learning facility. The Director also coordinates adult completion pathways and workforce connections, directs the Title III project, manages grant compliance and budget processes, tracks project data and performance measures, prepares required reports, and develops procedures and faculty capacity to sustain the work through a planned transition to institutional funding. The position operates in an office environment that may have frequent interruptions. The work area is well-lit, temperature-controlled, and free from hazards, with generally quiet to moderate noise. The role requires frequent communication in person, by phone, and by computer, as well as extended periods of sitting and use of standard office equipment.

Requirements

Master’s degree in higher education with learning design, curriculum design, and technology experience, or a terminal doctorate in a related field.
Demonstrated experience leading course-redesign initiatives in higher education.
Track record of managing complex projects across academic and administrative units, with clear documentation and follow-through.
Experience managing externally funded grants or contracts, including budget monitoring and sponsor reporting.
Strong working knowledge of student-learning-outcomes assessment and applying evidence to drive continuous educational improvement.
Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to build trust, facilitate collaborative cross-unit work, and communicate clearly with faculty, staff, administrators, and external partners.
Commitment to Holy Family University’s mission and to creating accessible learning environments that support students from varied backgrounds and educational experiences.

Nice To Haves

Terminal doctorate in a related field.
Experience directing federal education grants, including prior-approval processes.
Experience supporting ethical AI use, simulation, or other emerging technologies in teaching and learning.

Responsibilities

Establish Center operations, annual work plans, and shared procedures that define responsibilities, deliverables, and deadlines for grant activities.
Convene activity leads, set shared milestones, track accountability, and coordinate work across Academic Affairs, Institutional Effectiveness, Enrollment Management, the Registrar’s Office, Career Services, General Education, Academic Success, and other participating offices.
Build faculty and staff partnerships through clear communication, collaborative problem-solving, and respect for disciplinary expertise and established approval processes.
Coordinate faculty redesign cohorts with academic deans, a design-thinking facilitator, and instructional-design support, prioritizing grant-identified mathematics, chemistry, and technology courses.
Organize Faculty Learning Communities where faculty use student experiences and course data to identify barriers, develop teaching approaches, and evaluate improvements.
Coordinate the three-day Train the Trainer Institute and prepare faculty peers to sustain the course-redesign process.
Partner with the General Education Committee, academic leaders, and the Micro-Credential Coordinator to integrate and assess collaboration, agency, conflict resolution, resilience, and digital/AI literacy in redesigned courses.
Coordinate connections between course learning outcomes, approved industry credentials, and digital badges.
Work with faculty, the Canvas instructional technologist, online learning quality staff, and Information Technology to support Universal Design course design and responsible use of AI, simulation, and other learning technologies.
Coordinate planning and implementation of the Center and experiential learning facility with Facilities, Information Technology, academic leaders, and architectural and engineering professionals.
Translate instructional needs into space and equipment requirements, and coordinate installation, faculty readiness, and use of simulation, collaborative-learning, and creative-production spaces.
Work with the Principal Investigator and responsible University offices to obtain required U.S. Department of Education prior approvals before funds are committed and document applicable procurement and construction requirements.
Coordinate academic components of adult completion pathways with the Adult Pathways Liaison, Graduate and Adult Admissions, the Registrar, academic deans, and Career Services.
Support connections among prior-learning assessment, approved credit, embedded credentials, and degree requirements using established faculty and Registrar approval processes.
Work with the Adult Pathways Liaison and academic leaders to align employer partnerships and workforce needs with course and degree pathways.
Serve as Project Director of record for the Title III award, assuming day-to-day direction from the transitional Project Director upon appointment, and act as the University’s primary contact with the U.S. Department of Education program officer.
Review progress against the grant timetable monthly, maintain project records, identify delays, direct corrective action, and escalate decisions beyond the Director’s authority to the Principal Investigator and steering group.
Manage the grant budget with the Finance Office, reconcile expenditures monthly against the approved budget, maintain expenditure and time-and-effort documentation for grant-funded personnel, and route specified purchases for approval while keeping specification, approval, and tracking responsibilities separate.
Ensure compliance with 2 CFR Part 200, EDGAR, and Title III requirements, including federal procurement standards, equipment inventory, and prior-approval requests for budget revisions and key personnel changes.
Staff the Principal Investigator’s steering group, which meets twice yearly; prepare progress summaries and follow through on approved actions.
Manage project progress data against Objectives 1 through 6 and applicable GPRA performance measures; coordinate documentation and data access with Institutional Research, Finance, activity leads, and the independent evaluator.
Prepare the Annual Performance Report and final performance report with the Principal Investigator.
Use findings on course completion, technology-program retention, durable skills, credentials, adult enrollment, and facility use to guide improvements.
Develop sustainable procedures and build faculty capacity to support the planned transition to institutional funding.
Uphold the University’s mission and core values, perform assigned duties competently and effectively, pursue improvement and excellence, interact effectively with students, faculty, staff, and the public, and follow University policies and guidelines.
When an alternative work location is permitted or necessary, perform all parts of the job away from the office and be proficient or willing to become proficient in the required technology.

Benefits

Medical insurance
Prescription coverage
Dental insurance
Vision insurance
Commuter transit and parking benefits through pre-tax payroll deductions
Half-day Fridays in the summer
403(b) retirement plan with a discretionary match up to 5%, vested immediately
12 paid holidays, vacation, personal and sick days, and a week off for Winter Break
100% tuition remission for employees or dependents pursuing a first undergraduate degree
100% tuition remission for employees pursuing a first master’s or doctoral degree
50% tuition discount for eligible dependents pursuing a first master’s or doctoral degree
50% discount for Alpha House Nursery, Pre-K, and Kindergarten