Instructional Design Specialist

The College System of Tennessee•Harriman, TN

34d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Instructional Design Specialist serves as the primary administrator of the Brightspace by D2L Learning Management System (LMS), overseeing system functionality, performance, integrations, user support, and training. In addition to maintaining the LMS infrastructure (70%), the position supports instructional design needs (30%) including faculty training and guidance in course development and best practices in digital pedagogy. This role plays a critical part in maintaining a seamless digital learning environment and supporting faculty in enhancing the student learning experience through effective and accessible course design.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in IT, Computer Science, Instructional Technology, or related field.
2 + years' experience administering and supporting an LMS (preferably Brightspace by D2L).
LMS testing and QA experience for major updates and rollout of new tools.
Experience with instructional tools (H5P, TurnItIn, Proctoring tools (Verity by YuJa), and Accessibility tools (panorama by YuJa)

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in educational technology, Instructional Technology or related field.
Tier 2 LMS support experience.
Familiarity with accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 AA, Section 508) and UDL.
Proficiency with Web Tools (WordPress, HTML, CSS, or CMS).
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

Serve as the lead system administrator for Brightspace by D2L, managing system settings, course shells, user roles, permissions, and global configurations.
Monitor system performance and coordinate with D2L and IT teams to ensure reliability, accessibility, and security.
Test, implement, and manage third-party integrations, such as publisher content, proctoring tools, plagiarism detection systems, and accessibility platforms.
Provide Tier 2 LMS support, troubleshooting escalated issues for faculty, staff, and students.
Collaborate with the IT department and D2L on feature updates, new releases, and configuration enhancements.
Conduct system testing, quality assurance, and sandbox environment management before major rollouts or upgrades.
Generate and analyze LMS usage reports and analytics to support institutional reporting and decision-making.
Ensure LMS compliance with accessibility standards and contribute to accessibility audit initiatives.
Maintain internal documentation and workflow guides related to LMS processes, tools, and best practices.
Serve as the main contact for D2L technical support and vendor communications.
Manage and maintain the CTAT website, ensuring content is up to date, user-friendly, and aligned with the department's instructional and support initiatives.
Assist faculty in designing or enhancing online, hybrid, and technology-enhanced face-to-face courses, incorporating instructional best practices and digital tools.
Provide faculty training, workshops, and one-on-one support on using D2L features (e.g., quizzes, rubrics, gradebook, discussion boards, intelligent agents).
Support the development of accessible learning materials and promote Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles.
Collaborate with faculty to align course content and activities with learning objectives, outcomes, and assessment strategies.
Maintain resource materials, templates, and tutorials that support faculty use of the LMS and instructional technology.
Contribute to departmental initiatives and professional development related to digital learning, innovation, and pedagogy.
Stay current with emerging educational technologies, AI tools, and instructional trends relevant to LMS and online learning.
Adhere to the assigned work schedule as determined by the supervisor, dean, or the college.
Schedule annual leave, medical appointments, and community service commitments through a face-to-face meeting with the Director.
Maintain a professional appearance when interacting with faculty, staff, or leading training sessions.
Monitor the CTAT departmental mailbox every third weekend on a rotating basis.
Consistently update and maintain the department's dashboard spreadsheet to reflect current projects and progress.
Work extended hours when necessary to meet project deadlines and departmental priorities (exempt status).
Prioritize timely responses to the CTAT phone line and shared mailbox to ensure effective communication and support.
Communicate regularly with CTAT colleagues to provide updates on assigned projects and collaborative initiatives.
Promptly return any borrowed equipment or inventory to the Inventory Clerk upon receipt from faculty or staff.
Develop and maintain project timelines to ensure accountability and track key deliverables.