Manager, Design & Development

Western Governors University•Salt Lake City, UT

5d•$85,100 - $140,500•Onsite

About The Position

If you’re passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country—and you’re committed to working hard to play your part in building that future—consider WGU as the next step in your career. Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families. The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs. At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is: Grade: Management_Executive 606 Pay Range: $85,100.00 - $140,500.00 Job Description The Manager, Design & Development leads a team responsible for defining the strategic foundation of courses that comprise new academic and professional programs as they enter full-scale development. Working in focused engagements, this manager and their team identify and resolve open design questions decisively and efficiently, so that production teams can move forward with clarity and momentum. The team's work is guided by forward-looking priorities and results in clear, actionable course-level design strategies and blueprints that downstream teams can build from without revisiting foundational decisions. This role is well-suited to someone who solves complex design problems quickly and well, translates big-picture educational goals into practical direction, and excels at setting others up to do their best work. It combines deep expertise in learning design and assessment with strategic thinking, cross-functional collaboration, and people leadership in the service of creating learning experiences that are innovative, equitable, and support student success. Location: This position will be located in our Salt Lake City, UT office.

Requirements

Proven ability to lead, organize, and manage teams and their activities to achieve high-quality outcomes.
Strong coaching and talent development skills, with experience managing direct reports.
Experience delivering high-quality educational products in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
Ability to build relationships, collaborate effectively, and influence at all levels within a matrixed organization.
Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to handle multiple tasks and maintain attention to detail.
Analytical mindset with experience using data to identify trends, drive decisions, and implement process improvements.
Sound judgment, problem-solving, and decision-making skills in fast-paced and dynamic environments.
Ability to foster innovation, continuous improvement, and best practices in curriculum and assessment design.
Experienced using AI in product design and development.
Excellent communication skills, with the ability to tailor messaging to various audiences and provide constructive feedback.
Adaptability and resilience, with the ability to manage ambiguity and lead teams through change.
Strong understanding of instructional design, curriculum development, adult learning theory, and assessment best practices.
Commitment to creating inclusive, engaging, and learner-centered educational experiences.
Proficiency with digital tools, learning management systems, and production workflows in online learning environments.
Bachelor’s degree in Instructional Design, Education, Curriculum Development, Educational Technology, or a related field.
5 years of relevant experience, including supervisory or team leadership experience.
Broad management knowledge and understanding of instructional design and/or assessment development, with awareness of its impact on broader institutional goals.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Instructional Design, Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Technology, Learning Sciences, or a related field.
Experience creating innovative, mobile-first, social-by-design, gamified, or non-linear learning experiences at scale.
Experience with UI/UX design principles, using AI in product design and development.
Demonstrated experience with process development, implementation, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Strong understanding of the higher education landscape and competency-based education models.
Success in change management, particularly in stabilizing and structuring diffuse or ambiguous projects or processes.

Responsibilities

Oversees a team to prepare courses for in-depth design and development, defining strategies aligned with university priorities and compatible with emerging technologies.
Leads and supervises team, ensuring high performance, engagement, and accountability.
Ensures overall design deliverables meet quality, consistency, and alignment expectations of curriculum and assessments with program goals, design specifications, and best practices.
Uses data-driven insights to identify trends, challenges, and opportunities for improvement in curriculum and assessment content; develops actionable strategies to address them.
Models and mentors best practices in leveraging AI in curriculum and assessment design, fostering innovation and continuous improvement within the team.
Manages the design process for assigned projects, ensuring adherence to timelines, budgets, and quality standards.
Leads assessment design efforts, ensuring validity, relevance, technical accuracy, and alignment with program competencies and learning objectives.
Plans staff assignments and determines the best approaches/methods for completing assigned projects.
Collaborates with internal and external stakeholders to maintain alignment throughout the project.
Analyzes stakeholder feedback and implements necessary improvements or changes to curriculum and assessment design.
Builds and maintains cross-functional partnerships to support the development and maintenance of high-quality learning experiences.
Manages risks and removes barriers to keep projects on track and aligned with institutional goals.
Participates in the design of innovative and engaging instructional strategies and assessment methods.
Performs other related duties as assigned.