Online Instructional Support Specialist

Louisiana State University • Alexandria, VA

1d

About The Position

The Online Instructional Support Specialist supports the operations of distance education by managing and maintaining essential data systems, assisting with Academic Assistant (AA) program, and providing administrative and technical support to the Online Instructional Support Manager.

Requirements

• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in any field.
• If remote, would require experience working remotely
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to manage time effectively and work independently with minimal supervision.
• Strong organizational skills with attention to detail.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
• Smartsheet experience preferred

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree preferred
• Experience with Smartsheet or other workflow/automation platforms.
• Experience in higher education or distance learning environments.
• Knowledge of data management or reporting tools.
• Proficiency in Moodle (preferred)
• (3) years of experience in program management (preferably remote).

Responsibilities

• Academic Assistant (AA) Program Support
• Assist the Online Instructional Support Manager with AA assignments, tracking, documentation, and communication.
• Maintain and update rosters, assignments, and communication logs.
• Support onboarding and coordination processes for Academic Assistants, including enrollment in Moodle training and tracking training completion.
• Coordinate with the Online Instructional Support Manager, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Distance Learning, and Academic Affairs to meet AA needs based on online course enrollments.
• Communicate and collaborate with the current vendor to maintain relationships with external AA coaches.
• Coordinate the selection, approval, enrollment, and assignment of both internal and vendor-provided AAs into courses.
• Assign, enroll, evaluate, and guide internal AAs as required.
• Orient and onboard internal AAs and faculty participating in the AA program.
• Track course loads to ensure AA assignments align with experience and capacity.
• Provide faculty and departments with AA contact information and ensure course resource access is properly granted.
• Act as a liaison between AAs and faculty when needed.
• Report any and all issues with AAs, professors, and assignments to the Online Instructional Support Manager immediately.
• Assist in problem solving and conflict resolution surrounding AAs and AA assignments when necessary.
• Review division of work between AAs and faculty in course assignments when needed.
• Program Oversight & Coordination
• Assist in the supervision and assessment of a team of diverse higher education professionals (as program growth allows).
• Evaluate coordinating AAs to ensure effective and accurate course facilitation.
• Coordinate meetings, conferences, and communications between faculty and AAs.
• Proactively identify and resolve program issues, keeping the Assistant Vice Chancellor of Distance Learning and Online Instructional Support manager informed of challenges and resolutions.
• Assist AAs in providing quality support to students and faculty to promote positive learning outcomes.
• Support school administration efforts to improve student retention rates through effective AA program performance.
• Smartsheet & Data Management
• Assist Online Contracts and Billing Manager with the creation, organization, and maintenance of Smartsheet documents, workflows, and dashboards used in distance learning operations.
• Ensure data accuracy, consistency, and timely updates across all Smartsheet systems.
• Troubleshoot basic Smartsheet functionality issues and coordinate resolutions as needed.
• Generate reports, summaries, and data extracts as requested.
• Support ongoing process improvement and documentation updates within Assistant Vice Chancellor of Distance Learning.
• Other Responsibilities
• Perform additional duties as assigned by the Assistant Vice Chancellor of Distance Learning and the Online Instructional Support Manager.

Benefits

• LSUA offers outstanding benefits to eligible employees and their dependents including health, life, dental, and vision insurance; flexible spending accounts; retirement options; various leave options; paid holidays; wellness benefits; tuition exemption for qualified positions; training and development opportunities; employee discounts; and more!

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level