Senior Teaching & Learning Design Specialist

University of North Texas System•Denton, TX

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The University of North Texas System is a growing entity in the Dallas-Fort Worth region, comprising multiple universities and serving a large student population. They emphasize a people-first, values-based culture focused on excellence, curiosity, and innovation. The UNT System aims to transform lives through education and foster an environment of respect, belonging, and access. The Department of Learning Ecosystem for Empowering Futures (LEEF) specifically works to improve teaching and learning at UNT by integrating curricular alignment, learning research, and educator development. LEEF aims to enhance student experiences and outcomes, as well as educator well-being and growth, envisioning a thriving university community. The Senior Teaching and Learning Design Specialist will act as a lead expert and consultant for educators across the university, including graduate students, adjunct faculty, staff educators, and experienced faculty. This role supports educators in designing their own teaching by providing expertise in instructional design, pedagogy, and learning science. The specialist will also handle complex projects, lead programmatic initiatives, mentor colleagues, and contribute to the unit's strategic direction, working as part of an integrated team.

Requirements

Master’s degree in instructional design, education, curriculum and instruction, learning sciences, higher education, or a closely related field required; doctoral degree preferred.
A minimum of three (3) years of progressively responsible experience working directly with faculty or instructors in a higher education setting on course design, faculty development, or educator formation; or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
Advanced and practiced knowledge of instructional design frameworks (e.g., ADDIE, Backward Design, UDL) and the ability to apply them flexibly and with independent judgment across disciplines, modalities, and educator career stages.
Deep grounding in the scholarship of teaching and learning, adult learning theory, reflective practice, and educator identity development, with the ability to translate scholarly frameworks into practical guidance for faculty partners.
Demonstrated ability to work consultatively alongside educators as partners in complex and high-stakes contexts, adapting expertise to individual needs, disciplinary cultures, and institutional priorities.
Demonstrated ability to design, lead, and evaluate significant faculty development programming, including major workshop series, communities of practice, and individualized consultations.
Proficiency with learning management systems and instructional technology tools; familiarity with emerging educational technologies and capacity to advise on their pedagogical implications.
Knowledge of Fair Use, copyright, and accessibility standards as applied to instructional content across delivery modalities.
Excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with educators at all stages of their careers and to represent the unit to external audiences.
Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple complex concurrent partnerships, projects, and initiatives with a high degree of independence.
Commitment to a collaborative, mission-driven culture dedicated to educator growth and student learning outcomes.

Nice To Haves

Doctoral degree preferred.
Demonstrated experience leading programming, mentoring colleagues, or contributing to scholarly work in teaching and learning is strongly preferred.
Experience mentoring colleagues or junior staff, modeling consultative practice and contributing to a culture of professional growth within the team.
Capacity to contribute substantively to or lead scholarly work in teaching, learning, or educator development, including publication, conference presentations, or applied research.

Responsibilities

Provides individualized consultation to educators at all career stages on course design, pedagogical strategies, learning outcomes, assessment, and teaching identity and growth — with particular depth in complex, high-stakes, or multidisciplinary engagements requiring advanced expertise.
Leads the design and delivery of significant faculty and educator development programming — including major workshop series, speaker series, and structured learning experiences — with responsibility for conceptual framing, facilitation, and evaluation of outcomes.
Provides senior-level support and intellectual leadership to faculty-led Communities of Practice focused on meaningful course and pedagogical design challenges.
Takes the lead on complex or large-scale course design and curriculum mapping projects, guiding the development of instructional materials across disciplines, modalities, and program levels.
Mentors Teaching and Learning Design Specialists and graduate assistants, providing guidance on consultative practice, instructional design, and professional development.
Advises on appropriate instructional strategies, delivery technologies, and assessment approaches to meet course and program learning objectives, with capacity to address novel or particularly complex cases.
Maintains active engagement with and contributes substantively to current scholarship in teaching, learning, and educator development; leads related scholarly work and represents the unit at relevant professional conferences.
Contributes to unit strategic planning, assessment of programming effectiveness, and the development of new initiatives and services; participates in campus-wide teaching and learning initiatives and coordination with on- and off-campus partners.
Completes other duties as assigned.