Executive Director for Teaching Innovation

The right candidate is experienced in and enthusiastic to manage multiple ongoing initiatives, including programs where the Teaching Innovation Team plays a vital role in supporting course development efforts. The executive director serves as our voice for quality assurance and regularly presents to University leadership to advocate for our services and reducing barriers to learning. They are highly collaborative, organized, and effectively engage others in dialogue to facilitate meaningful partnerships. We’re seeking someone who doesn’t just deliver the fish, but teaches others how to fish-a professional who equips faculty with the skills, strategies, and tools they need to teach effectively and confidently, fostering long-term self-sufficiency and scalable impact. Work collaboratively with the student support and market development teams within the unit to achieve cross-functional goals and best practices. This role is a key leadership role for Ball State Online, which has an enrollment of more than 6,000 online-only undergraduate and graduate students in 110+ online programs. This role requires regular on-site presence at our campus, but a flexible weekly remote work schedule is an option as approved by the supervisor upon on-boarding. Candidates for searches must have current authorization to be employed in the United States without employer sponsorship., 1. Provide strategic leadership to the university’s academic leaders and faculty related to teaching and learning, which may include, but is not limited to: pedagogical issues, innovative practices, online learning, peer review, curriculum design, data collection, assessment, new programs, campus initiatives, etc. Includes staying current in best-practices for course design, pedagogical strategies, and emerging technologies and share knowledge and insights with faculty and colleagues.

1. Manage faculty development, support for academic program development, and campus initiatives in conjunction with the Assistant Provost for Learning Initiatives. This includes collaborating with academic departments, campus offices, internal and external stakeholders, etc.

2. Develop and implement both short-term (1 year) and long-term (3-5 years) success metrics in consultation with the Assistant Provost for Learning Initiatives.

3. Oversee efforts in faculty support services including academies, faculty learning communities, training (including LMS), consultation, workshops, yearly meetings and events, etc.

4. Lead a team to be campus, regional, and national thought leaders in innovative teaching practices. This includes, but is not limited to, creating in-person and virtual summits open to faculty from Ball State and other institutions, specialized workshops, and other resources to assist faculty in adopting effective teaching practices, as well as continuing a teaching innovation blog that draws a world-wide audience.

5. Develop, foster, implement, and post/publish collaborative teaching strategies for the unit regarding best practices in teaching and learning (Example: Teaching Innovation Blog).

6. Work in conjunction with the Executive Director for Learner Experience (student support) on initiatives that directly affect learner experience, including pedagogies related to adult online learners.

7. Foster, oversee and work collaboratively on grant and award opportunities.

8. Work collaboratively on external and strategic partnerships.

9. Deliver timely, accurate, detailed, professional reports for internal and external stakeholders.

10. Work collaboratively within the unit, particularly the unit’s leadership team, to meet university goals and lead the unit in areas of creativity and impact.

11. Value cross-functional teams, wellness in the workplace, try and fail scenarios, and examples of leadership that foster employee growth and productivity.

12. Perform other related duties as assigned.

• Master’s degree from an accredited institution
• At least two years of experience designing face-to-face, blended/hybrid, and online college-level courses
• Experience with Canvas, Coursera, or comparable course management systems
• At least 3 years of supervisory experience
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills
• Excellent presentation skills
• Working knowledge of current trends and research data related to teaching and learning
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Detail oriented
• Willingness and ability to participate and travel to professional conferences, * Doctoral degree in an appropriate and relevant area
• Extensive experience in working with university faculty
• Experience in leading technology initiatives and projects
• Experience in building teaching and learning experiences for online programs at scale
• Experience in data-informed assessment of teaching and learning
• Experience teaching face-to-face, hybrid/blended, and online college-level courses
• Strong technology skills
• Extensive knowledge of instructional design, curriculum design, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), Quality Matters
• Research and development in educational technology
• Enjoys working in a fast-paced educational environment
• Dedication to lifelong learning.

$82,000 - $91,000, At Ball State University, we understand the importance of balancing professional responsibilities with personal well-being. That’s why we offer paid 24 vacation days, 12 sick days and 10 holidays a year. Plus, our paid parental leave (6 weeks) is there for life’s most significant moments. We offer affordable health and dental insurance, robust long-term disability and life insurance plans, as well a range of retirement benefits to provide financial security to you and your family. These benefits ensure that you can focus on your work and personal growth without worrying about the unexpected.

When you work for us, you are family. And to show our support of your family, we will cover 90 percent of your child’s (or children’s) undergraduate college tuition at Ball State. We do the same for you. In fact, we’ll cover 100 percent of the tuition costs for you to earn your undergraduate degree and 80 percent of your graduate tuition. This offer is good from the very first day you start. It’s just one way we do our part to uplift you.

Let’s fly together toward a secure and prosperous tomorrow.

Curious about our excellent benefits package?

At Ball State University, we recognize inclusive excellence as an integral endeavor to fulfill our University’s mission and our strategic plan. We recruit, support, and retain a diverse population of students, faculty, and staff. We encourage and reward diversity of thought. We promote a work environment that encourages and rewards innovation and creativity. We pledge to keep Inclusive Excellence at the highest level of institutional importance and as a foundation in all that we strive to do. Our over-arching goal for Inclusive Excellence is to adopt a university-wide Inclusive Excellence approach to academic, administrative support, and service functions of the university. We believe Inclusive Excellence must be infused in every step we take.