The Director, Instructional Design provides strategic leadership for instructional design and online learning initiatives across the institution. Reporting to the Executive Director, Distance Education, this position independently leads the planning, implementation, and continuous improvement of instructional design services that support online, hybrid, and face-to-face teaching and learning. The Director, Instructional Design, establishes instructional design standards, drives institution-wide initiatives related to quality, digital accessibility, and innovation in course design, and exercises independent judgment to align instructional design practices with departmental goals and regulatory requirements. The position supervises instructional design staff, manages complex institution-wide initiatives, and serves as a key institutional leader in advancing effective and digitally accessible learning experiences.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

1. Lead complex, institution-wide instructional design initiatives.
   • Direct large-scale instructional design projects that span academic departments and functional units, requiring coordination of personnel, timelines, and resources.
   • Exercise independent judgment in project planning and resolution of complex instructional challenges.
   • Evaluate outcomes and use data-informed decision-making to guide continuous improvement efforts.
2. Provide strategic leadership for instructional design services and faculty development.
   • Independently lead the strategic planning and continuous improvement of instructional design services that support online, hybrid, and face-to-face instruction.
   • Establish priorities, standards, and best practices for course design, instructional quality, and learner engagement in alignment with institutional goals and accreditation requirements.
3. Establish and oversee quality assurance and course review processes.
   • Oversee institution-wide course review processes grounded in research-based instructional design, adult learning theory, and quality assurance frameworks.
   • Make determinations regarding course readiness, instructional quality, and alignment with best practices.
   • Recommend and implement improvements that impact academic programs and student learning outcomes.
4. Support institutional compliance and digital accessibility.
   • Provide leadership for compliance with digital accessibility standards, distance education regulations, and institutional policies.
   • Interpret regulatory requirements, establish internal guidelines, and ensure instructional design practices meet legal, accreditation, and ethical standards.
   • Serve as a subject-matter expert and institutional advisor on digital accessibility and other compliance matters as appropriate.
5. Serve as an institutional consultant and leader in faculty development
   • Serve as a consultant to faculty and academic leadership on course design, instructional innovation, and pedagogical effectiveness.
   • Design and oversee professional development programs that advance faculty capacity in online and hybrid teaching.
   • Influence instructional practices across colleges through expertise, leadership, and collaboration.
6. Supervise, develop, and evaluate instructional design staff.
   • Directly supervise instructional design staff, including hiring, performance evaluation, professional development, workload prioritization, and performance improvement.
   • Set expectations, delegate authority, and hold staff accountable for outcomes.
   • Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous professional growth.
7. Collaborate on instructional technology strategy and innovation.
   • Collaborate with instructional technology, LMS, and academic support teams to guide the strategic integration of technology into teaching and learning.
   • Provide leadership in evaluating emerging technologies, developing user support strategies, and aligning instructional design principles with technology adoption decisions.
8. Other duties as assigned.

Required Minimum Qualifications

• Master's degree in Instructional Design, Educational Technology, Higher Education, Curriculum and Instruction, or closely related field.
  • Three years of progressively responsible experience in instructional design, online learning, faculty development, educational technology, or related field.
  • Experience with Quality Matters, OSCQR, or similar course quality frameworks.
  • Experience supervising professional staff.
  • Demonstrated experience leading complex projects or initiatives involving multiple stakeholders.

Additional Preferred Qualifications

• Doctorate in Instructional Design, Educational Technology, Higher Education, Curriculum and Instruction, or a related field.
• Experience leading cross-functional or institution-wide initiatives.
• Experience supporting online, hybrid, and face-to-face instructional modalities in higher education.
• Experience developing or facilitating faculty professional development programs.
• Experience with digital accessibility standards, including WCAG and ADA compliance requirements.
• Experience with learning management systems and instructional technology ecosystems.

Physical Requirements:

Sedentary work- Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.

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Austin Peay State University is a four-year public, doctoral-level university, with six colleges and four Chairs of Excellence. The University has an enrollment of over 11,000 students and is located in Clarksville, Tennessee, a community of an estimated 150,287 people located approximately 40 miles northwest of Nashville, TN.

Austin Peay State University is a proud supporter of hiring veterans. We hire veterans with equivalent experiences and pay grades from their military service, rather than requiring or preferring only college degrees. Please visit our website for more information on how veterans can qualify for additional employment opportunities at APSU: https://www.apsu.edu/human-resources/hiring-veterans/.

Austin Peay State University (APSU) prohibits discrimination in all employment, programs, and activities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy), disability, age, veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status. For Title IX inquiries or complaints, contact: Chief of Institutional Culture & Title IX Coordinator, LaNeeça R. Williams at williamslr@apsu.edu | 931-221-7690, Browning Building, Room 140, Clarksville, TN 37044. For other non-discrimination concerns, contact: Director of Institutional Culture & Title VI & Title VII Coordinator, Dr. Jo Baldwin at baldwinjapsu.edu | 931-221-7178 or Associate Director of Accessibility Compliance & ADA/504 Coordinator, Jayme Glover at gloverj@apsu.edu | 931-221-7160. View APSU’s full nondiscrimination policy at Policy 6:001.

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The Director, Instructional Design provides strategic leadership for instructional design and online learning initiatives across the institution. Reporting to the Executive Director, Distance Education, this position independently leads the planning, implementation, and continuous improvement of instructional design services that support online, hybrid, and face-to-face teaching and learning. The Director, Instructional Design, establishes instructional design standards, drives institution-wide initiatives related to quality, digital accessibility, and innovation in course design, and exercises independent judgment to align instructional design practices with departmental goals and regulatory requirements. The position supervises instructional design staff, manages complex institution-wide initiatives, and serves as a key institutional leader in advancing effective and digitally accessible learning experiences.