Instructional Design Manager (Remote)Virtual, USA

The Instructional Design Manager is a full-time leadership role that reports to the Director of Learning Solutions and Experience Design. This position plays a key role in shaping and sustaining the quality of our online learning experiences. By guiding a team of instructional designers, supporting faculty and SMEs, and collaborating across departments, the manager ensures that course design efforts are engaging, inclusive, and aligned with both institutional priorities and learner needs. Blending strategic insight with hands-on leadership, the Instructional Design Manager brings deep pedagogical expertise to the development of instructional materials and course design. This role champions design excellence, accessibility, and innovation, ensuring that all learning solutions reflect best practices and meet evolving educational standards and needs. Duties & Responsibilities: Instructional Design Leadership & Oversight

• Leads the instructional design team in the development and enhancement of engaging, inclusive, and pedagogically sound online courses and programs.
• Provides design direction grounded in learning science, instructional strategies, and universal design principles.
• Oversees and manages collaboration with subject matter experts (SMEs) and faculty for the development of online and enhanced learning experiences.
• Proposes and implements instructional strategies, course models, and tools to ensure consistency and quality across course offerings.
• Manages internal course design reviews and ensures the use of unified templates and formatting across learning experiences.
• Reviews and evaluates instructional materials for quality, consistency, and alignment with learning objectives, accreditation standards, and institutional guidelines.
• Ensures implementation of Quality Matters (QM), accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG 2.2), and best practices in online teaching and learning.

Team Management & Development

• Supervises and mentors a team of instructional designers, assigning projects and coaching on effective design practices, learning technologies, and stakeholder collaboration.
• Promotes an inclusive team culture that values creativity, innovation, and shared ownership.
• Manages workload distribution to build team capacity and effectiveness.
• Cultivates a culture of care and continuous improvement by encouraging professional development and research-based practice.

Cross-Functional Collaboration and Support

• Collaborates with multimedia developers, assessment specialists, curriculum managers, and technical staff to support cohesive and high-impact learning experiences.
• Serves as a key liaison between design teams, both internally and externally, and academic departments, ensuring timely and responsive communication across stakeholders.
• Designs and delivers faculty training programs on instructional design best practices, use of educational technologies, and course delivery strategies.
• Maintains faculty-facing resources and repositories for design support and instructional technology integration.
• Coordinates with technical staff and support services, both internally and externally, to ensure seamless implementation of instructional tools and platforms.
• Serves as a point of contact for concerns related to instructional design.

Project & Administrative Management

• Manages LMS-related instructional design needs and makes recommendations for updates.
• Oversees the instructional design project lifecycle from scoping through delivery, ensuring milestones and deliverables are met.
• Utilizes project management tools to monitor progress, allocate resources, and communicate project status to stakeholders.
• Identifies risks, recommends solutions, and implements process improvements to streamline design workflows and improve outcomes.

Research, Innovation & Evaluation

• Leads the exploration and evaluation of emerging instructional technologies and pedagogical models to improve course design.
• Tests and recommends new tools and strategies that enhance instructional quality and learner engagement.
• Disseminates updates and guidance related to technology tools, instructional trends, and training opportunities.

The job posting reflects the general nature and level of work expected of the selected candidate(s). It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The institution reserves the right to amend or update this description as organizational priorities and institutional needs evolve. Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Education, English, Communication Studies, Technical Writing, Instructional Design, Educational Technology, Accessibility Studies, or a related field. (A Master's degree is preferred-see Preferred Qualifications.)
• At least 5 years of experience in higher education, with a minimum of 3 years in a strategic role focused on accessibility and inclusive learning.
• Proven expertise in WCAG 2.1 AA, Section 508, WAI-ARIA, UAA