Manager, Design & Development

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Job Summary :

The Design & Development Team Manager will lead the design or development and production of competency-based learning and assessment experiences for academic and professional programs.

This individual will supervise teams of assessment developers, instructional designers, and instructional technologists.

The Manager is responsible for ensuring that the design of programs and courses or the production of course and activity content results in highly engaging, goal-oriented, beautiful learning objects and fair, valid, and reliable assessments, which are true to the integrity of the targeted design.

The Design & Development Team Manager will work with the Senior Manager to resource and deliver assessment and curriculum solutions and experiences respectful of timelines and budgets for new and redeveloped college programming.

This individual will also attend to opportunities to improve student success through continuous improvement efforts.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities :

• Ensures overall quality and consistency of work by members of assigned teams.
• Ensures a high level of performance and engagement of members of assigned teams.
• Uses quantitative and qualitative data to identify trends in issues related to curriculum and
• assessment content. Develops strategies and makes actionable recommendations for improvement
• and resolution.
• Model excellent curriculum and assessment design and development practices aligned with proposal and charter requirements and efficient course development processes.
• Contributes to the improvement of learning products by ensuring the development of innovative solutions, and mentors others on the teams on best practices and processes.
• Ensures adherence to best practices in the design, development, delivery, and maintenance of the assigned project portfolio.
• Uses leadership and collaboration skills to form cross-functional teams to develop and maintain quality curriculum and assessment within programs.
• Leads the assessment design or development process for all assessments within assigned projects to produce quality test specifications and blueprints for assessment development.

Ensure assessment validity, relevance, quality, technical accuracy, and functionality.

• Manages delivery of course designs, test specifications, and blueprints to developing vendors or partners for assigned projects.
• Analyses feedback and recommendations from stakeholders to make appropriate decisions about and changes to curriculum and assessments for assigned projects.
• Ensures coordination and alignment with various internal and external stakeholders through the design, development, delivery, and maintenance of all curriculum and assessments within the assigned projects.
• Holds direct reports accountable to quality and performance metrics.
• Provides measurable feedback to direct reports and suggestions for improved performance.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to create and maintain detailed timelines and milestones, to ensure timelines and deadlines are proactively met, assisting with curriculum or assessment development as needed.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skill and Abilities :

• Ability to organize, coordinate, and direct activities and results of teams.
• Ability to coach and develop direct reports.
• Ability to collaborate and be part of a dynamic team with excellence, integrity, and respect to include management of remote teams.
• Ability to work effectively in a highly matrixed organization.
• Ability to build relationships and influence at all levels.
• Ability to be an agent of change in a rapidly changing environment.
• Proven ability to analyze data to identify trends and drive innovative process improvement.
• Excellent organizational and project management skills, including the ability to effectively handle multiple tasks and pay attention to detail.
• Sound judgment and decision-making skills
• Influences Others and Communicates Effectively : Communicates to improve and promote teamwork, decision making, and problem solving.

Listens and responds effectively to the reactions and positions of others and encourages the expression of diverse ideas and opinions.

Adjusts message and style to fit the audience. Provides timely and helpful feedback. Communicates appropriately to win support with all audiences.

Collaborates : Works cooperatively with others across the organization to achieve shared objectives. Represents own interests while being fair to others and their areas.

Partners with others to get work done. Credits others for their contributions and accomplishments. Gains buy-in, trust and support of others.

Manages Ambiguity : Deals comfortably with the uncertainty of change. Effectively handles risk. Can decide to act without the total picture.

Is calm and productive, even when things are up in the air. Deals constructively with problems that do not have clear solutions or outcomes.

Being Resilient : Is confident under pressure. Handles and manages crises effectively. Maintains a positive attitude despite adversity.

Bounces back from obstacles and setbacks. Grows from hardships and negative experiences.

Drives for Results : Has a strong outcomes-based orientation. Persists in accomplishing objectives despite obstacles and setbacks.

Has a track record of successfully succeeding goals. Pushes self and helps others achieve results. Has a continuous improvement mindset.

Builds Effective Teams : Forms teams with appropriate and diverse mixes of styles, perspectives, and experience. Establishes common objectives and a shared mindset.

Creates a feeling of belonging and strong team morale. Shares wins and rewards team efforts. Fosters open dialogue and collaboration among the teams.

Creates teams that work well cross-functionally.

Organizational Learning : Learns quickly when facing new situations. Experiments to find new solutions. Takes on challenges of unfamiliar tasks.

Extracts lessons learned from failures and mistakes. Expands knowledge base through ongoing curiosity.

Competencies :

Organizational Impact :

• Manages a team that focuses on executing the operational plans for the job area with measurable contribution to the achievement of results of the department, function, or office.
• Assigns and distributes work.
• Compiles data to prepare budgets.

Problem Solving and Decision Making :

• Responsible for making moderate improvements of processes or systems to enhance performance of the job area.
• Assignments received and problems faced are broad and undefined, and occasionally require use of analytical concepts, investigation, and knowledge from prior experience.

Communication and Influence :

• Communicates within job area and occasionally with external groups. External facing professionals (i.e., Admissions) communicate more regularly with external groups on routine matters.
• Ensures compliance with University policies and procedures within job area and may influence others outside of job area to justify and gain cooperation for policies, practices, and procedures.

Leadership and Talent Management :

Manages / Supervises a team of professionals. Manages the work of assigned employees and / or supervisors who generally exercise some latitude and independence in their assignments.

Ensures proper training of team members, and participates in hiring, firing, and promotion decisions. Conducts performance reviews and may recommend salary reviews.

May complete assignments that are technical in manner in addition to supervising others.

Job Qualifications :

Minimum Qualifications :

• Requires a Bachelor's Degree or equivalent
• 5 years industry experience (Curriculum development, assessment development, online education and training, technology, certification, or related area)
• 1 year leadership experience

Preferred Qualifications :

• Graduate degree
• Experience creating effective technology-driven learning experiences
• Demonstrated understanding of the higher education environment

Physical Requirements :

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.

Disclaimer : This Job Description has been designed to indicate the general nature, essential duties, and responsibilities of work performed by employees within this classification.

It does not contain a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications that are required of the employee to do this job.

Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. This Job Description does not constitute a contract of employment, and the University may exercise its employment-at-will rights at any time.

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The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets;

experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs.

At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case.

A reasonable estimate of the current range is :

Pay Range : $81,900.00 - $135,200.00

WGU will accept applications for this position until 12 : 00 AM ET, 10 / 21 / 2024

How to apply : apply online

Full-time Regular Positions (FT classification, standard working hours 40)

• This is a full-time, regular position that is eligible for bonuses; medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare;
• health savings account and flexible spending account; basic and voluntary life insurance; disability coverage; accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages;

legal and identity theft coverage; retirement savings plan; wellbeing program; discounted WGU tuition ; and flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual, flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual , 11 paid holidays, and other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave.

The University is an equal opportunity employer.All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.