Director of Instructional Design
Description

 

Looking for a new opportunity where you can make a difference and grow your career at the same time?


Look no further...


We're Sonoran Desert Institute, and we are seeking an experienced Director of Instructional Design to join our dynamic team.


 

Our story:

Sonoran Desert Institute (SDI) has been changing lives since 2000. As a DEAC accredited school, our mission is to provide students with current, industry-driven, quality education, delivered through online distance education and practical applications. SDI is an employee-owned company creating a culture with an ownership mentality at the foundation. We believe in rewarding our employees through the success of the institution. Come be a part of a dynamic organization with the ability to impact the lives of others through education.


What you will be doing:


The Director of Instructional Design is a team-oriented, hands-on, innovative leader with a passion for mentoring others, improving team processes, staying apprised of current instructional design trends, and creating industry-leading curriculum and high-quality courses for Sonoran Desert Institute. The Director of Instructional Design is a self-motivated and forward-thinking solutions provider with a holistic approach to program and course development that will work closely with academic program leaders, subject matter experts, and the curriculum and technology team to create industry-leading courses and curriculum. The Director of Instructional Design will administer the course development process and schedule by using current design theories, project management techniques and software, and higher-education industry best practices.


  • Oversees curriculum and instructional design projects, instructional design staff, and day-to-day operations for Sonoran Desert Institute. 
  • Manages operational components for the instructional design team and tracks open projects and tasks in the department project management software.
  • Interprets instructional needs and collaborates with subject matter experts in various disciplines to translate complex information and concepts into easy-to-understand learning materials that are technologically advanced, scalable, and forward-thinking. 
  • Leads ADA and other compliance efforts in relation to course and media design, accessibility, and other state, federal, or programmatic accreditation requirements related to online, blended, and virtual learning. 
  • Ensures curricula meets U.S. Department of Education (ED) and DEAC requirements for regular and substantive interaction.
  • Ensures curricula meets ED and DEAC requirements for clock and credit hour requirements and establishes methodology and documentation to support assumptions used to support rationale.
  • Builds and enhances team processes surrounding quality assurance while reviewing the LMS course content, activities, assessments, and other learning assets. 
  • Provides centralized support for instructional innovation, engagement opportunities, and instructional design theories regarding best practices for online learning. 
  • Centralizes organizational standards for course delivery at SDI and use continuous process improvement to elevate and improve quality standards, documented team processes, and student engagement with course materials. 
  • Develops, implements, and publicly documents policies, procedures, and guidelines for creating and delivering online courses. 
  • Collaborates with stakeholders to improve and enhance the overall course development process, subject matter expert workflow, and curriculum and technology team handoffs to ensure efficiency during development and deliverables adhere to organizational and industry best practices. 
  • Responsible for recruitment, supervision, and professional development of the instructional design team members and provides training opportunities in online pedagogy and instructional technologies for faculty and staff responsible for curriculum development. 
  • Provides LMS, instructional design, outcomes, and course development-related self-help materials, training seminars, and direct support to faculty and staff, instructional designers, and stakeholders. 
  • Manages external resources, publisher partners, and education technology vendors that promote and support innovation in online educational delivery. 
  • Research new technologies and instructional design theories and stay current with instructional technology tools, online learning trends, and pedagogy best practices. 
  • Participates in various team virtual collaboration spaces to confirm receipt of information and communicate when signing on/signing off. 
  • Participates in meetings with camera enabled to maintain professional web presence. 
  • Responds to all emails, calendar invitations, and project updates with professional and courteous language. 
  • Designs and develops instructional materials for online courses for SDI’s academic programs that align with ADA and accessibility requirements, organizational style guides, instructional design, and industry best practices.
  • Conceptualizes and produces a wide variety of instructional elements including, but not limited to, course syllabi, storyboards, lessons, assessments, graphics, and multimedia presentations.

 What we offer:

  • Highly competitive compensation
  • Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
  • Comprehensive benefits package, including:
  • 401(k) with generous company match
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
  • Company-paid Life insurance
  • Paid Time Off
  • 14 paid holidays
  • Referral program
  • Tuition discounts and reimbursement
  • Career development opportunities with a growing company
  • And perhaps most importantly, a team who is dedicated to your success!


Requirements

What we are looking for:

  • Master's degree or higher in educational technology, instructional design, higher education leadership, or closely related field required
  • Three years or more experience leading instructional design teams to support online course development
  • Five years or more experience developing higher-education courses through current instructional design learning theories and following industry best practices required
  • Extensive experience implementing and assessing strategic plans related to processes, procedures, and team capacity
  • Experience in managing development schedules using the Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation & Evaluation (ADDIE) model, Scrum software development framework, or traditional project management techniques
  • Proven history and ability to hire, retain, and manage highly effective technical and creative staff
  • Demonstrated ability to create and deliver various training approaches (in-person, online- synchronous, and asynchronous)
  • Experience using and developing with some, if not all, of the following applications: Canvas LMS, Cidilabs, Adobe Creative Cloud, Web Conferencing tools, HTML & CSS, Articulate 360, Microsoft Office (particularly Word, PowerPoint) and Google
  • Experience in the fields of firearms technology or uncrewed technology is a plus


Sonoran Desert Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It recruits and hires without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, age, veteran or disability status, sexual orientation, gender expression, or any factors prohibited by law and affirms in policy and practice to support equal opportunity in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws.


*Preference given to candidates currently residing or planning to reside in the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area, AZ upon hire. Unless specifically agreed upon, SDI does not provide relocation assistance

**Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.

***All benefits not available immediately upon hire. Some eligibility requirements may need to be met to be eligible for some benefits based on company policy.


Salary Description
90,000 - 110,000