Director of Learning Experience and Design

Job Summary:

The Director of Learning Experience and Design serves as a key senior member of the Professional Education (PPE) team at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. The Director joins the Portfolio Director (PD) team and reports to the Senior Portfolio Director. In this critical leadership role, the Director manages the Learning Experience and Design (LXD) team of learning designers and learning technologists to drive the strategic development and continuous improvement of high-quality, learner-centered programs and extensions, focusing primarily on online, hybrid, and on-demand. The Director collaborates closely with the other Portfolio Directors, faculty, practitioners, and external partners to ensure the design and implementation of innovative learning experiences that align with HGSE’s mission and advance its positive impact on the education sector.

The Director oversees the program design process—including instructional design and course development—and provides leadership in identifying and adopting new educational technologies and best practices. They will be responsible for developing and leading a team of learning designers and technologists to ensure adequate support for a growing online portfolio of program offerings. In addition to direct personnel management, the Director helps shape PPE’s online program strategy and processes, champions continuous improvement, and upholds rigorous quality and accessibility standards across all program modalities. The ideal candidate is an experienced people manager and project lead with a strong track record managing technical teams; demonstrated expertise in project management, instructional systems design, and vendor/contractor management; and a proven ability to lead the design, development, and implementation of professional learning solutions for education practitioners.

Job-Specific Responsibilities:

Program and Course Design Leadership (40%)

• Lead the creation, implementation, and continuous improvement of instructional design standards, processes, and practices across the PPE portfolio.

• Serve as the primary liaison with HGSE faculty, Portfolio Directors, and subject matter experts to translate learning goals into compelling, research-informed learning experiences.

• Oversee learning design for online, blended, and on-demand programs for professional educators, ensuring alignment with adult learning principles and instructional best practices.

• Lead the integration of innovative learning technologies and multimedia resources to enhance the engagement and effectiveness of PPE programs, courses, and extensions.

• Serve as an administrative leader of a portfolio of programs and related professional development opportunities designed to support educational leaders across the US and globally.

Team and Project Management (30%)

• Direct, manage, and mentor the LXD team of learning designers and technologists, supporting their growth and ensuring high performance across multiple, concurrent projects.

• Allocate LXD team resources proactively across the department to meet portfolio and program priorities, adapting and reassigning dynamically as needed. Delegate tasks and foster collaboration and professional development within the team.

• Proactively assess projects to identify when additional technical support is needed and clearly determine when to engage external resources including external contractors, vendors, or specialty experts—to successfully meet scope, schedule, and quality requirements.Recruit, hire, and manage those positions to complete the projects successfully.

• Work with the Senior Portfolio Director to ensure the team is equipped with the necessary resources and support to achieve their objectives. Collaborate with the Teaching and Learning Lab (TLL) to share resources and co-develop programs.

• Oversee LXD project timelines, budgets, and deliverables, maintaining effective communication with stakeholders and ensuring projects are completed on schedule and within budget.

• Manage video and media production teams and contractors, both within HGSE and elsewhere, to achieve high quality within budget.

• Instill a deadline-driven, data-informed, and results-oriented team culture focused on program quality and learner outcomes.

Program Quality Assurance, Delivery, and Assessment (20%)

• Partner with PPE’s Program Delivery team on online programs to ensure that the staff are trained, the learners have a seamless experience, and the Delivery team can incorporate their feedback into program improvements.

• Partner with PPE’s Insights & Impact (I&I) team to develop and implement program evaluation frameworks and to monitor and improve the efficacy of learning experiences. Collect and analyze data on in-course participant engagement to inform rapid-cycle improvements and promote best-in-class program quality.

• Collaborate with stakeholders to ensure accessibility, inclusivity, and consistency across all program designs and delivery modalities.

• Contribute to the strategic direction of PPE’s learning design and technology portfolio, participating in leadership discussions and long-term planning.

• Stay abreast of trends in learning design, educational technology, generative AI, and professional learning for educators, assessing and integrating relevant innovations.

• Partner with the TLL, degree programs, and other HGSE units to develop courses, adopt technologies, and share learning assets.

Manage Accreditation Process (10%)

• Manage and implement the organization-wide accreditation process, including drafting and submitting IACET annual reports.

• Keep abreast of any new or updated IACET standards, educate PPE stakeholders and update PPE’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to remain in alignment with evolving standards.