About the Department
Salary is commensurate with education and experience.
The Director of Distance Education provides vision, leadership, and strategic management for the college’s distance education programs and services. This role is responsible for promoting excellence in online teaching and learning, ensuring compliance with accreditation and regulatory standards, and supporting faculty and students in digital environments. The Director collaborates with multiple departments to implement best practices and innovative instructional technologies in accordance with College of The Albemarle’s mission.
The Director of Distance Education reports to the Executive Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence (CTLE).
Position Duties
Provide leadership for the planning, development, and evaluation of distance education programs and digital learning initiatives, including developing policies, procedures, and guidelines directly related to distance education programs.
Ensure compliance with college, state, and federal guidelines—including regional accreditation standards, NC Virtual Learning Community requirements, and accessibility laws.
Cross train on the administration of Learning Management Systems (LMS) and related instructional technologies, maintaining high standards in course quality and delivery.
Collaborate with the Executive Director of CTLE, faculty, and staff to develop and implement professional development and training opportunities for faculty in online/distance pedagogy, instructional design, and education technologies.
Supervise and mentor distance education support staff; manage scheduling, workload, and workflow priorities.
Serve as a resource for instructional design/redesign, collaborating with faculty to ensure distance courses meet quality assurance standards.
Coordinate the creation and maintenance of digital archives and ensure secure management of online course materials and records.
Stay abreast of emerging trends in digital education and recommend adoption of new pedagogical techniques and technologies, including digital badging and certificates.
Develop and manage the distance education budget; forecast resource needs, monitor expenditures, and recommend adjustments to the Executive Director of CTLE as necessary.
Collect and analyze data for institutional effectiveness, continuous improvement, accreditation reporting, and distance education outcomes assessment.
Participate on college and statewide committees for distance learning/education; represent the college externally at conferences, trainings, and professional group meetings related to distance education and online pedagogies.
Address and resolve issues related to distance learning, including technical problems, student support, and academic integrity.
Develop and lead a culture of continuous improvement and a growth mindset.
Serve on a variety of college committees and participate in institutional activities and programs.
Perform other duties as assigned to advance the strategic objectives of the college.
Minimum Qualifications
Required:
Bachelor’s degree in Instructional Design, Education, Educational Technology, Curriculum and Instruction, or a closely related field.
3-5 years years of experience in instruction for a learning management system or educational technology platform.
Master’s degree in Education, Instructional Technologies, Curriculum and Instruction, Instructional Design, Distance Education, or a closely related field, with at least 18 graduate hours in educational technologies.
Experience teaching online or hybrid courses at the post-secondary level.
Credentials or certification in distance education program planning, design, and/or instruction.
Demonstrated proficiency with digital content creation, instructional design tools, and multimedia development for online instruction.
Experience with Blackboard, Canvas, Moodle, or similar LMS, either as an instructor or system administrator.
Supervisory experience in an educational setting, preferably in post-secondary academic support or administrative positions.
Demonstrated ability to design and implement professional development for faculty and training sessions for staff.
Other Qualifications
Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
Strategic vision and planning.
Data-informed decision making and resource management.
Change management skills.
Excellent interpersonal and written communication abilities.
Technical proficiency in learning management systems and related instructional technologies.
Ability to work collaboratively with faculty, staff, administrators, and external partners.
Commitment to supporting student learning and success in diverse digital environments.
Demonstrate the ability to provide effective leadership by setting clear direction, making sound and timely decisions, fostering accountability, delegating, and motivating teams to achieve organizational goals while maintaining a collaborative, inclusive, and results-oriented work environment.