Acadia University

Acadia seeks a dynamic, strategic thinker with a proven track record of success in developing and scaling online and extended learning programs in higher education. The Director, Digital and Extended Learning is responsible for the strategic direction and daily operations of Acadia's extended and continuing education unit, Open Acadia. The Director will focus on the development, implementation, and administration of credit and non-credit programs, outreach initiatives, and online learning opportunities that align with the university's broader strategic goals. The Director plays a critical role in creating new avenues for revenue generation through innovative educational offerings and lifelong learning opportunities.

The Director will manage a diverse team, oversee departmental operations, and ensure the efficient delivery of programs. This position will supervise the programming and course development teams within Open Acadia, the English Language Centre, and is accountable as the unit's budget officer.

A key component of this role involves building strong partnerships internally with faculty and academic units, and externally with industry, government, and community organizations to create new learning opportunities and enhance Acadia's presence in the region. They will also take an entrepreneurial approach to growing non-credit and professional development programs, with a focus on expanding the reach and impact of Acadia's offerings.

Reporting to the Vice-Provost, Teaching and Learning Excellence, the Director will provide critical leadership in setting direction and priorities for the university in the following areas:

Development of a new strategy for online and extended learning that further builds the university's reputation and creates new pathways for revenue diversification.

• Explores new opportunities for the current online learning model that increases access and flexibility for students and follows pedagogical best practices.
• Supports academic units in the development and implementation of new learner pathways that increase flexibility and access such as, but not limited to, high school transition programming, summer academies, post-graduate certificates, high impact experiential learning opportunities, and bridging programs.
• Leads new directions for Acadia in professional learning and non-credit programming such as micro credentials, immersive professional programs, and on-site and online training.
• Strengthens Acadia's commitment to lifelong learning through enhanced learning opportunities for the local and regional community.

Digital transformation of teaching and learning at Acadia:

• Providing critical leadership in setting direction and priorities for the digital transformation of the teaching and learning experience for faculty and students. Leveraging and making recommendations for technologies that enhance the learning experience and enables new instructional models through policies, planning, partnerships, and support.
• Digital technologies have become crucial in all instructional modalities to engage learners. Some commonly used digital teaching and learning technologies that this individual will need to have expert experience include, learning management systems (LMS), multimedia applications, collaborative applications, cloud-based technologies, and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
• The Director will be an engaged, visible, and collaborative leader with an understanding of the ever-shifting challenges facing higher education and continuing education.

• Master's degree in Education, Instructional Design, Business Administration, or a related field with at least seven years of progressive leadership experience.
• Experience in developing and scaling extension and online education.
• Advanced knowledge of learning management systems and educational technologies.
• Demonstrated competencies in developing courses and instructional resources.
• Strong knowledge of online pedagogy, learning technologies, and a strategic mindset.
• Demonstrated strategic, operational, and financial management skills as well as the ability to lead a professional unit.
• Superior communication skills and organizational and administrative abilities are required.
• Strong strategic, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with a proven ability to lead and inspire change in a complex organization.
• A strategic, entrepreneurial mindset, with a focus on revenue generation, growth, and innovation.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced environment, carry out multiple projects within the same timeframe, and adapt and be flexible to changing circumstances.

For further information or to request a detailed job description, please contact Keilani Tupper at [email protected]

Acadia University, located in Mi'kma'ki, the ancestral territory of the Mi'kmaq nation, is one of Canada's leading primarily undergraduate institutions. For over 180 years, Acadia has been providing students with a learning environment that ensures they have every opportunity to succeed in life. Our graduates emerge with the tools required to be global citizens and community leaders. Acadia's faculty and staff are key to our institutional success and share a commitment to provide our students with a high quality post-secondary education. As a staff member, you will be part of this transformational educational experience where innovation is encouraged, and your ideas are welcomed.

Acadia University is located only one hour from the city of Halifax in Nova Scotia's beautiful Annapolis Valley in the Town of Wolfville. Wolfville offers residents an affordable lifestyle, outstanding recreational opportunities, internationally acclaimed restaurants, a healthy economy, and the best weather in the Atlantic provinces. The Town of Wolfville is one of the fastest-growing communities in Nova Scotia where people find the perfect mix of small-town livability and urban energy. It's a place that people love to live, and those who do not live here love to visit.

To see more information on why Acadia is an employer of choice, please visit our website at www.hr.acadiau.ca.

TO APPLY: To apply for this opportunity, click on the "Apply Now" button and upload your cover letter, resume, and references.

Please be advised that only those invited for an interview will be contacted. The University reserves the right not to fill this position. A six-month eligibility list may be established from this competition to fill future vacancies for identical positions.

The University invites applications from all qualified individuals; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. Acadia University is committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcomes applications from Aboriginal people, African Nova Scotians, persons with disabilities, visible minorities, women, and persons of any minority sexual orientation or gender identity. Consistent with the principles of employment equity, the primary criterion for appointment to a position is qualifications and professional excellence. Candidates who identify as a member of one of the afore-mentioned groups, and who wish to have the application considered as such, are invited to submit the online Employment Equity Voluntary Self-Identification Form as part of their application package.

The university will provide support in its recruitment processes to applicants with disabilities, including accommodation that takes into account an applicant's accessibility needs. If you require accommodation because of a disability or for any other reason during the interview process, please contact [email protected]