Project Manager – Office of Online Learning

Lead and coordinate mission-driven projects and initiatives to enhance the university’s online learning programs. This role requires strategic management of cross-functional teams, coordination with various campus stakeholders, and oversight of project timelines and deliverables. The ideal candidate will drive online learning innovations while ensuring alignment with institutional goals and objectives. This position collaborates with faculty and staff on a diversity of online initiatives, oversees program and project design, implementation, and execution, and provides feedback for continuous improvement. The candidate will possess expertise in online pedagogy and learning design with a commitment to enhancing the learning experience for all students, regardless of modality.

Office Of Online Learning

The Illinois Office of Online Learning (OOL) is chartered with bringing together faculty, staff and students from across the university to develop the institution’s capacity for mission-driven digital education. OOL serves as a centralized resource for digital education strategy; an infrastructure builder for online learning; an innovation collaborator for faculty and staff to devise new approaches to digital education; and an advisor on regulatory and compliance issues. It is a facilitator for the university-wide strategy to make higher education more accessible and equitable through new approaches to teaching and learning with technology. (Read more: ool.illinois.edu) 

Duties & Responsibilities –

Project Leadership and Management

• Lead the planning, execution, and evaluation of programs, projects and initiatives to advance the university’s online learning and digital innovation goals. Define project scope, objectives, and success criteria in collaboration with stakeholders.
• Establish and continually monitor/manage project expectations, assign tasks, and identify issues to maximize projects’ efficiency and effectiveness.
• Organize and oversee advisory groups, committees, and task forces to guide institutional and unit decision-making.
• Proactively identify, develop, and deploy solutions to improve project operation effectiveness.
• Assess risks of projects and compare to their likely impact on outcomes, and independently make decisions to adjust as needed.
• Responsible for ensuring online learning and digital innovation activities are within budget.
• Manage the Office of Online Learning web presence, ensuring up-to-date and accessible content for all users.

Communication and Collaboration

• Independently prepare and deliver annual reports, status reports, post-project reports and summaries, and track milestones and deliverables, ensuring timely dissemination of this information to appropriate interested parties.
• Maintain and update outreach-related content to ensure accurate communication of project developments, including web content. Build and nurture collaborative working relationships with campus leaders, faculty, staff, and other stakeholders. Engage campus leadership in the identifying and defining infrastructure needs and scope for project implementation.
• Manage stakeholder expectations, calibrating project timelines and outcomes as necessary.
• Manage the intake of online initiatives that need administrative support, coordinating with cross-institutional teams as necessary.

Strategic Engagement

• Collaborate with campus leadership to shape and implement strategies for educational innovation, particularly in online learning.
• Support institutional accreditation standards and processes in higher education (e.g., NECHE, NC-SARA, etc).
• Engage the Online Learning Advisory Committee, contributing expertise and leadership to advance the university’s digital learning environment.
• Support Illinois Online design and priorities. 

Required Qualifications –

• Bachelor’s degree.
• A total of three (3) years (36 months) in education, training and/or work experience in project management.
  (Note: Master’s Degree in an area consistent with the duties of the position may be substituted for one (1) year of work experience.)
• Demonstrated experience working in higher education.
• Demonstrated supervisory and/or team management experience.

Preferred Qualifications –

• Master’s degree in education, business, or a related field from an accredited university.
• Professional experience within the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign system. Proven leadership experience, including the ability to work independently and manage teams. Familiarity with accreditation standards and processes in higher education (e.g., NECHE, NC-SARA, etc).
• Experience with learning management systems (LMS), including Canvas and Coursera. Proficiency with project management software and tools.
• Demonstrated knowledge of online pedagogy, best practices in online course development and delivery, and assessment methodologies, including direct and indirect measures of student learning.
• Substantive experience working in higher education.

Appointment Information

This is a 100% full-time Civil Service 5003 – Program Director position. The expected start date is as soon as possible after the close of the search. The budgeted salary range for the position is $75-85k. Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience, while also considering internal equity. Sponsorship for work authorization is not available for this position.

For more information on Civil Service classifications, please visit the SUCSS web site at https://www.sucss.illinois.gov/pages/classspec/default.aspx.

Application Procedures & Deadline Information

Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (Central Time) on November 19, 2024. Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting. Upload a cover letter, resume, contact information for three professional references, and transcript(s) or proof of degree(s).

In order to be considered as a transfer candidate, you must apply for this position. Applications not submitted through https://jobs.illinois.edu will not be considered. If required by the position, transcripts or other documentation of credentials are to be provided no later than the first day of employment. For further information about this specific position, please contact Jennifer Steiling at steiling@illinois.edu. For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Accommodations may also be requested on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions, or religion. Requests may be submitted through the reasonable accommodations portal, or by contacting the Accessibility & Accommodations Division of the Office for Access and Equity at 217-333-0885, or by emailing accessibility@illinois.edu.

Requisition ID: 1027379

Job Category: Professional and Administrative

Apply at: https://jobs.illinois.edu

About Organization

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is dedicated to building upon its tradition of excellence in education, research, public engagement and economic development. More than 3,000 faculty members discover and create new knowledge. Their work is an economic engine for the state and is recognized with many of the world’s top academic and creative awards. The campus’ outstanding academic programs, extraordinary resources and bountiful opportunities attract top-caliber students. They join research teams, spend semesters abroad, create art in old and new ways and lead and participate in hundreds of student organizations. The Urbana campus has more than 425,000 alumni who are global leaders across the spectrum of human endeavor.