Director – Instructional Excellence – HigherEdJobs – Open Positions

Salary: $104,090.00 AnnuallyLocation: Cedar Rapids, IA

Job Type: Full-Time Board-Approved

Job Number: 02744

Division: Academic Affairs

Department: Academic Affairs

Opening Date: 02/18/2026

JOB GOAL:

To advance the college’s mission, vision, principles, values and strategic initiatives through continuous improvement decisions.

GENERAL JOB SUMMARY:

The Director of Instructional Excellence provides leadership and operational oversight for institutional efforts that advance high-quality, learner-centered instruction in support of student success. This role leads a multidisciplinary team responsible for instructional design, faculty and advisor professional development, instructional technology support, and continuous improvement of teaching and learning practices across face-to-face, online, and hybrid modalities.

The Director works collaboratively with faculty, academic departments, Academic Advising, Academic Affairs, and college partners to support instructional practices aligned with the institution’s definition of Quality Instruction: dynamic, learner-centered teaching that fosters open communication, inclusivity, and academic success. Through leadership of instructional designers and faculty development programs, the Director ensures faculty are supported in designing, delivering, and continuously improving instruction that is engaging, inclusive, flexible, and outcomes-driven.
The typical work schedule will be Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm with additional hours as needed.

UNIVERSAL CORE COMPETENCIES:

• Advocate for Continual Improvement- empowering each other to identify opportunities for excellence.
• Collaborate with Mutual Accountability- working together with a willingness to take ownership and account for our actions.
• Champion Service- anticipating needs and create a welcoming, diverse, and inclusive environment.
• Perseverance- commitment to excellence even in the face of adversity or delay in achieving success.
• Lead- regardless of title, through positive influence.

DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide institutional leadership for initiatives that advance learner-centered teaching and advising aligned with the College’s Quality Instruction framework and student success priorities.

• Direct and coordinate college-wide instructional support functions, including instructional design, faculty and advisor development, and onboarding, ensuring consistent and scalable support across modalities.
• Lead continuous improvement of teaching and learning by integrating assessment, evidence-based practice, and emerging research into institutional strategies and resources.
• Guide institutional adoption and effective use of instructional technologies to support accessibility engagement, and instructional effectiveness.
• Collaborate with academic departments and campus partners to align instructional excellence efforts with institutional goals related to learning, equity, retention, and completion.
• Supervise departmental personnel and manage unit operations, including planning, prioritization of work, reporting, and budget stewardship in accordance with college policies.

PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS:

• Model the College’s core values of Respect, Innovation, Collaboration, and Excellence in leadership, decision-making, and daily interactions.
• Represent the College professionally and build positive, trust-based relationships with faculty, staff, students, and external partners.
• Translate direction from Academic Affairs leadership into actionable plans and successfully execute complex, cross-campus initiatives.
• Lead through influence by aligning stakeholders, facilitating collaboration, and exercising sound judgment and accountability in complex situations.
• Balance strategic thinking with operational execution, adapting plans in response to feedback, data, and institutional needs.
• Communicate clearly and effectively and foster a culture of shared responsibility, continuous improvement, and student success.

The statements contained herein reflect general details as necessary to describe the essential job duties/responsibilities and performance expectations of the job, which should not be considered an all-inclusive listing of work requirements. Individuals may perform other duties as assigned. PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES WITH/WITHOUT REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION:

Position involves working in an office setting. Occasional (10-33%) standing, pushing, pulling and grasping. Frequent (34-66%) reaching and viewing a computer and other types of close visual work. Constant (67-100%) sitting, walking, repetitive motion, talking and hearing. The position involves occasional (10-33%) driving to events and meetings away from KCC’s main campus.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s degree in education, instructional design, curriculum and instruction, educational leadership, or a closely related field.
• Five (5) or more years of professional experience in higher education supporting teaching and learning.
• Experience leading staff, teams, or multi-stakeholder initiatives.
• Experience planning and executing complex projects or initiatives from development through implementation.
• Experience collaborating across departments and influencing outcomes without direct authority.
• Teaching experience in formal learning environments.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS, LICENSES, CERTIFICATIONS, OR REGISTRATIONS:

• Doctoral degree in education, instructional design, educational leadership, or a related field.
• Teaching experience in higher education.
• Professional experience working in a community college setting.
• Experience supervising professional staff in instructional design, faculty development, or academic support services.
• Experience leading faculty or advisor professional development initiatives across multiple departments or programs.

EEO AA/STATEMENT:

It is the policy of Kirkwood Community College not to discriminate in its programs, activities, or employment on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, creed, religion, and actual or potential family, parental or marital status. If you have questions or complaints related to compliance with this policy, please contact the Vice President, Human Resources and Institutional Effectiveness (employees) or the Vice President of Student Services (students), 6301 Kirkwood Blvd. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404, 319-398-5572,equity@kirkwood.edu, or the Director of the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, Cesar E. Chavez Memorial Building, 1244 Speer Boulevard, Suite 310, Denver, CO 80204-3582, Telephone: (303) 844-5695 FAX: (303) 844-4303, TDD 800-877-8339 Email:OCR.Denver@ed.gov.

WHY KIRKWOOD:
Kirkwood Community College prides itself on fostering a diverse workforce and values unique perspectives throughout its campus community. The college is a convenient, innovative, visionary educational leader striving to remain affordable and accessible. With more than 140 majors and programs, Kirkwood boasts 16,000 annual college-credit students while maintaining one of the lowest tuitions in the state. All degree-seeking students are eligible for federal financial aid and the college offers more than $3 million in scholarships each year to students from all walks of life.

Review of applications will continue until the position is filled.

Benefits

Kirkwood offers a wide range of employee benefits. Read more about them here!