Description
Southern New Hampshire University is a team of innovators. World changers. Individuals who believe in progress with purpose. Since 1932, our people-centered strategy has defined us — and helped us grow a team that now serves over 180,000 learners worldwide.
Our mission to transform lives is made possible by talented people who bring diverse industry experience, backgrounds and skills to the university. And today, we're ready to expand our reach. All we need is you.
Make an impact — from near or far
At SNHU, you'll have the option to work remotely in the following states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
We ask that our remote employees have access to a reliable internet connection and a dedicated, properly equipped workspace that is free of distractions. Employees must reside in, and work from, one of the above approved states.
The opportunity
The Manager of LMS Optimization will report to the Director of Academic Technology. You will lead a team of Academic Technology Solution Owners who are responsible for short- and long-term optimization of the learning management system (LMS). Main responsibilities include maintaining an understanding of the D2L Brightspace LMS roadmap and how it aligns with the business and teaching practices of the SNHU Global Campus scaled delivery organization. You will play an instrumental role in the success of the LMS by evaluating, testing, recommending, and implementing features of D2L's monthly releases and other vendor components integrated with the LMS. You will maintain close relationships with Global Campus operational staff, especially the New Learning Solutions and Learning Design and Delivery teams within the Learning Science and Assessment (LSA) and Faculty Training and Development, and Academic Effectiveness & Instructor Experience departments. You will ensure effective linkages between Solution Owners, LMS Operations, Instructional Support Services, Global Campus partners, UX professionals, and vendors to lead continuous improvements with emphasis on user experience goals.
You will work 100% remotely from any of our approved states. #LI-Remote
What You'll Do:
- Be an engaged manager for the LMS Optimizations team by expressing deep technical knowledge of the Learning Management System, modern technology fundamentals, and systems thinking.
- Lead a high-performing distributed team to maintain operations and lead solution delivery through meticulous planning and communication.
- Partner with the Director of Academic Technology to cultivate a relationship with D2L, maintaining understanding of continuous delivery plans and long-term roadmap for the D2L Brightspace Learning Management System.
- Lead LMS technical team to deliver monthly updates and longer-term features that meet current and future needs. Coordinate and refine use cases for product improvements.
- Ensure timely creation and maintenance of SNHU Brightspace Knowledge to maintain understanding between SNHU business practices and configuration of the LMS.
- Guide team in the coordination and documentation of technical and our needs with partners. Ensure clear understanding and prioritization of needs with the broader Academic Technology portfolio to D2L.
- Lead by example to ensure identification and evaluation of technologies that support the mastery of university program competencies and improved user experience.
- Work with internal UX Research to lead focus on the user experience within Brightspace, with projects that enhance the user interface (UI) for learners and faculty in all experiences (desktop to mobile).
- Coordinate across Global Campus and ITS to ensure the successful implementation of technologies into the learning ecosystem, with focus on solutions that integrate with the LMS, e.g., LTI, Bongo, Google Analytics.
- Collaborate with Global Campus operational teams to coordinate Brightspace updates and integrated tool features as applicable to new/redeveloped course designs and recurring term starts.
- Partner with other technical teams to design, test and deploy optimizations in the LMS that will be consumed by the scaled Global Campus audience. Lead requirements definition, scaled delivery testing, the Academic Remap/NLS prototyping and other testing/innovation initiatives that may emerge.
- Coordinate with multiple technology projects, mostly new feature rollouts, including planning, execution, tracking, and implementation.
- Develop collaborative relationships across the university to promote a positive student and faculty experience with Brightspace.
- Help resolve issues related to learning technologies and platforms, escalating and coordinating with LMS Operations regarding solutions and vendor communication.
- Partner with Academic Technology Solution Delivery leaders to maintain relationships with third-party technology vendor partners that integrate with the LMS.
- Lead team through the successful deployment, support, and cost-effective use of LMS updates; oversee problem management activities and support incident management activities and reporting.
- Monitor developments in academic technology, including AI; identify opportunities to enhance the LMS experience.
- Demonstrate and ensure customer-centric decision-making across the LMS Optimization team.
- Ensure that all team members are aligned with our needs, anticipate, and resolve customer problems, and operate in a professional and efficient manner while following established processes, policies, and procedures.
- Ensure clarity of our goals and expectations for the team. Set attainable goals, monitor progress, take remedial actions to successfully achieve goals.
- Lead by example demonstrating the highest professional standards to foster a collaborative and cohesive team. Remove obstacles, ensure accountability, anticipate, and resolve problems to allow the team to exceed deliverables and commitments.
- Encourage employees' professional development, provide coaching, listen to feedback, sponsor professional training opportunities, and empower employees to meet their potential.
- Apply SNHU HR guidelines, processes, and best practices in all personnel related responsibilities.
- Attendance, punctuality, and reliability are essential functions of this role.
- Other responsibilities as assigned.
What We're Looking For:
- 5+ years of experience working within an LMS.
- 3+ years leading LMS operation programs.
- High School Diploma or equivalent (e.g. GED).
- Experience with D2L Brightspace or comparable learning management systems.
- Experience with Product Management (analysis, change management, roadmap delivery, and partner needs).
- Experience with Agile fundamentals, including backlog management, and conversion of our needs into measurable outcomes.
We believe real innovation comes from inclusion - where different experiences, perspectives and talents are celebrated. So if you're wondering whether SNHU is right for you, take the leap and apply. You might be just the person we're looking for.
Compensation
The annual pay range for this position is $85,563.00 - $136,928.00. Actual offer will be based on skills, qualifications, experience and internal equity, in addition to relevant business considerations. We expect this position to be hired in the following target hiring range $94,548.00 - $127,918.00.Exceptional benefits (because you’re exceptional)
You’re the whole package. Your benefits should be, too. As a full-time employee at SNHU, you’ll get:
High-quality, low-deductible medical insurance
Low to no-cost dental and vision plans
5 weeks of paid time off (plus almost a dozen paid holidays)
Employer-funded retirement
Free tuition program
Parental leave
Mental health and wellbeing resources
