This position is a full-time, fixed-term assignment through June 30, 2029 with the option to renew after an initial three-year period. Employees in this role are eligible for NAIS benefits during the duration of their employment.Position SummaryThe Director, Online Learning & Digital Engagement is a strategic leader responsible for the vision, strategy, and performance of NAIS's online learning portfolio. The role sets direction for asynchronous courses, webinars, virtual events, podcasts, and online learning communities, and is accountable for the impact, quality, and business performance of these offerings.
This is both a strategic and hands-on role. The Director shapes the long-term roadmap for online learning, makes data-informed decisions about what NAIS builds, sustains, and retires, and personally leads instructional design, digital production, and facilitation of synchronous course events for high-priority offerings. The Director uses learner data, engagement analytics, and business metrics to evaluate course efficacy, guide investment decisions, and continuously improve the portfolio.
The Director also cultivates NAIS's online learning ecosystem, fostering vibrant professional learning communities through Connect groups, peer circles, meetups, course office hours, and other virtual spaces. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker, skilled instructional designer, digital producer, facilitator, and analytical leader who brings creativity, rigor, and a learner-centered mindset to growing NAIS's online learning portfolio.
Key ResponsibilitiesStrategic Leadership of Online Learning- Set and own the multi-year strategy and roadmap for NAIS's online learning portfolio, in alignment with organizational priorities and member needs.
- Define the portfolio mix across asynchronous courses, webinars, podcasts, virtual events, and online communities, and make strategic decisions about where to invest, scale, or sunset offerings.
- Establish learning, engagement, and business goals for the online learning portfolio and report on progress to senior leadership.
- Identify and pursue new growth opportunities, including new course formats, audience segments, partnership models, and revenue streams.
- Serve as NAIS's internal thought leader on online learning, contributing to broader organizational strategy and representing online learning in cross-functional planning.
Data, Analytics & Course Efficacy- Own the data and analytics function for online learning, including defining the key metrics that measure portfolio health, learner outcomes, course efficacy, and business performance.
- Build and maintain dashboards and reporting that track enrollment, completion, engagement, satisfaction, learning outcomes, retention, and revenue across the online learning portfolio.
- Analyze course performance to evaluate instructional effectiveness, identify what is working, and recommend evidence-based improvements to content, structure, and delivery.
- Use learner and market data to inform new course development decisions, including topic selection, format, pricing, and audience targeting.
- Conduct business analytics on the online learning portfolio-pricing, demand, conversion, lifetime value, and revenue performance-and translate insights into strategic recommendations.
- Establish feedback loops (surveys, interviews, learning data) that connect learner experience to instructional design decisions.
- Partner with finance, marketing, and membership colleagues to align online learning analytics with broader organizational data and reporting.
Instructional Design & Course Development- Lead the design and development of high-quality asynchronous courses from concept through launch, including defining learning objectives, structuring content, developing assessments, and creating engaging learning activities.
- Apply instructional design best practices (e.g., backward design, modular course architecture, learner engagement strategies) to ensure courses are effective, accessible, and inclusive.
- Partner with NAIS staff, faculty, and external experts to translate subject-matter expertise into well-designed learning experiences, shaping raw content into structured curricula.
- Lead storyboard development, content sequencing, and the creation of multimedia learning assets (videos, readings, discussion prompts, and similar).
- Maintain a cohesive and intentional online learning portfolio aligned with NAIS priorities, member needs, and annual programming goals.
- Manage communications, scheduling, and follow-up with external collaborators; actively seek out experts and dynamic thinkers to expand NAIS's suite of online content.
Synchronous Course Events, Webinars, and Podcast Production- Facilitate approximately 6-10 synchronous events per year tied to NAIS online courses, including kickoffs, live cohort sessions, office hours, expert conversations, and capstone discussions that deepen learning and community.
- Plan, produce, and manage live and recorded webinars, virtual events, and podcast programming from concept through delivery and post-production.
- Support presenters and hosts with session design, run-of-show development, and instructional flow.
- Manage recording, editing, publishing, and archiving of digital learning content across platforms.
- Establish and refine production workflows, timelines, and quality standards.
Online Community Engagement & Facilitation- Facilitate and support NAIS's online engagement spaces, course-related groups, course office hours, and other virtual communities.
- Integrate community engagement intentionally into course design (e.g., discussion boards, live touchpoints, peer feedback).
- Design and implement engagement strategies that encourage participation, relationship-building, and sustained dialogue.
- Monitor participation trends and community health using engagement data, adapting approaches to strengthen learner experience.
Platform & Learning Experience Management- Manage NAIS's learning and engagement platforms (e.g., LMS, community platforms, webinar tools), ensuring seamless and intuitive learner experiences.
- Build and maintain courses within the LMS, including content upload, layout design, navigation structure, and learner flow.
- Coordinate scheduling, communications, and updates across digital learning offerings.
- Ensure platforms are configured to capture the learner and engagement data required to evaluate course efficacy and inform strategy.
- Develop documentation, templates, and design standards to support scalable course development.
Collaboration & Continuous Improvement- Work closely with colleagues across NAIS to align online learning with broader organizational initiatives and engagement goals.
- Stay current on trends in instructional design, online learning, learning analytics, and educational technology, recommending innovations and improvements.
- Contribute to evaluation and reporting on the impact and effectiveness of NAIS online learning offerings to senior leadership and the board as appropriate.
QualificationsRequired- Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in instructional design, education, learning sciences, communications, or a related field.
- Demonstrated experience setting strategy for an online learning portfolio or comparable digital program.
- Demonstrated experience designing and developing online courses (preferably asynchronous), including curriculum development and learning experience design.
- Experience applying instructional design frameworks (e.g., backward design, ADDIE, or similar approaches).
- Experience using data and analytics to evaluate program performance, measure learning outcomes, and drive decisions-including comfort building dashboards, interpreting engagement and business metrics, and translating data into strategy.
- Experience facilitating live virtual sessions for adult learners, including course-related events such as kickoffs, cohort discussions, and office hours.
- Experience managing online learning programs and live virtual programming.
- Experience facilitating or managing online communities or professional learning networks.
- Strong project management skills and ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously.
- Excellent communication skills and a collaborative, relationship-oriented approach.
Preferred- Experience in K-12 education, independent schools, higher education, or professional associations.
- Familiarity with LMS platforms, course authoring tools, and learning analytics tools.
- Experience with multimedia development (video, audio, interactive content).
- Knowledge of adult learning theory, inclusive design, and accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG principles).
- Experience with business analytics in a membership, education, or media organization (pricing, demand, lifetime value, revenue performance).
Core Competencies- Strategic thinking and portfolio leadership
- Data analysis, learning analytics, and business analytics
- Instructional design and learning experience design
- Digital learning production and facilitation
- Online facilitation and community building
- Program and project management
- Volunteer and faculty management
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Attention to detail and quality
- Adaptability and continuous improvement mindset
