Dr. Alan Wright, the Vice-Provost, Teaching and Learning ,is pleased to announce  the establishment of a new opportunity, Director of Open Learning, at the University of Windsor. 

Reporting to the Vice-Provost, Teaching and Learning, the Director of Open Learning will be  responsible for the coordinated development of innovative, engaging and cost-effective Open Learning environments and programs at the University of Windsor.   The Director will frame, lead and implement a significant expansion of the University of Windsor presence in this important area, enhancing both the scope and quality of open learning and ensuring continuous improvement in programming and support services for online and technologically- supported learning.  The Director of Open Learning will spearhead the coordinated development of innovative, engaging and cost-effective Open Learning initiatives at the University of Windsor.   

A pragmatic, collaborative, and critically reflective champion of Open Learning, the Director will establish the Office of Open Learning and articulate and implement a strategic vision of Open Learning for that office and the institution, drawing on strong management skills developed from extensive experience in large and successful Open Learning settings.  In keeping with the University’s Activity-Based Budgeting model, the Director will build effective program development, governance, and business models, ensuring a solid and responsive foundation for growth. The Director will develop and sustain community, inter-institutional and international partnerships and opportunities in order to expand the scope and possibility of Open Learning at the University of Windsor and to leverage existing resources for the benefit of all partners. The Director will be the University’s liaison with the Ontario Online Institute, and other provincial e-learning networks, and will ensure that the University remains strategically positioned as a contributing partner with regard to evolving provincial initiatives.  

The Office of Open Learning will work to increase student access to and engagement  with post-secondary education through the development of online and technologically supported programs,  services and resources.  The Director will be responsible for determining how to inspire, support, and prioritize campus-wide initiatives consistent with the University’s Strategic Plan and institutional priorities and with sensitivity to departmental and faculty teaching and learning priorities.  In doing so, the Director will work collegially and skilfully with departments, faculties and senior administration to promote and ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of Open Learning at the University.  The director will establish and oversee project-based teams drawn from multiple units and disciplines, to enhance the design and delivery of distance, online, and technologically supported learning.  Drawing on strong expertise regarding current and emerging evidence of effective practice in open learning, the Director will establish quality enhancement protocols which ensure that the University’s offerings fully meet the needs of learners, inspiring their confidence and increasingly drawing new learners to the institution.    

SPECIFIC ACCOUNTABILITIES
 • Provide leadership at a senior level for the significant expansion of the University of Windsor presence in the area of Open Learning 
 • Consultatively establish and implement co-ordinated strategic planning for Open Learning at the University of Windsor 
 • Establish  and implement effective and responsive program development, governance, and business models for Open Learning at the University 
 • Work collaboratively with existing university programs and units and with the University of Windsor Centre for Executive and Professional Education to enhance open learning at 	the University and to promote effective technologically supported learning 
 • Develop and maintain community, inter-institutional and international partnerships and opportunities in order to expand the scope of Open Learning at the University 
 • Develop strong working relationships with provincial online learning networks and organizations, including the to-be-established Ontario Online Institute, and position the 		University as a significant contributor and partner in the evolving provincial open learning environment
 • Lead major open learning initiatives and projects, and oversee the management of all co-ordinated open learning projects at the University of Windsor 
 • Establish quality enhancement procedures for the University’s Open Learning programming 
 • Develop revenue streams through entrepreneurial open-learning projects and successfully acquire funding through grants and other income sources
 • Keep abreast of current trends and research in Open Learning in North America and beyond
 • Establish strong communications networks for the promotion of Open Learning and dissemination of effective practices in Open Learning 

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS
 • A successful record of leading and managing learning technology related innovation in a tertiary institution
 • Evidence of a thoughtful, informed, and strategically sound vision of Open Learning, and the ability to work effectively and collaboratively to integrate local interests and concerns 	with that vision.  
 • Expertise in program development with a demonstrably analytical and successfully entrepreneurial approach to establishing high-quality programs
 • A proven ability to work effectively with senior management, academics, information technology professionals, community members and industry partners 
 • Evidence of effective consultation and collaboration skills 
 • Demonstrated ability to effectively lead and manage change 
 • Experience developing governance, business, and revenue generation models. Experience with activity-based budgeting models an asset. 
 • Evidence of effective leadership of diverse and skilled teams
 • A record of innovation, applied research,  publications, successful grant submissions, relevant to the advancement of open learning
 • Experience in fostering service-oriented organizational cultures with an emphasis on continuous learning, reliability and responsiveness.  
 • Familiarity with effective approaches to  assessing the effectiveness and quality of online programs, preferably driven by a quality enhancement approach.
 • Proven skill as a project manager 
 • Excellent analytical, organizational, communication and interpersonal skills 
 • A demonstrated ability to work well in a dynamic, multicultural context 

ADDITIONAL AREAS OF EXPERTISE
 • A Ph.D. or equivalent preferred 
 • A comprehensive and evolving knowledge of educational technologies
 • Successful experience in online or technologically-supported teaching
 • Experience in the establishment and provision of programs and services for international learners 
 • Experience in strategic planning
 • Background in marketing and promotion 
 • Experience in the selection, development, and management of learning management systems.  
 • Experience managing personnel in unionized environments


This position will be posted on the University's website at http://www.uwindsor.ca/hr/employment-services-prospective-employees shortly, with an application deadline at the end of July.  Dr. Wright welcomes queries and informal indications of interest, and can be contacted via his assistant, Beverley Hamilton, at [log in to unmask] .