Position Overview: The Center for Teaching (CfT), a campus-wide provider of professional development services for University of Iowa instructors (faculty and teaching assistants), is seeking to fill a full-time, Assistant Director position. The Assistant Director at the University of Iowa Center for Teaching will work with the collaborative and creative team within the Centerto help enhance inclusive, research-based teaching strategies in alignment with campus priorities, including the campus strategic plan priority of advancing excellence in teaching and learning.
The Center for Teaching advances teaching and learning excellence at Iowa and develops a collaborative university culture that supports, values, and rewards effective teaching. The Center is an advocate for evidence-based, reflective teaching and a leader in instructor professional development, responsible for sparking and shaping transformative conversations about teaching and learning on campus and beyond. Our team collaborates with UI instructors; teaching assistants; department, collegiate, and university administrators; students; and campus partners to create structures and policies that enhance teaching and learning excellence. The Center for Teaching partners with all campus community members who care about excellence in teaching and learning, including all instructors, administrators, and staff.
The Assistant Director will contribute to teaching and learning excellence through one-on-one consultations, facilitation of workshops and institutes, and project and program development. The person in this role will enhance and develop strategic programming that supports faculty and graduate instructors in a variety of disciplines to enhance scholarly teaching practice, including assessment of student learning, active learning, course design, and inclusive pedagogies.
In addition to collaborating with UI instructors, the Center director, and Center staff members, this role also will entail developing and maintaining strong relationships with other campus partners.
Responsibilities and Duties include:
Developing and assessing programs (e.g. TILE, CIRTL) and other initiatives that support teaching excellence (e.g., teaching workshops, multi-day institutes, and consultations).
Collaborating with Center staff and other campus stakeholders on key initiatives (e.g. SoTL)
In partnerships with other staff members and with a working understanding of the research on teaching and learning in higher education, creating and sustaining rich communications directed to faculty members and graduate assistants who seek to enhance their teaching knowledge and skills.
Work Modality: This position is eligible for hybrid work within Iowa and will require a work arrangement form to be completed upon the start of your employment. Per policy, work arrangements will be reviewed annually, and must comply with the remote work program and related policies and employee travel policy when working at a remote location.
Compensation: Commensurate with Experience
Education Requirement:
Master's degree or an equivalent combination of education and related experience may also serve to meet these minimum requirements.
Experience Required:
A minimum of three semesters teaching college-level courses.
Competencies Required:
Demonstrated knowledge of theory and practical application of higher education teaching and learning research, particularly in inclusive pedagogies, active learning, assessment and grading, and navigating AI in teaching.
Demonstrated knowledge of theory and practice of graduate student development, faculty development, and organizational development.
Demonstrated ability to assess impact of educational development programming.
Demonstrated project creation, development, and project management skills, including experience facilitating or integrating a well-rounded team.
Demonstrates a WORKING proficiency level in:
Strong ability to facilitate, including collaboratively, with an understanding of and appropriate response to an array of audiences with varied professional development needs.
Flexibility and strong ability to be agile and handle the unexpected when facilitating
Interactive workshop presentation development and delivery on pedagogical topics.
Demonstrates an EXTENSIVE proficiency level in:
Communication skills: written, verbal, listening, presentation
Leadership skills
Creativity/adaptability/flexible thinking skills
Collaboration skills
Ability to reflect on past efforts to improve
Desirable Qualifications:
A minimum 1-2 years' experience in the field of educational development.
PhD or terminal degree (e.g. Master of Fine Arts) in any discipline.
Demonstrated experience of engagement with pedagogies and practice across a variety of contexts (e.g. clinical instruction) and disciplines (STEM, social sciences, humanities, and the arts).
Understanding of relevant instructional design concepts and processes; ability to design instructional content to meet the learning needs of a target population.
Experience engaging with the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning (SoTL) and the Scholarship of Educational Development (SoED).
Experience integrating new or emerging pedagogical concepts and teaching technologies into courses and instructor professional development.
Experience conducting one-on-one consultations with instructors on teaching-related topics.
Knowledge of academic assessment methods.
Knowledge of University policies, procedures, and regulations.
About working at the Center for Teaching:
The University of Iowa strategic plan highlights excellence in teaching and learning as a strategic goal, and the work of the Center is closely aligned to and supported by the strategic plan. This position balances mentorship and collaborative work with opportunities for professional growth, including leading programming within the Center. We are committed to individual professional growth in a variety of ways and staff members are supported to attend (and, as appropriate, present) at national conferences. Center for Teaching staff work on-site, but are able to work remotely up to two days per week, pending the needs of campus (e.g. conducting course observations, on-campus workshops, or conducting in-person consultations).
About working at the University of Iowa:
Employee well-being is central to our university's success, demonstrated in part by generous retirement benefits, exceptional health insurance options, complimentary well-being services, and professional development opportunities. The University of Iowa is a place for great minds to work, grow, and thrive. We offer one of the most competitive, comprehensive benefit packages around, with programs that enhance the health and well-being of faculty, staff, retirees, and students alike.
Learn more about why UI here.
Application Process:
In order to be considered, applicants must submit a CV and a cover letter (of up to three pages) that clearly address how they meet the listed required and desired qualifications of this position.
Job openings are posted for a minimum of 14 calendar days and may be removed from posting and filled any time after the original posting period has ended. Successful candidates will be required to self-disclose any conviction history and will be subject to a criminal background check and credential/education verification. Successful candidates may be eligible for visa sponsorship for this position.
We anticipate several rounds of interviews, with finalists invited to day-long interviews tentatively scheduled to be conducted over the weeks of January 6 and January 13. Finalist interviews will include a longer interview, opportunities to meet with the team and learn more about working at Iowa, and two authentic task demonstrations (including a consultation demonstration) for which no specific prior preparation will be required. Up to 5 professional references will be requested at a later step in the process.
For questions or additional information, please contact hiring manager Center for Teaching Associate Director Sara Nasrollahian (sara-nasrollahian@uiowa.edu), Assistant Provost for Teaching & Learning and Director, Center for Teaching, Anna Flaming (anna-flaming@uiowa.edu), or HR Manager Tracey Pritchard (tracey-pritchard@uiowa.edu).
