Director of eLearning Consortium Canada

ELCC was founded in 2008 and is the only service provider to develop and deliver online courses and blended learning specifically for independent schools across Canada. ELCC is built on a consortium model for membership and course delivery; member schools provide teachers and courses.

Our mission is to develop and deliver exceptional online high school full year and summer credit courses and blended learning modules for elementary and high school students. These learning experiences engage students in building essential skills in digital fluency and provide professional development opportunities for our teachers.

Director of eLearning Consortium Canada

Reports to: The ELCC Board of Directors

Direct Reports: 1 part time Administrative Assistant

Start Date: July 4, 2016 (some transition mentorship opportunity in June, 2016)

Position Summary

The Director is a dynamic, educational innovator who is thoroughly knowledgeable about online and blended learning and has certification in elearning*. As the key organizational leader of ELCC, the Director is responsible for managing all operations of the Consortium, establishing new programs, maintaining positive relations with member schools, and building new membership. The Director works closely with the Board of Directors to fulfill the mission, vision and strategic plan that ensure the sustainability of the organization by meeting regularly with each of the Board committees and the Board Chair. Using excellent communication, collaboration and decision making skills, the Director provides guidance and support for the Academic Council, the Site Administrators, course teachers and IT support personnel through virtual forums, onsite meetings, weekly newsletters and technology training sessions. To fulfill all aspects of the role effectively, the Director combines sound business savvy, pedagogical expertise, high level technical knowledge and demonstrates a purposeful approach to innovation in educational practice. The Director teaches the UOIT AQ course in the fall and/or summer sessions and assists member schools in the management of the summer school program within the student information system in Blackboard.

The Director position is a full time, 12 month leadership position which operates out of a home office and requires your own car for visits to member schools and recruitment visits to new schools, predominantly in Ontario. Participation at national CAIS conferences provides communication and recruitment opportunities in other provinces. There are some travel expense considerations to support the recruitment work. The Director is supported by a part time administrative assistant.

*Candidates must have completed the UOIT elearning AQ course or must complete the UOIT elearning AQ course in July, 2016. The Director will teach the UOIT AQ in the fall, 2016 and/or the summer of 2017.

Key Responsibilities

Provide ELCC with strategic leadership in the planning, implementation and evaluation of online and blended programs
Actively engage in professional development to support innovation; stay current regarding best practices, new developments and research in online and blended learning relating to pedagogical priorities and technology enhancements
Envision new options and possibilities for online and blended learning
Provide guidance and support to the Board Chair and Board committee chairs for regular meetings and the AGM; prepare and distribute all communications for these
Coordinate the branding and marketing of ELCC through the website, written publications, social media, on site school visits and promotions at CAIS and CISOntario conferences or curriculum workshops
Establish networks within CAIS schools to promote ELCC as a valued educational option and to increase membership
Maintain operational and strategic performance indicators and benchmarks and provide these within scheduled Board meetings
Provide regular status updates, project plans, and other relevant communications to member and non-member schools and key stakeholders
Facilitate interactions with the Academic Council within member schools to establish course offerings, policy requirements, meet Ministry of Education requirements and determine teaching assignments/allocations
Publish a regular digital newsletter to provide research links, technical support updates, and important scheduled events and due dates for teachers and Site Administrators
Annually update all policies, procedural documents, course calendars, Board documents, notices and letters to Heads of member and non-member schools
Teach the UOIT Additional Qualification (AQ) course in the fall and/or summer sessions
Mentor site administrators and teachers by building and implementing professional development and training programs
Model best practices for online and blended teaching and learning and take risks with innovations
Monitor the evaluation process for online courses by processing annual student surveys and documenting academic achievement results. Collect and analyze data received from evaluations and initiate possible course improvements.
Establish technology business partnerships and manage contracts (Blackboard, Ceridian); assess and oversee vendor service quality and recommend changes as appropriate
Collaborate with the Finance Committee to prepare preliminary and final annual budgets and manage the operating budget
Direct the tasks of the Administrative Assistant and complete annual performance evaluations
Required Qualifications, Competencies and Experience

Master’s degree in a relevant educational field, certification in elearning, and several years of experience working with online/blended learning
Demonstrated knowledge of learning technologies and effective application in curriculum design
Previous project management and academic leadership experience
Ability to work autonomously and independently within the mission, vision and principles of ELCC
Strong capacity for flexibility, self-direction and initiative
Demonstrated ability to lead, motivate and inspire educators
Ability to influence key stakeholders, network effectively, work collaboratively and provide oral presentations
Creative, innovative, flexible and results-oriented
Understanding of content development tools/programs and Learning Management Systems (LMS); Blackboard experience is highly valued
Sound knowledge of principles, best practices and techniques of instructional design
Makes informed decisions for organizational improvement based on sound data
Excellent written, oral and interpersonal communication skills. High degree of accuracy, excellent attention to detail
Experience in policy/procedures writing and survey analysis
Superior organizational skills and time management with the ability to prioritize, multi-task and problem-solve
Knowledge of Ministry compliance and accreditation requirements pertaining to online education
Consideration will be given to an equivalent combination of education and experience
Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications, skills and experience. Summer holiday allocation to be negotiated in relation to tasks that must be completed during the summer. ( e.g. financial year end, AGM preparation, summer school SIS and reporting, UOIT teaching, etc.)

Interested applicants should forward a cover letter, resume and the names and contact information of 3 references to http://hsc.simplication.com/WLSBLogin.aspx.

The posting will close on March 30, 2016. While we thank all applicants in advance for their interest, only those selected for interviews will be contacted.

Please note: The application site is hosted by Hillfield Strathallan College but the posting is not affiliated with this school. The posting is for ELCC – eLearning Consortium Canada.