Academic Technology Manager

Lake Forest College; Lake Forest (IL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 77,000; Full time

Job summary

Lake Forest College invites applications for the Academic Technology Manager in Academic Affairs. This role oversees LMS (Canvas) and related instructional technologies, partnering with faculty, students, and divisions to align technology with teaching goals.

Responsibilities include managing day-to-day operations, providing training, supporting LTI integrations, and serving as LMS administrator. The position emphasizes collaboration, design support, and growth of new programs to advance

Qualifications

• Experience in higher education academic technology or IT procurement.
• Experience administering Canvas LMS and other education tech.
• Strong vendor negotiation and budget tracking.

Responsibilities

• Manage day-to-day operations of Academic Technology, including overseeing the learning management system (Canvas).
• Provide learning design support.
• Manage LTI integrations with software vendors.
• Provide tech support for faculty and students.
• Collaborate with the Office of Faculty Development to develop and implement outreach, engagement, consultation, and support for teaching and learning.
• Design and develop documentation, tutorials, workshops, and other training programs.

Skills

LMS administration

Training & support

Vendor management

Instructional design

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Educational Technology / IT / Instructional Design

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

Canvas LMS

LTI integrations

Student Information Systems

Job description

Lake Forest College invites applications for the Academic Technology Manager in Academic Affairs. This position is located in Lake Forest, IL.

Position Overview

The Academic Technology Manager (henceforth "the manager") is responsible for managing academic and instructional technology operations. The manager will facilitate campus-wide collaboration and coordination efforts, partnering with faculty, students, and academic and administrative divisions to align education technology systems, approaches, and resources with faculty and student needs, and institutional direction. The Manager promotes best practices with technology in learning environments, collaborates and provides training in the effective use of instructional technologies. The manager serves as the campus LMS administrator.

This role will serve as a champion, advisor, and liaison to the college community for the effective and innovative use of technology to support teaching, learning, and scholarship. The manager will lead efforts related to the assessment, planning, and delivery of academic technologies, primarily focusing on the College’s learning management system (LMS) and specialized pedagogical applications, and grow new programs. The manager will build direct relationships with faculty to develop and navigate new academic technologies.

Key Responsibilities

Academic Technology Operations

• Manage the day-to-day operations of Academic Technology, including overseeing the learning management system (Canvas).
• Provide learning design support.
• Manage LTI integrations with software vendors.
• Provide tech support for faculty and students for academic technology.
• Serve as the VitalSource liaison (online bookstore).
• Collaborate with the Office of Faculty Development to develop and implement an extensive program of outreach, engagement, consultation, and support to expand and enhance the use of technology in teaching and learning.
• Design and develop documentation, tutorials, workshops, and other training programs to support faculty in the proper use of instructional technologies.
• Partner with faculty members, disciplines, and/or divisions to lead new exploratory initiatives and pilot projects for instructional technology.
• Provide pedagogical and technical consulting, training, and project management to help instructors and programs find innovative and effective ways to use technology to achieve their teaching goals, for both in-person and online courses.
• Provide academic technology support and general technical support in the office of academic affairs as needed.

Software Procurement

• Annual Faculty Survey: Conduct a comprehensive annual software inventory survey with faculty to identify current software usage and determine which platforms are required for the upcoming academic year.
• Inventory Management: Keep the academic software inventory continuously up to date, tracking license counts and deployment locations.
• Renewal Administration: Proactively contact vendors to initiate the renewal process for software that faculty have requested for the next academic year.
• License Cancellation: Cancel software subscriptions and licenses that faculty no longer wish to renew or that are underutilized.
• Contract Negotiation: Negotiate directly with software vendors during every annual renewal cycle to secure lower pricing and optimal value for the College.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Educational Technology, Information Technology, Instructional Design, or a related field (Master’s degree preferred).
• Experience: 3+ years of experience working in higher education academic technology, instructional design, or IT procurement.
• Technical Proficiency: Deep expertise in administering Learning Management Systems (Canvas preferred), Student Information Systems, and deploying LTI integrations.
• Vendor Management Skills: Proven track record in software procurement, contract negotiation, and managing vendor relationships, with a strong ability to secure competitive pricing.
• Communication Skills: Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical and pedagogical concepts to non-technical faculty and staff.
• Analytical Ability: Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, specifically regarding inventory management, survey data analysis, and budget tracking.

Compensation and Benefits

The anticipated hiring range for this position is $70,000 to $77,000. The salary range provided in this posting reflects what we reasonably expect to pay for this position. Actual compensation offered or earned is dependent on experience, education, and other factors including departmental budget.

• Full benefits information including eligibility details is located at: www.lakeforest.edu/offices-and-departments/human-resources/employee-benefits

If you are interested in learning more about employment at Lake Forest College, please visit Working at Lake Forest | Lake Forest College.