Manager - Instructional Design & Academic Operations

The Culinary Institute of America; Town of Hyde Park (NY); Remote; USD 75,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

The Culinary Institute of America is hiring a Manager – Instructional Design & Academic Operations to design high-quality online and hybrid courses in partnership with faculty, while also managing day-to-day workflows for graduate and professional programs. This role blends hands-on course development with program-level administrative support.

You will ensure courses are accessible and pedagogically sound, support learning platforms, and maintain documentation and processes.

Qualifications

• Master's degree required.
• Minimum of two years in instructional design.
• Experience with LMS (Brightspace, Moodle, Canvas) and course development.
• Experience collaborating with faculty or subject matter experts on course content.
• Experience supporting graduate or professional education is preferred.
• Familiarity with AI-enabled instructional tools.

Responsibilities

• Design online and hybrid courses with faculty to be engaging and accessible.
• Apply instructional design best practices to course structure and assessments.
• Build course materials within the learning management system.
• Maintain documentation, SOPs, and records for course development and operations.
• Provide faculty training materials and run training sessions.
• Support institutional assessment and accreditation activities.

Skills

Instructional design

Course development

Communication skills

Project management

Remote work

Innovation

Education

Master's Degree in Instructional Design, Educational Technology, Curriculum & Instruction, or related field

Tools

Brightspace

Moodle

Canvas

Course Merchant

AI-enabled tools

Job description

The Job Duties of this position are able to be performed from our NY Campus, CA Campus or Remote.

The anticipated hiring range for this position is $75,000 to $85,000. Hiring offers will be determined based on the final candidate’s qualifications and experience. The recruiter can share more information about what the anticipated hiring salary would be based upon your specific qualifications during the selection process. The hiring range will be modified based on the location of applicants.

The CIA offers a substantial benefits package that includes medical coverage available at no cost to qualifying employees, dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance, short and long term disability insurance, retirement savings plan with high employer contributions, a generous paid time off program, and more!

Position Summary

The Manager – Instructional Design & Academic Operations is a key member of the School of Graduate & Professional Studies (SGPS), responsible for designing high-quality online and hybrid courses in partnership with faculty, while also managing the day-to-day operational workflows that keep graduate and professional programs running smoothly. This role blends hands‑on course development with program‑level administrative support, including learning platform coordination and documentation.

Working closely with faculty and academic leadership, the Manager ensures that courses are pedagogically sound, accessible, and consistent, while also supporting the systems and processes that faculty and staff rely on day to day.

Essential Responsibilities

Instructional Design

• Partner with faculty to design, develop, and update online and hybrid courses that are engaging, accessible, and pedagogically sound.
• Apply instructional design best practices and learning theory to course structure, activities, and assessments.
• Build course materials, templates, and learning objects within the institution's learning management system.
• Review courses periodically for instructional consistency and accessibility, and recommend improvements to faculty.

Academic Operations

• Manage operational workflows supporting course scheduling, the course lifecycle, and day-to-day program administration.
• Oversee the maintenance of documentation, SOPs, and records for course development and program operations.
• Serve as a point of contact for faculty questions about learning technology tools and platforms.

Faculty Support & Training

• Develop faculty-facing guides, tutorials, and onboarding materials for course tools and instructional practices.
• Deliver periodic training sessions or office hours to help faculty use learning technologies effectively.

Additional Responsibilities

• Assist with data collection and documentation in support of institutional assessment and accreditation activities, as requested by academic leadership. Analyze data and provide recommendations for improvement.
• Stay current on emerging trends in online instructional design and educational technology, including AI-enabled tools, and share relevant updates with the team.
• Participate in departmental meetings, and occasional cross‑functional projects and committees.
• Any and all other duties as assigned.

Education

• Master's Degree in Instructional Design, Educational Technology, Curriculum & Instruction, or a related field.

Experience

• Minimum of two (2) years of experience in instructional design, preferably in a higher education or online learning environment.
• Experience building or updating courses within a Learning Management System.
• Demonstrated experience collaborating with faculty or subject matter experts on course content.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Brightspace, Moodle, Canvas, or other enterprise Learning Management Systems.
• Experience supporting academic or program operations in a higher education setting.
• Familiarity with e-commerce or registration-integrated LMS workflows (e.g., Course Merchant).
• Experience supporting assessment or accreditation documentation.
• Experience with AI-enabled instructional tools.
• Experience in graduate, continuing, or professional education.

Required Skills

• Strong instructional design and course development skills, grounded in adult learning principles.
• Solid understanding of learning management systems and online learning environments.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Good project management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple courses or tasks at once.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and educational technology platforms.
• Ability to work independently in a remote environment while collaborating across departments.
• Commitment to innovation, continuous improvement, and exceptional service.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Regular work requires the use of a computer, many time in excess of eight (8) hours in a day.
• Must be available to work variable hours, including evenings and weekends as business needs require.
• Ability to work independently in a hybrid or remote environment while collaborating effectively with colleagues.
• Ability to travel domestically to campus residencies and other institutional events as required (typically 2-4 times per year).