Senior Manager, Learning and Innovation

The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Inc.; San Antonio (TX); Hybrid; USD 87,000 - 107,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Texas at San Antonio (UT San Antonio) is seeking a Senior Manager, Learning and Innovation to lead division-wide staff capability-building, onboarding, and technology enablement. You will collaborate with Student Success leaders, Academic Innovation, and People Excellence to align learning with the evolving service model and student outcomes.

Responsibilities include designing integrated learning experiences, advancing leadership development, and promoting adoption of

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in instructional design, leadership and management, or related field.
• Seven years of progressive experience in higher education leadership and management.
• Security and integrity requirements per Texas EO-GA-48.

Responsibilities

• Develops and leads a multi-year strategy for staff capability-building and onboarding.
• Designs and delivers integrated learning experiences and training.
• Shapes leadership development and cross-unit collaboration.
• Promotes adoption of division-supported Student Success technology tools.
• Leads initiatives that foster staff innovation across Student Success and partnering units.

Skills

Leadership

Verbal and Written Communication

Analytical and Strategic Thinking

Collaboration

Interpersonal Skills

Stakeholder Engagement

Project Management

Organization

Prioritization

Execution

Facilitation

Technology Adoption

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Master's degree

Job description

Senior Manager, Learning and Innovation

Location: San Antonio, TX
Regular/Temporary: Regular
Full/Part Time: Full Time

Position Information

The University of Texas at San Antonio (UT San Antonio) is a nationally recognized, top-tier public research university that unites the power of higher education, biomedical discovery and healthcare within one visionary institution. As the third-largest research university in Texas and a Carnegie R1-designated institution, UT San Antonio is a model of access and excellence — advancing knowledge, social mobility and public health across South Texas and beyond. UT San Antonio serves approximately 42,000 students in 320 academic programs spanning science, engineering, medicine, health, liberal arts, AI, cybersecurity, business, education and more. With 17,000 faculty and staff, UT San Antonio has also been recognized as a Top Employer in Texas by Forbes Magazine. Learn more online, on UT San Antonio Today or on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or LinkedIn.

Salary Range: Up to $96,900 annualized, commensurate with education, experience, and qualifications.

Posting Close Date: Applications will be accepted through 11:59 PM CDT on 8/26/2026. At the discretion of the hiring department, this posting may close once a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received.

Required Application Materials

• Resume is required
• Cover Letter is preferred

Job Details

Job Summary

The Senior Manager Learning and Innovation provides strategic leadership for division-wide staff capability-building efforts, aligning learning, onboarding, and technology enablement with the evolving Student Success service model. Working in close partnership with Student Success leaders, Academic Innovation, College Student Success Centers, and People Excellence, this role identifies emerging workforce needs, sets priorities, and ensures the design, delivery, and assessment of integrated, applied learning experiences and training that strengthen day-to-day practices, advance staff innovation and the adoption of new ways of working, cultivate innovative service models, and advance student success outcomes. The Senior Manager plays a key role in aligning people, processes, and tools across units, ensuring a consistent implementation of student success practices and technologies and contributing to a more cohesive and effective student success ecosystem.

Core Responsibilities

1. Develops and leads a multi-year strategy and implementation plan for equipping employees within Student Success and partnering units to support student thriving, aligning onboarding, training, and professional development with the needs of Student Success, Academic Innovation, and College Student Success Centers, while coordinating with university partners and leveraging institutional resources to ensure alignment and impact.
2. Designs and delivers integrated learning experiences (onboarding, training, cohort programs, and communities of practice), in partnership with the People Excellence Employee Success Center, building staff capability in core practices, processes, and division-supported technologies that strengthen day-to-day service delivery and support student success outcomes.
3. Shapes and advances leadership development for divisional staff, in collaboration with the People Excellence Employee Success Center, that strengthens cross-unit collaboration, shared accountability, service model alignment and team effectiveness.
4. Enables adoption of division-supported Student Success technology tools (e.g., Civitas, Suitable, EdSights, Canvas) by delivering practical training, resources, and coordinated support that helps staff consistently apply technologies within the Student Success service model and effectively integrate them into daily practice to support students.
5. Leads initiatives that foster staff innovation across Student Success and partnering units, creating opportunities for staff to explore, pilot, and scale new approaches to student support, service delivery, and ways of working.
6. Oversees division onboarding by establishing a consistent framework and standards, while designing and coordinating experiences and resources that enable new staff to quickly contribute, connect across the division, and support student success.
7. Establishes standards and frameworks to ensure all division-specific training and development efforts are high-quality, scalable, and aligned across roles and units within Student Success and partnering units.
8. Partners with People Excellence, IT, Academic Innovation, institutional data teams, and vendors to align training priorities, share insights on staff needs, and ensure resources and trainings are practical, timely and relevant.
9. Uses data to identify trends, assess impact of programs/trainings, and provide actionable insights to inform divisional strategic priorities, resource allocation, and continuous improvement of staff capability across the division and partnering units.
10. Establishes and sustains a division-focused network of unit-based training leads and champions to deliver aligned, student success–oriented learning, with clear roles, dotted-line accountability, shared goals, and
11. structured coordination.
12. Promotes AI literacy and responsible use practices, utilizing university developed resources and guidance while creating unit-/role-specific use cases, pilot opportunities, and applied learning experiences, so staff can effectively incorporate AI-enabled tools, as appropriate, in their work.
13. Represents Student Success in cross-functional/institutional conversations related to staff development, workforce readiness and learning innovation, ensuring division needs and perspectives inform broader efforts.
14. Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in instructional design, leadership and management, industrial and organizational psychology, educational technology, human resources, or a related field.
• Master's degree +5 years of progressively responsible experience in higher education, leadership and management, industrial and organizational psychology, educational technology, human resources, or a related field may be substituted.
• Seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in higher education, leadership and management, industrial and organizational psychology, educational technology, human resources, or a related field.
• This position may require the ability to maintain the security and integrity of UT San Antonio and its infrastructure per Texas EO-GA-48.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's Degree in higher education, instructional design, leadership and management, industrial and organizational psychology, educational technology, human resources, or a related field.
• Experience leading division- or institution-wide professional learning initiatives, including communities of practice, onboarding programs, or leadership development pathways.
• Experience with digital transformation or AI-enabled technology initiatives in higher education or related settings.
• Knowledge of adult learning principles, leadership development frameworks, and human-centered or strengths-based approaches to staff development.
• Experience developing scalable, asynchronous training materials, online learning resources, or toolkits.
• Ability to analyze and interpret assessment data to evaluate training effectiveness and inform continuous improvement.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Leadership
• Verbal and Written Communication
• Analytical and Strategic Thinking
• Collaboration
• Interpersonal Skills
• Relationship Building Skills
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Project Management
• Organization
• Prioritization
• Execution
• Facilitation
• Technology Adoption

Working Conditions

• Office environment. Ability to travel to and from meetings, training sessions, or other business-related events. Workdays, areas, and work hours may vary depending on the department's needs.

Physical Demands

• Jobs are sedentary; if walking and standing are required, only occasionally. Ability to exert up to 10 pounds of force to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects.

This position will work both on campus and remotely in Texas. Travel and parking expenses are the employee's responsibility.

This position is contingent upon a successful background check. Verification of a valid driver's license and Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) may be completed as applicable. Applicants selected must be able to show proof of eligibility to work in the United States by time of hire.

Equal Employment Opportunity

As an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer, it is the policy of The University of Texas at San Antonio to promote and ensure equal employment opportunity for all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability or genetic information, and veteran status. The University is committed to the Affirmative Action Program in compliance with all government requirements to ensure nondiscrimination.