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Director Academic Innovation Jobs (NOW HIRING)

UATX

Director of Innovation

Austin, TX · On-site

... Polaris, academic programs, major projects, partnerships, fundraising, and future labs and ... The Director of Innovation should be able to move comfortably between long-range planning ...

UATX

Director of Innovation

Austin, TX · On-site

... Polaris, academic programs, major projects, partnerships, fundraising, and future labs and ... The Director of Innovation should be able to move comfortably between long-range planning ...

UATX

Director of Innovation

Austin, TX · On-site

... Polaris, academic programs, major projects, partnerships, fundraising, and future labs and ... The Director of Innovation should be able to move comfortably between long-range planning ...

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Director Academic Innovation information

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$142K

How much do director academic innovation jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 11, 2026, the average yearly pay for director academic innovation in the United States is $86,087.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $63,000.00 and $102,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a director of academic innovation do?

A Director of Academic Innovation leads efforts to improve and modernize educational programs within an institution. They identify emerging trends, integrate new technologies, and develop strategies to enhance teaching, learning, and student engagement. This role often involves collaborating with faculty, administrators, and external partners to implement creative solutions that support academic excellence and institutional goals. The Director also assesses the impact of innovation initiatives and ensures alignment with the organization’s mission and educational standards.

What is the difference between Director Academic Innovation vs Academic Program Manager?

AspectDirector Academic InnovationAcademic Program Manager
CredentialsMaster's or Doctorate in Education, Instructional Design, or related fieldsBachelor's or Master's in Education, Administration, or related fields
Work EnvironmentStrategic leadership in academic settings, focusing on innovation initiativesOperational management of academic programs, overseeing daily activities
Employer & Industry UsageUniversities, colleges, educational technology companiesEducational institutions, program development offices
Search & Comparison IntentUnderstanding strategic roles in academic innovationManaging academic programs and initiatives

The Director Academic Innovation typically focuses on leading strategic initiatives to enhance teaching and learning through innovative methods, often requiring advanced degrees and strategic skills. In contrast, the Academic Program Manager handles the day-to-day management of academic programs, ensuring their smooth operation. Both roles are vital in educational settings but differ mainly in scope, responsibilities, and focus areas.

How does a director of academic innovation typically collaborate with faculty and administrative staff to implement new educational initiatives?

A Director of Academic Innovation works closely with faculty, department heads, and administrative teams to identify opportunities for curricular improvement and to pilot new teaching technologies or instructional models. This collaboration often involves organizing workshops, gathering feedback on proposed changes, and supporting faculty through the adoption process. The director also coordinates with IT and assessment teams to ensure new initiatives are feasible and impactful, fostering a culture of open communication and continuous improvement across the institution.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a director of academic innovation, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Director of Academic Innovation, you need expertise in curriculum development, educational technology, and a background in higher education leadership, often supported by an advanced degree. Familiarity with learning management systems (LMS), instructional design tools, and data analytics platforms is typically required. Strong leadership, creative problem-solving, and effective communication skills help drive change and foster collaboration among faculty and stakeholders. These skills are essential for successfully implementing innovative practices that enhance student learning and institutional outcomes.
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Director Academic Innovation jobs near you
Infographic showing various Director Academic Innovation job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 84% Full Time, 13% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 91% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 5% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $86,087 per year, or $41.4 per hour.

Sr. Director, Academic Programs (Center for Talented Youth)

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 4 days ago

Johns Hopkins University rating

8.0

Company rating: 8.0 out of 10

Based on 71 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

186th of 617 rated colleges and universities

Job description

We are seeking a Sr. Director, Academic Programs for the Center for Talented Youth.Founded in 1979, the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) is a center for innovation dedicated to advancing the field of gifted education through research on testing, programs, and other supports for advanced learners. On the premise that advanced learners come from every community and every demographic, we aim to understand and inform how these students need to be nurtured to achieve their full potential as learners and global citizens. CTY's programming for bright young scholars cultivates a global community of advanced learners and connects students in and out of the classroom.
Overview
The Senior Director, Academic Programs provides strategic leadership and operational excellence for CTY's core academic offerings: day, residential, asynchronous online, and hybrid virtual classrooms for advanced learners in grades 2-12. CTY programs deliver a three-part experience-academic rigor, novel context or approach, and a fun, engaging peer community-and the Senior Director is accountable for advancing that experience across modalities with fidelity to CTY's mission in support of advanced young learners and its strategic plan.
Reporting to CTY's Executive Director and serving on CTY's senior leadership team, this role works at the intersection of academic vision and programmatic execution. We are seeking a strategic thinker who champions innovation and empowers team members but is comfortable being hands-on when needed. The successful candidate will balance long-term planning with the demands of an annual program cycle, drive programmatic innovation (including thoughtful incorporation of educational technologies and AI), and lead organizational change where appropriate to optimize impact and sustainability.
The person in this role will collaborate across Johns Hopkins and represents CTY externally as needed. They will manage approximately 4 direct reports and oversee a team of approximately 25 full-time employees. This role is ultimately responsible for several hundreds of casual/limited employees (including instructors) who work for CTY throughout the year.
Specific Duties & Responsibilities
Academic Innovation
  • Shape and execute a multi-year academic strategy for CTY that advances program quality, accessibility, and competitiveness across day, residential, asynchronous online, and hybrid virtual classroom modalities.
  • Lead curriculum strategy and academic program design, ensuring clarity of learning outcomes, suitability to the unique needs of advanced K-12 students, alignment with CTY's distinct learning experience, and adoption of evidence-based practices.
  • Champion innovation and pedagogy and educational technology; evaluate and implement digital platforms, adaptive tools, and AI-enabled learning features with attention to learning efficacy, equity, and data privacy.
  • Establish a program development pipeline that identifies high-potential new offerings, pilots, prototypes, scales successful models, and sunsets programs that no longer align with strategic or operational priorities.
  • Partner with CTY's Research and Evaluation team to define program-level metrics, oversee evaluation, and use data to inform continuous improvement and strategic decisions.
  • Serve as one of CTY's leading academic voices and thought leaders: present at conferences, represent CTY in cross-institutional academic forums, and cultivate collaborations with internal and external entities.

Operational Excellence and Compliance
  • Own operational delivery of world-class programs across modalities, ensuring consistent student experience standards in academics, student life, staffing, facilities (for residential/day programming), and online operations.
  • Partner with CTY's divisional business officer (DBO) to ensure compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and licensing requirements, including child safety laws, labor laws, camp regulations, etc. This work requires particular attention to issues pertaining to working with minors and to operating programs in which both students and staff live on-site. Collaboration with other CTY and Johns Hopkins stakeholders as well as with site hosts around the country is critical.
  • Lead annual program planning and budgeting in partnership with CTY's Finance and Enrollment teams, collaborating on tuition and pricing strategy to sustain program excellence and access objectives.
  • Ensure robust enrollment management coordination with the Senior Director of Enrollment Management to optimize program/site planning, recruitment, yield, and retention across channels and modalities.
  • Oversee policy development for student and staff conduct; device and technology use; accommodations, health and safety protocols; and crisis response. Partner with relevant units for implementation and compliance. Manage any required policy/training updates on an annual basis. Ensure high standards for student services, including onsite healthcare provisions, social-emotional supports, and accommodations for students with disabilities.
  • Drive continuous improvement processes and operational efficiencies, using evaluation data to prioritize investments and close gaps between design and delivery.
  • Partner with CTY's HR team to define respective roles of HR and program staff in the recruitment, hiring, credentialing, and training systems; oversee execution of program staff responsibilities.
  • Maintain risk-aware program operations, including emergency preparedness and escalation protocols and regular compliance assessments.

Team Leadership
  • Lead, develop, and structure the Academic Programs team to align organization, roles, and capacity with strategic priorities. Ensure clarity of responsibilities and accountability across staffing and program management, curriculum, student life, and operations.
  • Build and sustain a high performing culture that values collaboration, equity, and professional growth. Model inclusive leadership and supervise direct reports with clear expectations and development plans.
  • Partner with CTY and central university HR teams to implement proactive workforce planning for full-time and casual/limited (seasonal) staffing, ensuring appropriate recruitment pipelines, onboarding, training, and performance management practices for a high-volume, seasonal workforce.
  • Lead access and equity initiatives within academic programs for both staff and students; embed goals into hiring curriculum design, and student-facing programming.
  • Serve as executive sponsor for student conduct and other cross-functional committees and collaborate with senior leaders on donor stewardship and advocacy where academic programs intersect with external engagement.
  • Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications
  • Master's Degree in education or related field.
  • 10 years of progressively responsible experience in educational program leadership, with demonstrated team management experience and experience delivering programs.
  • Excellent interpersonal, communication, and stakeholder-management skills; experience collaborating across academic and administrative functions and with external partners.
  • Additional education may substitute for required experience and additional related experience may substitute for required education beyond a high school diploma/graduation equivalent, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience with concepts and best practices related to working with advanced learners.
  • Experience leading academic affairs or program operations in higher education, out-of-school programs, pre-college programs, or comparable K-12 enrichment organizations.
  • Experience delivering K-12 or pre-college programs across multiple modalities.
  • Demonstrated success in strategic program design, curriculum development, and implementing learning technologies, including AI-informed tools.
  • Track record of leading organizational change.
  • Strong financial and budget management skills; experience working with enrollment management and marketing teams.
  • Experience managing high-volume seasonal staffing and operating residential programs is highly desirable.

Classified Title: Director Division of Academic Programs
Job Posting Title (Working Title): Sr. Director, Academic Programs (Center for Talented Youth)
Role/Level/Range: L/05/LG
Starting Salary Range: $111,800 - $195,900 Annually ($160,000-$170,000 targeted; commensurate w/exp)
Employee group: Full Time
Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:30am - 5:00pm
FLSA Status: Exempt
Location: Hybird/ Mount Washington Campus
Department name: CTY Academic Programs
Personnel area: Academic and Business Centers

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About Johns Hopkins University

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Gilman believed that teaching and research go hand in hand—that success in one depends on success in the other—and that a modern university must do both well. He also believed that sharing our knowledge and discoveries would help make the world a better place. In 145 years, we haven’t strayed from that vision. This is still a destination for excellent, ambitious scholars and a world leader in teaching and research. Distinguished professors mentor students in the arts and music, humanities, social and natural sciences, engineering, international studies, education, business, and the health professions. Those same faculty members, along with their colleagues at the university’s Applied Physics Laboratory, have made us the nation’s leader in federal research and development funding every year since 1979. That’s a fitting distinction for America’s first research university, a place that has revolutionized higher education in the U.S. and continues to bring knowledge and discoveries to the world.

Industry

Colleges, universities, and professional schools

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Baltimore, MD, US

Year founded

1876

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