How to Apply

A cover letter and resume are important submissions for the hiring team to get a sense of your experience. In the cover letter, in two pages or less, please let us know how this role aligns with your career aspirations and skill set. Submit both a cover letter and resume as one file (because of system limitations).

What You’ll Do

The Director of the Educational Technology Accelerator will lead a cross-functional team within the Center for Academic Innovation (CAI) dedicated to translating and integrating emerging educational technologies into the University of Michigan’s learning environments. Reporting to the Chief Technology Officer, the Director will drive an agile and forward-looking approach to technology integration, working closely with CAI teams, faculty innovators, academic units, and external partners. By advancing CAI’s innovation portfolio and U-M’s strategic priorities, the Director will play a critical role in ensuring that CAI remains at the leading edge of educational innovation, empowering learners and expanding lifelong learning opportunities.

Who We Are

About the Center for Academic Innovation

Through curricular innovation, tools for student success and equity, and educational research and analytics, the University of Michigan Center for Academic Innovation is building the future of education. Our vision is a future in which education connects and empowers learners everywhere to reach their full potential throughout their lives. To realize our vision, we make it our mission to collaborate across campus and around the world to create equitable, lifelong educational opportunities for learners everywhere.

About the Educational Technology Accelerator

The Educational Technology Accelerator is a strategic initiative within the University of Michigan’s Center for Academic Innovation. As part of CAI’s mission to create equitable, lifelong educational opportunities for learners everywhere, the Accelerator focuses on translating and integrating emerging technologies into U-M’s learning environments. Working collaboratively with faculty innovators, academic units, and global partners, the Accelerator brings campus-developed and worldwide EdTech innovations into practice, advancing CAI’s vision of a future where education connects and empowers learners to reach their full potential throughout their lives. The Educational Technology Accelerator exists to ensure the University of Michigan remains at the forefront of educational innovation by rapidly integrating transformative technologies that enhance teaching, learning, and engagement. Through agile experimentation, cross-functional collaboration, and a commitment to learner-centered design, the Accelerator advances CAI’s mission to expand access, increase equity, and empower lifelong learning across a global community.

For more information, please visit our website: The Center for Academic Innovation. 

Responsibilities*

• Build and lead the Educational Technology Accelerator team, including hiring, mentoring, and supporting developers, project managers, and creative technologists.
• Shape the vision, roadmap, and operational model of the Accelerator, emphasizing agile experimentation, iteration, and technology integration to drive educational innovation at U-M.
• Identify, evaluate, and prioritize emerging technologies-including generative AI, XR, and adaptive learning systems-with the potential to enhance teaching, learning, and engagement at scale.
• Conduct market scans and targeted technology reviews, systematically assessing educational tools, platforms, and companies for potential adoption, partnership, or co-development opportunities.
• Cultivate strategic partnerships with EdTech companies, peer institutions, and industry collaborators to explore, pilot, and co-create transformative solutions.
• Collaborate with U-M faculty innovators, CAI teams, and campus partners to translate promising ideas into prototypes, pilots, and scalable, learner-centered technologies.
• Advance and evolve enterprise learning technologies, including Atlas, Michigan Online, and other U-M applications, by integrating experimental innovations and emerging technologies.
• Establish success criteria and impact measures for Accelerator initiatives, ensuring projects are effectively scoped, resourced, delivered on time, and evaluated for measurable outcomes.
• Promote a culture of inclusion, accessibility, and learner-centered design across all Accelerator initiatives, ensuring solutions meet the needs of a diverse global community of learners.
• Represent CAI and the Accelerator at public forums, conferences, and strategic meetings, building thought leadership and cultivating external collaborations in the educational technology space.
• Inform the future development of the Michigan Online ecosystem, ensuring that experimental technologies align with broader platform strategies, learning models, and support services.
• Serve as a key member of the CAI Leadership Team, contributing to center-wide strategy development, policy discussions, communications, and organizational initiatives

Required Qualifications*

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., computer science, learning sciences, instructional technology, or related discipline).
• At least 10 years of professional management experience in educational technology, digital product development, academic innovation, or related areas.
• Proven success managing and growing high-performing, cross-functional teams.
• Demonstrated experience building or managing external partnerships, especially in innovation, technology, or higher education sectors.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to work across diverse stakeholder groups-faculty, technologists, academic leaders, and external collaborators.
• Experience navigating uncertainty and ambiguity with an entrepreneurial mindset; comfort iterating quickly and pivoting when needed.
• Understanding of the opportunities and challenges associated with integrating emerging technologies into complex organizations.
• Understanding of how digital learning ecosystems are evolving at research universities, and how platforms like Michigan Online can drive scale and access.

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

Additional Information

The mode of work for this position is Hybrid with a minimum of 4 days in the office per week. The work requirements for this position allow both onsite and offsite work and you will have an expected regular and recurring onsite presence. On occasion, you may be required and must be available to work onsite more frequently if necessitated by our center’s policy and domain leadership or by your job requirements.

Candidates must have legal authorization to work in the United States.

The salary for this position will be based upon the selected candidate’s education and experience.

Excellent benefits are available, for details, see https://hr.umich.edu/benefits-wellness

Salary Information

The general salary range for this position is $140,000 – $160,000. Candidates can expect to be paid a competitive and equitable salary. Factors used to determine salary include education level, experience, knowledge and skills for the position and internal equity within the unit. All candidates are encouraged to discuss salary questions to honor alignment and transparency throughout the recruiting process.

Organizational Statement on Harassment

We believe all individuals deserve to be treated with respect and dignity and have the right to work in a professional atmosphere that promotes mutual respect and a safe space for collaboration. Any concerns shared with Individuals with Reporting Obligations in the Center for Academic Innovation will be reported to the Equity, Civil Rights, & Title IX Office to be reviewed and addressed, and the Center for Academic Innovation encourages reporting of any forms of harassment including sexual and gender-based harassment

Background Screening

The University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks. Background checks will be performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Application Deadline

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. This job may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.

Decision Making Process

Applications will be reviewed as received throughout the posting period and continue until the position is filled.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.