Program Director, Design & Photography

A Program Director of  Design & Photography Area reports to the Senior Director of Education and Content Planning as well as works closely with the Senior Director of Production and the Senior Project Manager of Content Planning.

 email resume to dvargars@lynda.com

A Program Director is successfully able to:

• To create, grow and manage a content area by developing and maintaining exceptional educational content and an author pool.
• To improve academic integrity and pedagogy as driven by the following three factors:

1.     Industry directions and careers; learning objectives and pathways

2.     Tools, Projects, Principles, and Inspiration

3.     Outside Industry Experts/Leaders (Advisory Board)

A “successful” Program Director can perform the following four major roles: administrative, leadership, interpersonal, and resource development.

Administrative roles

·      Fiscal overseer

·      Schedule coordinator for authors & courses & team meetings

·      Report generator

·      Team leader & collaborator

·      Supporter for internal career pathways of team members

Interpersonal roles

·      Counselor

·      Coach

·      Mediator

·      Climate regulator

·      Collaborator

Leadership roles

·      Inspired visionary

·      Internal advocate

·      Internal intermediary

·      External liaison

·      Curriculum leader

·      Role model

Resource development roles

·      Author recruiter

·      Author/Course team mentor

·      Author/Course evaluator

·      Resource warrior

·      Team builder

Key tasks/goals of department chair (channel manager) include but are not limited to the following:

• Grow the Content Area in both viewer ship & content. Increase lynda.com’s overall subscriber base.
• Create & manage entire content area’s educational roadmaps.
• Be accountable for approving the best “A” authors to teach courses.
• Recommend and suggest authors to the acquisitions team members.
• Grow, maintain and retain the best authors in the content area.
• Oversee & approve author’s Course Proposal and Table of Contents.
• Be the keeper of the educational flame of the content area.
• Keep authors in check in terms of quality and meeting lynda.com expectations in the particular content area.
• In the particular content channel, contribute to, and encourage author contributions to blogs and channel/content areas on the site to gain and retain viewership.
• Present monthly and quarterly reports that identify problem areas, successes and future goals.
• Review feedback about authors. If significant negative feedback exists for any given author, alert other Program Directors and the Senior Director of Education for approval/appraisal.
• Create & moderate an “A-list” advisory board of content peers/experts at the top of their professions to guide educational roadmap & review curriculum/play list/author list.
• Earn, grow, and maintain the respect of the specific content area’s industry and the key players. Attend strategic industry conferences, shows, seminars; work with acquisitions to identify key speakers and potential teachers/authors going forward.
• Record key courses, topics, and talks within the range of the Program Director’s expertise if warranted.
• Be the figurehead at Lynda.com for the content area and its related topics.
• Communicate with Lynda.com audience through video blogs, podcasts, and other online communications regarding content area developments, news, and discussion boards.

Prerequisites

1. 5+ years or equivalent experience as software product manager and/or publishing and/or curriculum development.
2. Respected within the content area or proven expertise amongst peers in the industry (Demonstrated success, recognition, and accomplishments in the content area and its industry peers/leaders.)
3. Demonstrated commitment and passion for the content area and education.
4. 5+ years work experience in the industry of proposed content area.
5. Excellent communication skills (evidence of written, oral, and visual presentation skills); ability to work with type “A” personalities/egos.
6. Excellent problem solving skills.
7. Evidence of leadership of teams and/or collaborative experiences and processes.
8. Ability to share, contribute, collaborate, and to work “cross-functionally,” across a diverse range of tasks and areas.