Executive Director, AP Instructional Design

Executive Director, AP Instructional Design    

College Board - A &I 

Location: This is a fully remote role. Candidates who live near CB offices have the option of being fully remote or hybrid (Tuesday and Wednesday in office).  

Type: This is a full-time position 

About the Team  

The College Board’s Advanced Placement and Instruction division (260 staff) develops and administers coursework taken by more than 3 million students worldwide each school year, and the related subject-matter exams utilized by more than 4,000 colleges and universities for course placement and awarding of college credit. These include credit and placement examination programs like CLEP and ACCUplacer; Advanced Placement (AP) and Pre-AP courses in 40+ disciplines; and associated teacher professional learning programs.  

The Advanced Placement Program is the largest offering in the division’s portfolio, and has six departments: Curriculum and Assessment, which develops the course frameworks, designs the exams, and guides the grading and scoring process; Delivery, which manages the annual cycle of transactions with schools – from student registration to exam administration, scoring, and score reporting; Access, which focuses on expanding availability of AP and Pre-AP courses, participation among traditionally underserved students, and supporting teachers; Strategy, which measures and evaluates the program’s components, identifies and evaluates program opportunities and threats, and leads the development and implementation of strategic initiatives; Digital, which leads product development of the Bluebook digital assessment platform, manages the implementation of digital testing for AP Exams, and provides instructional resources via AP Classroom; and Instructional Design, a new department charged with developing and implementing a curricular research and design phase to proceed all major content development projects, including: any possible new AP course; any significant revision to existing AP courses; major changes to student assessments, such as replacing part of the summative exam with through-course tasks or projects; and new teacher resources. 

About the Opportunity   

As Executive Director, you will lead the curricular research and instructional design phases for a portfolio of projects within the department. To this end, you will work closely with cross-functional teams and manage the project lifecycle from inception through the development and delivery of precise project requirements, product roadmaps and launch plans. You will lead the curricular research, prototyping, and content development for new and existing AP courses, focusing on relevance, engagement, and alignment with college credit standards. To do this, you will assemble and manage flexible teams throughout the project phases, ensuring seamless transitions and collaboration across departments. Your leadership will drive the innovation and quality of instructional content, directly impacting the educational experience of millions of students globally. 

In this role, you will develop and lead approaches such as, but not limited to, the following: 

• Lead the instructional design process by guiding the work of curriculum analysts, instructional designers, and subject matter experts to develop and refine instructional content and resources across various AP courses. 

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Curriculum and Assessment, Learning Engineering, Access, and Strategy departments, ensuring the successful integration and execution of instructional design projects. 

• Drive innovation in instructional content by exploring new pedagogical approaches, integrating technology, and ensuring that AP courses remain relevant and engaging to a diverse student population. 

• Oversee successful delivery for the instructional design team, ensuring that timelines, resources, and deliverables are met efficiently and effectively. 

• Ensure quality and alignment by reviewing and refining instructional content to meet the standards required for college credit and student success. 

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Specific Responsibilities include:  

Curricular Research and Analysis  (20 %) 

• Guide the work of curriculum analysts in evaluating higher education content scope and standards, secondary education state standards, and other considerations essential to defining options for AP course curricula and assessments. 

• Develop a summary of the leading options for new content, delineating which objectives each option best serves. 

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure the analysis informs the design and development phases effectively. 

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Prototyping, Testing, and Developing Requirements for New Content  (40%) 

• Lead the development of prototypes for various components of new AP courses or resources, such as project-based tasks, instructional approaches, or teacher training materials. 

• Oversee testing and feedback collection to refine prototypes, in partnership with the Learning Engineering department. 

• Develop a set of high-level specifications or requirements for new content and facilitate approval from relevant departments to move forward with development. 

Planning and Project Management  (10 %) 

• Guide the Project Management Office through the collaboration process across all AP departments to develop a high-level project plan for new content development and launch. 

• Establish and manage project governance to ensure visibility, collaboration, and readiness across all teams involved in the project. 

• Manage and deploy resources, including staff allocations, appropriately for evolving project demands through the research and design phases. 

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Reviewing and Approving New Content (10 %) 

• Review new content to confirm fulfillment of content requirements and alignment with curricular standards. 

• Partner with the Curriculum and Assessment department to approve any refinements or changes needed during development or piloting processes. 

Leadership, Team Management, Public Representation, and Field Work (20 %) 

• Manage a high-performing team of curricular analysts, instructional designers, and subject matter experts, providing guidance, support, and performance feedback. 

• Represent the AP Program in presentations to stakeholders, including educators, administrators, and policymakers, particularly at conferences and events focused on curriculum and instruction.

• Partner with other AP departments to observe classrooms and gather insights from field implementations.  

About You  

You are a visionary leader with a deep passion for instructional design and curriculum development, but you also thrive on the complexity and strategic thinking required to manage and execute large-scale projects. You’re someone who sees the big picture but doesn’t shy away from getting into the details to ensure that every aspect of a project aligns with the broader goals. Your experience spans various disciplines, and you have a unique ability to synthesize input from diverse stakeholders, making nuanced decisions that balance pedagogical ideals with practical implementation. You’re not afraid to challenge the status quo and have a natural curiosity that drives you to explore new content areas and innovative instructional approaches. You excel in managing teams, fostering a collaborative environment where every voice is heard, and leading your staff toward shared goals with clear expectations. 

You are detail-oriented, capable of managing multiple priorities, and committed to continuous improvement. Collaboration is at the heart of your approach, and you build strong relationships with colleagues across departments to achieve shared goals. You thrive in a fast-paced environment and are driven by a desire to make a meaningful impact on students’ educational experiences. 

You have: 

• 10+ years of experience in academic strategy, instructional design or curriculum development, with at least 5 years in a leadership role managing cross-functional teams. 

• A strong strategic mindset, able to connect the dots between different areas of work and lead the development of new instructional models that push the boundaries of traditional practice. 

• Exceptional project management skills, with a track record of delivering complex projects on time and within scope, while maintaining high standards of quality and innovation. 

• A deep understanding of instructional design principles across multiple disciplines, with the ability to apply this knowledge to create relevant, engaging content that meets college-level expectations. 

• Critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, enabling you to navigate challenges and propose solutions that balance competing priorities. 

• Outstanding communication skills, capable of conveying complex ideas to a range of audiences, from senior leadership to project teams and external stakeholders. 

• A passion for innovation, always seeking out new opportunities to enhance the educational experience for students and teachers alike. 

• Experience working in and managing staff in a matrixed team environment, comfortable with guiding and assembling flexible teams to meet project needs. 

• An eye for detail and quality, ensuring that all instructional materials meet the required standards for college credit, advanced placement, and student success. 

• Ability to travel (15-20%) 

• Authorized to work in the United States 

About Our Process   

• Application review will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled   

• While the hiring process may vary, it generally includes: resume and application submission, recruiter phone/video screen, hiring manager interview, performance exercise such as live coding, a panel interview, a conversation with leadership and reference checks.  

About Our Benefits and Compensation 

College Board offers a competitive benefits and compensation program that attracts top talent looking to make a difference in education. As a self-sustaining non-profit, we believe in compensating employees equitably in relation to each other, their qualifications, their impact, and the relevant market.  

The hiring range for a new employee in this position is $144,000 to $210,000. College Board differentiates salaries by location so where you live will narrow the portion of this range in which you can expect a salary.  

Your salary will be carefully determined based on your location, relevant experience, the external labor market, and the pay of College Board employees in similar roles. College Board strives to provide our best offer up front based on this criteria.  

Your salary is only one part of all that College Board offers, including but not limited to:    

• A comprehensive package designed to support the well-being of employees and their families and promote education. Our robust benefits package includes health, dental, and vision insurance, generous paid time off, paid parental leave, fertility benefits, pet insurance, tuition assistance, retirement benefits, and more 

• Recognition of exceptional performance through annual bonuses, salary growth over time through market increases, and opportunities for merit raises and promotions based on increased scope of responsibility 

• A job that matters, a team that cares, and a place to learn, innovate and thrive 

You can expect to have transparent conversations about benefits and compensation with our recruiters throughout your application process. 

About Our Culture  

Our community matters, and we strive to practice and improve our culture daily. Here are some headlines:  

• We are motivated to positively impact the educational and career trajectories of millions of students a year  

• We prioritize building a diverse and inclusive team where every employee can thrive, and every voice is heard 

• We are a dynamic hybrid team, giving staff members the choice to either be fully remote or hybrid if they live close to a College Board office. Hybrid employees go into offices every Tuesday and Wednesday 

• We welcome staff to join any or all six of our affinity groups: ARISE (Alliance for Asian Retention, Inclusion, Success, and Engagement; DIASPORA (Alliance for Pan-African Success and Achievement); Pride (alliance for LGBTQ+ staff and allies); Resilience (alliance for Native staff and advocates); SALSA (Staff Alliance for Latinx Success and Achievement); and WIN (Women’s Impact Network) 

• We value learning and growth; we offer formal and informal ways to lead through your superpowers, sharpen your strengths, and meet your development goals 

• We know that our impact is strongest together. Our College Board Cares program offers all staff up to $1,000 annual match against partner non-profit organizations   

• We offer a transparent approach to promotions and merit raises, annual performance-based bonuses, and how to grow your career here over time 

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