Associate Director of Learning Innovation Research

Associate Director Of Learning Innovation Research

The Center for Academic Innovation (CAI) at the University of Michigan is seeking a qualified Associate Director of Learning Innovation Research to lead the strategic direction, coordination, and execution of product and user experience research across the Michigan Online portfolio. In this role, reporting to the Director of Content and Product Strategy, you will oversee the online learning product and user experience (UX) research function, ensuring that research efforts are aligned with organizational priorities and directly inform decision-making across platform strategy, learning experience design, content development, operations, and emerging product innovation.

You will partner closely with Data, Business Intelligence, Marketing and Market Strategy, and cross functional Online Learning teams to integrate qualitative and quantitative insights, enabling a holistic understanding of the end-to-end learner journey. You will supervise a team of researchers, establish research priorities and workflows, and ensure that research outputs are actionable, timely, and aligned with CAI’s strategic goals.

Responsibilities include:

• Define and lead the online learning research strategy and roadmap for Michigan Online, proactively identifying research opportunities and aligning priorities with organizational goals
• Lead the team's translation of product and user experience (UX) research findings into actionable recommendations that inform product direction, learning design, media design, operational improvements, user experience design, and content strategy
• Guide research approaches related to emerging areas, including AI-enabled learning design and new online learning product models
• Define and oversee user- and learner-centered research sampling strategies and participant incentive structures to ensure insights are representative of Michigan Online's global learner population
• Serve as institutional contact liaison for research conducted in partnership with internal and external entities
• Establish and oversee research operations, governance, and methodological standards, ensuring compliance with IRB requirements, FERPA, ethical research practices, and institutional policies
• Partner with Data and Business Intelligence (DBI) to align qualitative research insights with quantitative analytics, enabling integrated analysis of learner behavior and experience
• Develop feedback loops and shared roadmaps with DBI to support triangulation of data and deeper learner insights
• Collaborate with Marketing and Market Strategy, Business Intelligence, Operations, Program Management, and other cross-functional teams to integrate learner, market, and organizational insights into strategic planning, product development, and portfolio decisions
• Lead research initiatives that evaluate online learner experiences, outcomes, and long-term impact across diverse learner populations, leveraging qualitative and quantitative methods to generate actionable insights
• Assess emerging opportunities, market trends, competitive landscapes, and innovations in online learning to inform learning product strategy, learner experience design, and portfolio growth
• Translate research findings into clear, evidence-based recommendations that support decisions related to product direction, program effectiveness, learner success, operational models, and organizational priorities
• Establish mechanisms for sharing and applying research insights across CAI, ensuring that research consistently informs decision-making and continuous improvement throughout the Michigan Online portfolio
• Supervise and develop a team of researchers, providing clear direction, mentorship, and performance management
• Align team capacity and skillsets with organizational research priorities
• Ensure high-quality research outputs and timely delivery across multiple concurrent work streams
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and strategically aligned research culture
• Serve as a key decision-maker for research prioritization, approach, and execution, escalating only high-risk or institutionally sensitive matters

Required qualifications include:

• Master’s…