Position Summary:
The Senior Program Developer (SPD) leads the design of competency-based higher education programs by mapping program outcomes, domains, and competencies at the earliest stage of development. This role ensures alignment between institutional mission, accreditation requirements, labor market needs, and learner pathways. The SPD is a systems thinker who creates the blueprint that guides Instructional Content Designers, Learning Experience Designers, and Assessment Developers. By focusing on clarity, coherence, and alignment, the SPD provides the foundation for effective curriculum, assessment, and learning experience design.
Role and Responsibilities:
- Translate institutional goals, accreditation standards, and industry needs into program-level outcomes and competencies.
- Lead KSAB (knowledge, skills, abilities, behaviors) gathering with SMEs (subject matter experts), employer advisory boards, and faculty.
- Design competency hierarchies (program outcomes, domains, competencies, sub-competencies, performance indicators) per program.
- Ensure competency statements are clear, measurable, inclusive, and learner-centered.
- Document program blueprints that guide downstream design and development teams.
- Apply backward design principles at the program level to ensure evidence and instruction flow logically from outcomes.
- Facilitate stakeholder sessions with subject matter experts to validate competencies against employer needs, labor market data, faculty input, and learner expectations.
- Anticipate downstream design and delivery challenges to ensure competencies translate into effective assessments and curriculum.
- Maintain the integrity of the program blueprint through development, accreditation, and review cycles.
- Provide thought leadership in competency-based education (CBE) and assessment and advocate for inclusive, equitable program structures.
Qualifications and Education Requirements:
- Expertise in competency framework development and program-level backward design.
- Strong facilitation and systems-thinking skills.
- Ability to synthesize labor market data, accreditation requirements, and educational standards.
- Excellent communication and documentation skills to ensure clarity across teams.
- Familiarity with CBE, credit hour/RSI (regular and substantive interaction) regulations, and curriculum governance structures.