Director of Alternative Teacher Preparation Programs at University System of Maryland Office

Description

Best consideration date for applications: March 6, 2026

PURPOSE OF POSITION:

The Director of Alternative Teacher Preparation Programs provides strategic, academic, and operational leadership for the University System of Maryland’s consortium-based alternative teacher licensure programs. The Director is responsible for program design, regulatory compliance, instructional quality, partnership management, fiscal oversight, data reporting, and continuous improvement across all alternative certification pathways. The Director leads cross-institutional collaboration among USM institutions, local education agencies (LEAs), and state partners and serves as the primary point of accountability for program integrity, scale, and sustainability.

This is a one-year contractual position with the potential for renewal.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Program Strategy & Licensure Pathway Leadership:

• Monitors the national alternative teacher licensure and educator preparation landscape to identify emerging trends, policy developments, and innovative models.
• Coordinates with national partners, professional organizations, and peer systems to inform program design, strategic planning, and continuous improvement.
• Leads the strategy, design, implementation, prioritization, and continuous improvement of competency-based, job-embedded licensure pathways aligned with state and local workforce needs.
• Works directly with MSDE and Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to identify high-need licensure areas and prioritize the development of new alternative licensure programs.
• Ensures full compliance with Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), MHEC, CAEP, COMAR, and other applicable educator preparation and licensure requirements.

Online Program Design, Delivery, & Infrastructure:

• Leads collaboration with instructional designers, consultants, subject-matter experts, and consortium members to develop, revise, and scale fully online, asynchronous licensure programming.
• Ensures curriculum, assessments, and learning experiences are intentionally designed for asynchronous delivery and adult learners.
• Coordinates closely with Canvas, the Maryland Computing Center for Education, and other IT partners to manage the technical infrastructure supporting online programming, including learning management system configuration, integrations, credentials, e-commerce, accessibility, and quality assurance for online delivery.

Instructional Coaching Supervision and Support:

• Oversees and continuously improves the instructional coaching model supporting teacher candidates.
• Provides direct supervision and ongoing support to the Instructional Coaches to ensure consistent, high-quality coaching practices across the program.
• Works with consultants and consortium partners to design, administer, and evaluate instructional coach onboarding, training, professional development, and performance review processes.
• Administers required training sessions and communities of practice and ensures instructional coaches receive ongoing guidance, feedback, and professional support aligned with program expectations and adult learning best practices.

Candidate Registration and Onboarding Oversight:

• Oversees all candidate registration, application, review, and approval processes for alternative licensure programs.
• Ensures application workflows align with MSDE requirements, LEA verification and approval processes, tuition or direct-pay arrangements, and required data collection protocols.
• Coordinates with consortium institutions, Canvas systems, and administrative partners to ensure timely candidate onboarding, eligibility verification, and access to fully online, asynchronous programming.

Partnerships & Contract Management:

• Coordinates consortium participation across USM institutions, consultants, and external partners to ensure program coherence, accountability, and sustainability.
• Leads the development, negotiation, and management of contracts and memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with Local Education Agencies and consortium partners.
• Ensures clear articulation of roles, responsibilities, financial arrangements, data-sharing expectations, and licensure-related obligations.

ANNUAL SALARY:

$115,000-$135,000

Requirements

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Required Education Level/Certifications:

Master's degree in Education, Curriculum & Instruction, Educational Leadership, Higher Education Administration, Instructional Design, or a closely related field.

Required Experience:

• 7 years of progressive experience in educator preparation, teacher licensure, academic program leadership, or related field.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex, multi-partner education initiatives.
• Experience working with state education agencies, accreditation bodies, or regulatory frameworks.

Required Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Knowledge of educator licensure requirements, state policy frameworks, and accreditation standards (e.g., MSDE, COMAR, CAEP).
• Skill in program design, strategic planning, and continuous improvement for licensure or educator preparation pathways.
• Ability to interpret and ensure compliance with complex regulations and state licensure requirements.
• Knowledge of online instructional design principles, asynchronous learning models, and adult learning theory.
• Skill in managing online program infrastructure, including LMS configuration, integrations, and accessibility requirements.
• Skill in supervising and developing professional staff, including instructional coaches or similar roles.
• Ability to build and maintain effective partnerships with school districts, state agencies, and higher education institutions.
• Skill in coordinating complex administrative processes, such as admissions, onboarding, verification, or data workflows.
• Skill in project management, including managing multi-stakeholder timelines, deliverables, and cross‑organizational collaboration.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to convey technical, policy, and compliance information clearly to diverse audiences.
• Ability to analyze data, manage budgets, and drive continuous improvement.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Preferred Education Level/Certifications:

Advanced degree in Education, Curriculum & Instruction, Educational Leadership, Higher Education Administration, Instructional Design, or a closely related field.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience leading alternative teacher preparation or residency-style programs.
• Experience with edTPA preparation and portfolio-based licensure assessments.
• Experience securing and managing grant-funded education initiative
• Experience scaling programs across multiple institutions or districts.

Preferred Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Demonstrated success in equity-centered, workforce-aligned program design.
• Skill in competency-based program design or job‑embedded teacher preparation models.
• Skill in negotiating contracts, MOUs, or partnership agreements.
• Working knowledge of learning management systems (LMS) such as Canvas, including configuration, integrations, or credentialing workflows.

Benefits

• Paid Leave: 22 days of annual leave, 15 days of sick & safe leave, 16-17 holidays, 3 personal leave days, 12 weeks paid parental leave.
• Health Benefits: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Retirement Plans: Supplemental options with major providers like Fidelity and TIAA.
• Life Insurance: Optional term life and AD&D benefits through MetLife.
• Tuition Benefits: Tuition remission for employees and their families.
• Training & Development: Free professional development conferences and unlimited LinkedIn Learning access.
• Credit Union Access: Membership eligibility for SECU, Maryland’s largest credit union.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Free counseling, legal, financial, and work-life support services.

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