Florida International University is a Top 50, preeminent public research university with 55,000 students from all 50 states and more than 140 countries, as well as an alumni network of more than 340,000. Located in the global city of Miami, the university offers more than 200 degree programs at the undergraduate, graduate and professional levels, including medicine and law. FIU faculty are leaders in their fields and include National Academy members, Fulbright Scholars and MacArthur Genius Fellows. A Carnegie R1 institution, FIU drives impactful research in environmental resilience, health and technology and innovation. Home to the Wall of Wind and Institute of Environment, FIU stands at the forefront of discovery and innovation. With a focus on student success, economic mobility and community engagement, FIU is redefining what it means to be a public research university.
Director, Center for the Advancement of Teaching
About CAT: The Center for the Advancement of Teaching (cat.fiu.edu) partners with faculty, supports teaching excellence through evidence-based practices and ongoing reflection, and provides programming such as the Foundations of Teaching Pathway, Fundamentals of Online Teaching, workshops on teaching with AI, and the annual Faculty Innovations for Student Success Showcase.
Director, Center for the Advancement of Teaching (CAT)
Florida International University (FIU) invites applications for the position of Director of the Center for the Advancement of Teaching (CAT). This is a non-tenure track, faculty administrator position. The Director will step into a pivotal role in leading CAT’s next phase of growth and innovation at a large and dynamic urban research university
The Director of CAT provides visionary, campus wide leadership to advance FIU’s commitment to holistic, evidence-based teaching excellence and a culture of continuous pedagogical innovation and faculty growth. The Director serves as FIU’s principal advocate for instructional excellence. Reporting to senior academic leadership, the Director stewards CAT’s strategic direction, operations, assessment, and partnerships, working collaboratively with colleges, academic technology units, assessment teams, and student-success partners. This role represents CAT within senior university leadership, builds strong alliances with the Provost’s Office and academic deans, and elevates FIU’s national and international reputation through professional engagement and innovation in teaching and learning.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead the development and execution of CAT’s strategic plan in alignment with FIU’s academic mission and teaching excellence goals.
- Serve as a senior campus advocate for learner-centered pedagogy, instructional innovation, and the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL).
- Act as a strategic partner and primary designee to the Senior Director for Teaching and Learning Success to advance university-wide initiatives.
- Engage actively in national and international professional networks (e.g., POD Network), benchmarking FIU’s work and elevating its reputation.
- Establish meaningful metrics and evaluation frameworks to assess program impact and guide data- informed decision-making.
- Supervise and mentor CAT leadership staff, fostering a collaborative, high-performing, and in person professional culture.
- Oversee and expand high-impact faculty development programs, including workshops, learning communities, retreats, and certificate programs.
- Collaborate closely with the Director of AI Integration and Faculty Success to embed an AI-first approach across professional development offerings.
- Advance learner-centered, inclusive, and evidence-based teaching practices across disciplines and faculty career stages.
- Support faculty research and dissemination in SoTL, including conference presentations and publications.
- Lead programming in emerging areas such as AI-enhanced teaching, hybrid modalities, assessment of learning, student engagement, and asset-based pedagogies.
- Provide executive oversight of CAT’s budget, staffing, space, technology, and daily operations.
- Ensure the effective and high-quality delivery of consultations, course design support, and peer observation programs.
- Partner with institutional units (e.g., Educational Technology Services, FIU Online, Institutional Assessment, Office of Student Success) to align initiatives and maximize resources.
- Represent FIU and CAT in national and international forums, conferences, and scholarly communities.
- Build strong internal alliances with academic leadership, faculty governance, student affairs, and IT partners.
- Promote recognition and celebration of teaching excellence, including institutional awards and public showcases of innovation.
- Lead comprehensive program evaluation efforts tied to teaching practices, student outcomes, and institutional priorities.
- Develop and manage an evidence base for teaching and learning initiatives and contribute to SoTL scholarship.
- Use data to scale and refine programming that supports student success, retention, and digital transformation
- Foster a culture of inquiry, collaboration, and continuous improvement in teaching and learning.
- Serve as a change agent for new teaching paradigms, digital and hybrid innovation, and faculty leadership.
- Mentor faculty and staff in instructional leadership and professional growth grounded in national best practices.
Required Qualifications:
- Master’s Degree in higher education, instructional design, educational leadership, or a related field.
- Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in higher-education faculty development, teaching & learning center leadership, or equivalent roles.
- Demonstrated leadership in instructional innovation and learner-centered teaching.
- Proven success in strategic planning, organizational change, and team leadership.
- Strong collaborative experience in a research-intensive university environment.
- Expertise in adult learning theory, assessment, program evaluation, and data-informed decision- making.
- Excellent communication, facilitation, and relationship-building skills.
- Deep commitment to excellence in teaching and learning for all faculty and student populations.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Advanced degree (Ph.D., Ed.D., or equivalent) in higher education, instructional design, educational leadership, or a related field.
- Experience leading a center for teaching and learning or equivalent at a Research 1 institution.
- Experience with hybrid/online teaching modalities, generative AI in instruction, digital pedagogy, and scalable faculty development across modalities.
- Record of scholarship or dissemination in the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL).
- Experience managing academic budgets, overseeing staff and vendors, and working with campus-wide academic technology initiatives.
- National/international professional engagement (e.g., with POD) and contribution to the field of educational development.
Working Conditions:
- The role is based at FIU’s Modesto A. Maidique Campus (or as otherwise designated) with periodic travel for professional engagement (conferences, external partnerships).
- Evening or weekend programming may be required on occasion.
- The role requires interaction across multiple units, and the ability to manage competing priorities in a dynamic higher-education setting.
Application Instructions:
Qualified candidates are encouraged to apply to Job Opening ID 536777 at careers.fiu.edu. Applicants should submit a cover letter addressing how their leadership will advance teaching excellence and faculty development, a curriculum vitae (including leadership accomplishments and relevant publications), and contact information for three professional references. Review of applications will begin March 11th, 2026, and continue until the position is filled.
Applicants are encouraged to review Florida International University’s immigration and visa requirements, if applicable, prior to applying: https://hr.fiu.edu/employees-affiliates/working-at-fiu/immigration-process.
