About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

Job Summary

The Senior Learning Systems Administrator (SLSA) works within established system processes to meet strategic technology needs for the University’s Learning Management System (LMS). The SLSA works closely with IT colleagues to ensure that learning systems integrate with other essential campus services and technologies from both a technical and policy perspective. The SLSA effectively identifies and manages projects independently and develops systems to optimize project processes.

The SLSA serves as a leader within the team; mentors and shares expertise with others, motivating and encouraging teammates.  They assist teammates with projects to ensure all issues are resolved and project deadlines are met. The SLSA enhances the learning technologies within the organization by bringing innovation and logic to each project.

Essential Functions

• Manages learning ecosystem functions including user roles, system configurations/ monitoring, data management and reporting.
• Manages projects related to LMS enhancements and pilots.
• Collaborates with IT to ensure the LMS systems integrate with other essential campus services and technologies both from a technical and policy perspective.
• Extracts, loads, models, and reconciles data across multiple system platforms and sources in the interest of analyzing and reporting on the success of the learning deliverables.
• Identifies, defines, and coordinates with other departments as part of ongoing efforts to discover and correlate learning metrics with organizational performance goals.
• Analyzes data to determine operational impacts and needed actions; elevates issues, identifies trends, areas for improvement and opportunities; bringing them to management’s attention and/or addressing as appropriate.
• Creates and maintains reporting and dashboards for users, ensuring accuracy and relevance.
• Researches and proposes improvements to current processes, new features, integrations, and applications.
• Actively monitors industry trends to support the configuration, testing, and implementation of tools and functionalities that enhance learning systems.
• Ensures all system documentation is up to date by conducting periodic reviews and updating as necessary.
• Develops test plans, executes, and evaluates effectiveness to deploy enhancements and conduct recurring audits of system functionality.
• Maintains and regularly updates the user interfaces of learning systems using HTML, CSS, etc.
• Interfaces with vendors and technology providers to configure, test, implement and support tools and functionalities to enhance learning technologies.
• Creates, tracks, and resolves support requests with vendor.
• Assists in identifying system inefficiencies and developing solutions to support continuous improvement of the learning ecosystem.
• Liaises with IT and other departments to conduct risk analysis, reviews, and testing.
• Maintains user roles and permissions with all needed documentation and processes.
• Trains and mentors junior administrators on report creation techniques, applications integrations, other needs that arise.
• Supervises three (3) staff members.
• Identifies opportunities for automation and uses of system functionality.
• Operates as change manager for system changes.

Other Functions

• Performs related duties as assigned or required to meet Department, Executive Area/Division, and University goals and objectives.
• Contributes toward creating a positive and respectful workplace defined by personal and professional competence, integrity, and collaboration.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Bachelor’s Degree.
• Ten (10) years’ experience as an LMS Administrator, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Expert level LMS administration with a minimum of five (5) years of experience.
• Experience with analytics tools such as Qualtrics or Power BI.
• Problem solver with attention to detail, positive attitude, ability to multi-task who is self-motivated.
• Possess a combination of technical knowledge and demonstrated proficiency with analytics, testing, web-development, and responsive design.
• Critical thinker who is adept at reading and interpretation, writing, and communicating.
• Supports a culture of continuous improvement in which performance is habitually measured against goals.
• Understanding of Agile project management.
• Ability to manage and prioritize projects and time, and to work with the team or independently.
• Ability to elevate and effectively resolve issues.
• Experience with supervising, evaluating and managing staff.

Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Master's Degree from an accredited institution in Computer Science/Instructional Technology or related field.
• Canvas and/or Moodle LMS experience.
• Two (2) years' experience with project management.
• Two (2) years' experience with scripting in a query language, e.g, SQL or Python and database management.

Work Schedule

• Monday – Friday, 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM.
• Some nights and weekends required.

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

• Typical office environment.

Salary Information

Salary Level 29

Exempt Hiring Ranges

Special Instructions to Applicants

Along with the application, please submit a cover letter, resume or CV, and contact information for three (3) professional references for full consideration. The search will remain open until filled.

UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, caste, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, disability, political belief or affiliation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related condition(s), veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, natural and protective hairstyle and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University.  To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans.  It is the policy of UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.