Senior Manager, Developer- WGU Labs

If you're passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country-and you're committed to working hard to play your part in building that future-consider WGU as the next step in your career.

Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.

The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs.

At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is:

The Senior Manager, Design & Development provides technical, strategic and operational leadership in the design, development, and rapid iteration of innovative, AI-powered learning experiences and systems. This role supports the Director of Learning Innovation by ensuring alignment with strategic goals, driving innovation, and fostering a collaborative and high-performing team culture. The Senior Manager leads a multidisciplinary team of designers and engineers, blending cutting-edge learning science with emerging AI technologies to create transformative educational products and systems.

The successful candidate thrives in fast-paced environments, excels in AI-focused engineering and iterative design processes, is well-versed in technological and learning systems integrations, and has a proven ability to push boundaries in learning experience design. They also act as a key ambassador for the organization, representing its innovative vision at professional conferences, client engagements, and marketing initiatives.

Position Summary

The Senior Manager, Design & Development oversees a dynamic team of learning experience designers (LXDs) and engineers, mentoring them to leverage learning science and AI technologies in rapid, user-centered design processes. This position collaborates with research, engineering, and product teams to conceptualize, prototype, and deliver scalable educational innovations.

Responsibilities

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership:

• Support the Director of Learning Innovation by aligning team efforts with strategic priorities, providing operational insights, and driving innovation.

• Lead a high-performing team to rapidly prototype and iterate AI-powered learning solutions.

• Translate complex technological opportunities into actionable design and development strategies.

Technical and Team Leadership

• Mentor a multidisciplinary team with expertise in AI, engineering, and learning design.

• Foster technical excellence by introducing best practices in AI model development, deployment, and integration into educational systems.

• Cultivate a high-performing, collaborative team culture through professional development and technical mentorship.

Design and Development Excellence:

• Promote a bias toward action, rapid iteration, and a user-centered design philosophy.

• Collaborate across research, engineering, and product teams to integrate AI technologies and learning science into scalable solutions.

• Establish processes for testing and refining solutions based on user feedback and data.

Business Development and Outreach:

• Partner with internal teams to scope and pitch new opportunities, craft compelling proposals, and develop partnerships.

• Partner with internal and external stakeholders to pitch AI-driven initiatives and develop funding opportunities.

• Act as an ambassador for the organization at conferences, product demos, and professional engagements.

Innovation and Thought Leadership:

• Stay at the forefront of AI, machine learning, learning science, and design trends to inspire innovative approaches.

• Contribute to thought leadership by sharing insights through professional channels.

Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Expertise in AI/ML frameworks (e. g. , TensorFlow, PyTorch) and cloud computing platforms (e. g. , AWS, Azure, GCP).

• Familiarity with human-computer interaction (HCI) and user-centered design methodologies.

• Strong programming skills in Python, R, or similar languages.

• Experience integrating AI models into live production environments.

• Exceptional ability to communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences.

• Comfort with ambiguity, rapid iteration, and agile development processes.

• Collaborative spirit, with the ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams.

• Commitment to data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement.

Education

• Bachelor's degree (Generally, equivalent relevant experience is defined as 1 year of experience for 1 year of education)

• Preferred specialization in Computer Science, AI, Learning Science, or a related field

Experience

• 5 + years of experience leading AI/ML-driven design and product design teams OR Master's degree and 3 years of experience leading product design teams.

• 4 + years of experience overseeing agile development teams for educational technologies.

• Strong portfolio demonstrating AI-powered learning product innovation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree or higher in applied learning science or a related field.

#LI-AW2

Position & Application Details

How to Apply: If interested, an applic.