ACU is affiliated with the fellowship of the Church of Christ. This position requires the employee to be a professing Christian and to be willing to support the Christian mission of ACU.

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The Director of Digital Experience and Innovation leads the design, development, and continuous improvement of digital ecosystems that support formation, learning, engagement, onboarding, leadership development, and institutional connection across the ACU Online community.

This role serves as a strategic architect of digital experience environments that advance both the Integrated Employee Flourishing Strategy and the Integrated Spiritual and Vocational Formation Plan. The Director designs scalable and human-centered digital spaces that support employee flourishing, student formation, leadership development, community engagement, and institutional culture across distributed and online environments.

Working collaboratively across divisions, this role transforms fragmented systems, resources, and experiences into integrated digital ecosystems that cultivate clarity, belonging, growth, vocation, and meaningful participation in the life of the institution.

The Director partners closely with leaders responsible for employee development, spiritual and vocational formation, academic programs, student engagement, and organizational culture to ensure that digital environments are not merely operational tools, but formative spaces that shape how people encounter the mission and community of ACU Dallas.

Key Responsibilities:

A. Digital Experience Strategy and Innovation 

• Lead the vision, strategy, and implementation of digital ecosystems that support onboarding, formation, learning, leadership development, engagement, and institutional connection. 
• Design cohesive digital journeys that help employees and students experience clarity, belonging, growth, and mission alignment across key lifecycle moments. 
• Translate institutional priorities into scalable and engaging digital experiences that strengthen flourishing, development, and organizational culture. 
• Identify opportunities to improve institutional experience through digital innovation, systems integration, automation, and experience design. 
• Develop long-term strategies for scaling formation, learning, onboarding, leadership development, and community engagement across distributed and online environments. 
• Serve as a strategic thought partner in reimagining how digital spaces can cultivate meaningful institutional connection and participation. 

B. Institutional Digital Formation and Engagement Ecosystems 

• In collaboration with the ACU Online Integrated Spiritual and Vocational Formation Plan committee, lead the design of digital ecosystems that support spiritual, vocational, leadership, and identity formation for both employees and students. 
• Partner with formation leaders, academic programs, and institutional stakeholders to create engaging digital environments that cultivate reflection, belonging, learning, and transformation. 
• Support implementation of the Integrated Spiritual and Vocational Formation Plan through innovative digital experience design. 
• Develop scalable synchronous and asynchronous spaces that facilitate formation practices, mentoring, leadership development, co-curricular engagement, and community building. 
• Design digital experiences that help students and employees connect institutional mission, vocation, identity, and meaningful contribution. 
• Collaborate in the creation of online environments that support distributed community formation across the ACU Dallas ecosystem. 
• Ensure digital spaces embody the institution’s values of flourishing, belonging, formation, and human-centered engagement. 

C. Centralized Onboarding and Development Infrastructure 

• Lead the design and stewardship of ACU Online’s centralized onboarding and development platform. 
• Ensure the platform functions as an experience environment rather than simply a repository of documents and resources. 
• Build systems that communicate institutional story, mission, culture, values, and expectations in engaging and accessible ways. 
• Develop role-based onboarding pathways, learning experiences, manager resources, and employee development tools. 
• Create scalable infrastructure for leadership development, employee learning, formation practices, and institutional engagement. 
• Collaborate with institutional stakeholders to centralize fragmented onboarding and development resources into coherent and accessible pathways. 

D. Learning Experience Design and Content Strategy 

• Design engaging digital learning experiences that support employee readiness, leadership growth, student formation, and institutional alignment. 
• Collaborate with subject matter experts and institutional leaders to create onboarding, development, and formation content. 
• Establish content strategy standards related to accessibility, clarity, usability, consistency, and engagement. 
• Ensure digital experiences balance information delivery with reflection, relational connection, formation, and support. 
• Integrate multimedia, synchronous, asynchronous, and interactive learning approaches where appropriate. 
• Explore emerging technologies and digital innovations that enhance formation, learning, and employee/student engagement. 

E. Cross-Functional Collaboration and Experience Architecture 

• Work collaboratively with the Director of Employee Onboarding, Integration and Development to align employee lifecycle strategy with digital experience delivery. 
• Partner across Human Resources, Academic Affairs, Operations, Information Technology, Marketing, Student Services, and institutional leadership to ensure cohesive experiences across the institution. 
• Collaboratively map and improve key lifecycle moments, including onboarding, leadership development, formation experiences, employee engagement, and student co-curricular engagement. 
• Support alignment around communication systems, onboarding processes, learning infrastructure, and institutional engagement strategies. 
• Serve as a bridge between organizational strategy, formation initiatives, employee experience, student engagement, and digital implementation. 

F. Innovation, Analytics, and Continuous Improvement 

• Evaluate platform analytics, engagement data, user feedback, and institutional needs to improve digital ecosystems and employee/student experience. 
• Identify fragmentation, inefficiencies, and experience gaps within current systems and processes. 
• Lead innovation efforts related to digital engagement, lifecycle communication, online learning environments, and institutional experience design. 
• Recommend scalable technological solutions that improve clarity, accessibility, belonging, engagement, and development. 
• Establish assessment measures related to onboarding effectiveness, platform engagement, participation, learning outcomes, and user experience quality. 

Qualifications:

A. Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree preferred in organizational leadership, instructional design, higher education, learning experience design, digital strategy, organizational development, communications, educational technology, or related field. 
• Demonstrated experience in digital experience design, learning experience design, organizational systems design, online learning environments, employee experience, or related areas. 
• Experience leading cross-functional projects involving digital systems, onboarding, learning platforms, formation initiatives, or organizational communication. 
• Strong understanding of user experience principles, digital engagement strategies, scalable systems thinking, and online community development. 
• Excellent communication, collaboration, facilitation, and project management skills. 
• Ability to translate complex institutional needs into accessible and engaging digital experiences. 
• Commitment to the mission and values of ACU Dallas. 

B. Preferred Qualifications 

• Experience in higher education, distributed learning environments, faith-based organizations, or mission-driven institutions. 
• Familiarity with learning management systems, onboarding platforms, digital community platforms, or employee/student engagement systems. 
• Experience in instructional design, digital content architecture, or lifecycle experience mapping. 
• Understanding of spiritual formation, vocational formation, leadership development, organizational culture, and belonging practices. 
• Experience working collaboratively within institutional transformation or culture-building initiatives. 

Core Competencies:

• Digital Experience Design 
• Learning Experience Design 
• Systems Thinking 
• Organizational Innovation 
• Experience Architecture 
• Employee and Student Journey Mapping 
• Cross-Functional Collaboration 
• Strategic Communication 
• Human-Centered Design 
• Project and Change Management 
• Digital Content Strategy 
• Formation and Community Design 
• Mission Alignment and Culture Building 

Physical Demands:

• The majority of work is performed in front of a computer and on the telephone; must have the ability to use the computer and remain stationary for long periods of time.
• Manage conversations in person, online, and by telephone. 
• Limited travel – locations vary, and some overnight travel may be necessary.
• Work well under pressure and effectively manage stress.
• Communicate clearly - speak, read, write, and hear clearly to perform essential functions.

Reporting Structure:

This position reports to the Vice President of Vocational Formation and Flourishing and works collaboratively across all ACU Online divisions and alongside key Information Technology stakeholders. 

VI. Position Philosophy

At ACU Dallas, digital environments are not merely repositories of information or administrative systems; they are formative spaces that shape how employees and students experience belonging, vocation, leadership, mission, and community.

The Director of Digital Experience and Innovation helps design the digital architecture through which formation, learning, onboarding, development, and engagement occur across the online campus. This role exists to ensure that online and distributed experiences are relationally aware, mission-centered, scalable, and deeply human, cultivating ecosystems where employees and students can flourish intellectually, spiritually, vocationally, and communally.

The mission of Abilene Christian University is to educate students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world.  Because of ACU’s commitment to this principle and commitment to God, people and learning, the employees actions will exemplify integrity, service, stewardship, involvement, and excellence.

ACU does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, sex, disability, genetic information, national or ethnic origin in employment opportunities, in keeping with applicable state and federal law.

ACU is committed to maintaining a safe and secure campus environment and protecting the university's financial and physical assets. Therefore, Abilene Christian University conducts background checks on all candidates for employment in security sensitive positions. As a current employee, it will be determined if you need an additional background check upon your hire.