Director of Education

Position Overview

Responsible for research, planning, design, development, implementation and evaluation of continuing professional education programs, products and activities of the Education Department.

Essential Responsibilities

• 1.Oversee the planning and strategy of NFDA’s comprehensive continuing education (CE) programs, services, and products to support educational objectives based on the Strategic Plan. Education programs include face-to-face conferences, international convention, virtual conferences, online courses, webinars, and print resources such as manuals, textbooks and guides.

• 2.Spearhead the development, design, and delivery of continuing education programs. Work closely with Subject Matter Experts and applicable staff members in the planning, curriculum development, test construction, performance assessment, and content updates for CE events, products and courses.
• 3.Explore and create a strategy for an NFDA Course or Certification related to Green Burial/Alternative forms of disposition that could be integrated into NFDA’s suite of educational offerings. Collaborate with internal & external stakeholders to identify goals, budget and deliverables, if deemed appropriate.
• 4.Initiate research on a mentoring program in collaboration with staff support, utilizing research from general membership and the Meet the Mentors (MTM) Program to determine costs and viability of this offering.
• 5.Explore, research and initiate career pathways and road maps for members for their educational journey using existing resources and recommendations for new programs to ensure lifelong learning throughout their professional journey. This could include a master class offering or bundling and repackaging existing offerings.
• 6.Serve as a liaison between Marketing and Education for the Cremation Certification Program (CCP), Arranger Training (AT) and International Professional Achievement Program (IPAC) to ensure website integrity, manual edits, and reprinting. Responsible for monitoring programs, registration numbers and incorporating testimonials from post-event surveys, if applicable.

• 7.Ensure that all NFDA education programs and products meet guidelines for approval by those states that mandate continuing education for funeral director licensure. Oversee the CE application and approval process to ensure timeliness and compliance with state laws.

• 8.Supervise three direct reports, Associate Director of Education, Training & Development Manager, and the VP of Cremation Services.

• 9.Select and recommend keynote speakers for NFDA’s International Convention and Expo and smaller conferences. Negotiate all speaker fees and terms. Review and approve speaker contracts to ensure all NFDA interests and requirements are met.
• 10.In collaboration with internal staff and Subject Matter Experts, plan the Annual Service of Remembrance (SOR). Coordinate the speakers, music, special props, and AV, etc. Oversee the collection of names for the SOR video and develop the printed program attendees. Work with the SOR sponsor for a remembrance gift.

• 11.Develop budgets for multiple CE cost centers; monitor expenses and revenue; strategize to achieve budget goals.

• 12.Oversee the selection process of all speakers for NFDA, working with internal staff to ensure offerings are relevant to the industry and reflect the interest of membership.

• 13.Write proposals for customized NFDA’s Cremation Certification Program (CCP) and Arranger Training (AT) programs and develop pricing for both domestic and international delivery. Write Letters of Agreement for partnerships with outside organizations in the development and delivery of NFDA education programs and negotiate revenue share arrangements.

• 14.Collaborate with Marketing Communications Department to develop all content related to CE programs and products on the NFDA website. Review and approve all promotions such as email, advertising, social media, and press releases for education programs and products.

• 15.Research, recommend and supervise the use of technologies in the development and delivery of e-learning products including online courses, webinars, virtual conferences and microlearning applications.

• 16.Research and identify member training needs and emerging trends in funeral service. Evaluate all education programs and recommend program modifications or creation of new programs and services based on research and objectives.
• 17.In collaboration with the Director of Research, provide Education Department metrics and data for compilation in Board Reports, dashboards and any presentations that require performance and benchmarks.
• 18.Perform tasks and assume responsibilities as may be assigned by the CEO, e.g., staff resource to committee or task force. Participate and contribute to strategic and leadership teams.

• 19.Seek and maintain knowledge of current trends and developments in adult learning, funeral service, and the deathcare industry.
• 20.Promote and assist in carrying out the Association’s mission, vision, and goals in a manner consistent with the Association’s stated values.

• 21.Exhibit flexible and innovative approaches while performing essential responsibilities and assignments and participating in strategic leadership, management, and special project teams.

• 22.All other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in adult education, communications, or related field. Master’s degree preferred. Minimum of 7-10 years experience in professional education program development and delivery, preferably in an association environment. Experience in meetings management, logistics, using virtual platforms such as Zoom and supervising direct reports is required. Experience with a variety of Learning Management Systems (LMS) required. Requires strong oral and written communication and proofreading skills and attention to detail. Ability to meet deadlines, work independently and as part of a team. Proficiency with MS Office products and familiarity with databases is required. Experience teaching adults is desirable. Some travel required.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit for a long time period, use hands/fingers to manipulate a computer keyboard, communicate verbally over the phone and in person and hear. The employee is required to stand and walk, sometimes bend, twist, stoop, reach, kneel, crouch, grasp, and lift up to 35 lbs. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.