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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Director of Curriculum

💰 $ - $

EducationCurriculum DevelopmentInstructional DesignLeadership

🎯 Role Definition

The Director of Curriculum designs, implements, and oversees a cohesive, research-based curriculum strategy that aligns learning standards, assessment systems, instructional practices, and professional development. This role leads curriculum teams, partners with school and district leadership (or senior academic stakeholders in non-K‑12 settings), manages vendor and content relationships, drives data‑informed continuous improvement, and ensures equitable, culturally responsive instruction that improves learner outcomes.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Instructional Coach / Lead Teacher with demonstrated curriculum leadership
  • Curriculum Specialist or Content Coordinator responsible for standards alignment
  • Director of Professional Development or Academic Program Manager

Advancement To:

  • Chief Academic Officer / Chief Learning Officer
  • Vice President of Academic Affairs (higher education) or Superintendent (K‑12)
  • Executive Director of Education Strategy or Global Head of Learning & Development

Lateral Moves:

  • Director of Assessment & Data
  • Director of Instructional Technology or Learning Technologies
  • Head of Teacher Development and Talent

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Lead the design, development, implementation, and continuous refinement of a comprehensive curriculum framework that aligns with state/national standards, competency models, and institutional learning outcomes across grades and subject areas.
  • Develop and maintain a multi‑year curriculum roadmap and scope-and-sequence documents that balance vertical articulation, horizontal coherence, and differentiated pathways for diverse learners.
  • Oversee the creation and curation of high‑quality instructional materials, pacing guides, unit plans, and performance tasks that integrate literacy, numeracy, critical thinking, and disciplinary practices.
  • Establish and direct an evidence‑based assessment strategy, including formative, interim, and summative measures, mastery-based checkpoints, rubrics, and data protocols to monitor learning and inform instruction.
  • Lead a team of curriculum specialists, instructional designers, assessment leads, and content developers; recruit, mentor, evaluate, and build leadership capacity within the curriculum department.
  • Design and deliver targeted professional development and instructional coaching models that translate curriculum expectations into classroom practices and measurable student growth.
  • Collaborate with school or department leaders to implement curriculum initiatives, set implementation fidelity standards, and align professional learning with instructional priorities.
  • Manage curriculum adoption cycles, vendor selection, pilot programs, and procurement of instructional resources; negotiate contracts and monitor vendor performance and fidelity.
  • Ensure curriculum and instructional materials are culturally responsive, accessible, and compliant with special education, ELL/MLL, and equity requirements.
  • Lead curriculum mapping and gap analysis to identify redundancies, sequencing errors, and content omissions; propose revisions to ensure standards coverage and coherence.
  • Use student achievement, assessment data, and qualitative feedback to drive iterative curriculum improvements and create action plans with measurable targets and timelines.
  • Partner with technology teams to specify LMS, assessment platforms, learning analytics, and adaptive tools requirements; support integration of edtech into instructional workflows.
  • Oversee accreditation, compliance, and reporting related to curriculum standards, ensuring documentation and evidence meet external review and audit expectations.
  • Develop and manage the curriculum department budget, allocate resources, and prioritize investments in professional learning, materials, and technology.
  • Build collaborative partnerships with higher education institutions, district/state education departments, employers, and community stakeholders to align curriculum with postsecondary and workforce expectations.
  • Lead pilots and change management efforts for new instructional frameworks, assessment models, or competency‑based innovations; provide communication plans and stakeholder engagement strategies.
  • Create clear deliverables, timelines, and success metrics for curriculum initiatives and communicate progress to executive leadership, boards, and key stakeholders.
  • Author guidance documents, teacher-facing exemplars, assessment blueprints, and reporting dashboards that support consistent implementation across sites.
  • Champion research‑based instructional strategies—such as backward design, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), culturally sustaining pedagogy, and blended learning—to improve instructional quality and equity.
  • Monitor national and state policy changes, standards revisions (e.g., Common Core, NGSS), and emerging pedagogical trends; translate policy into actionable curriculum updates.
  • Lead cross-functional teams during major transitions (e.g., new standards adoption, grading policy changes, digital learning rollouts), coordinating communications, training, and quality assurance.
  • Drive continuous improvement cycles by facilitating curriculum review committees, teacher panels, and student focus groups to gather feedback and iterate on materials and assessments.
  • Serve as the chief spokesperson for curriculum initiatives, presenting rationale, evidence, and impact at staff meetings, board sessions, conferences, and community forums.

Secondary Functions

  • Support schools and instructional leaders by providing targeted consultation for turnaround efforts, special programs, and targeted intervention design.
  • Coordinate with human resources and talent development to align hiring criteria, career pathways, and compensation for instructional roles that support curriculum goals.
  • Manage small research projects or pilots to evaluate the efficacy of instructional tools, curricular resources, and professional learning interventions.
  • Provide subject‑matter expertise for grant applications, program evaluations, and external funding opportunities tied to curriculum innovation.
  • Maintain a repository of curricular resources, implementation guides, and FAQs to support teacher onboarding and reduce variability in classroom practice.
  • Advise on classroom scheduling, master scheduling impacts, and program placement decisions that affect curriculum delivery and student access.
  • Represent the organization in professional learning networks and standards committees to influence broader curriculum policy and practice.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Expertise in curriculum design methodologies (backward design, Understanding by Design, UbD).
  • Deep understanding of standards alignment (state/national standards, NGSS, Common Core) and curriculum mapping tools.
  • Assessment literacy: designing assessments, rubrics, item banks, and data dashboards to measure mastery and growth.
  • Proficiency with Learning Management Systems (Canvas, Schoology, Google Classroom) and assessment platforms (Illuminate, NWEA, Renaissance) or equivalent.
  • Experience with instructional design software and authoring tools (e.g., Articulate, Storyline) and collaborative platforms (G Suite, Microsoft 365).
  • Data analysis skills to interpret student performance, create formative assessment cycles, and translate results into instructional action (familiarity with Excel, Tableau, Power BI, or similar).
  • Knowledge of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), differentiated instruction, MTSS/RTI frameworks, and special education compliance.
  • Project management skills for multi‑site implementations, including timeline development, resource allocation, and risk mitigation.
  • Budgeting and vendor/contract management experience for curriculum adoption and professional learning procurement.
  • Familiarity with competency‑based education models, credit recovery, and alternative assessment systems.

Soft Skills

  • Strategic leadership and vision-setting with the ability to translate big-picture priorities into operational plans.
  • Strong communication and presentation skills for diverse audiences: educators, executives, families, and boards.
  • Collaborative mindset with demonstrated success in cross-functional stakeholder engagement and consensus building.
  • Coaching and mentoring skills to develop instructional leaders and classroom teachers.
  • Change management aptitude: empathy, resilience, and the ability to manage resistance to instructional shifts.
  • Analytical problem-solving with a focus on equity, access, and measurable student impact.
  • Time management and prioritization in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments.
  • Cultural competence and commitment to inclusive, anti‑bias curriculum practices.
  • Decision-making grounded in research evidence and continuous improvement cycles.
  • Advocacy skills to secure buy-in, funding, and policy support for curricular initiatives.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Master’s degree in Education, Curriculum & Instruction, Educational Leadership, Instructional Design, or a related field.

Preferred Education:

  • Doctorate (Ed.D. or Ph.D.) in Curriculum & Instruction, Educational Leadership, Learning Sciences, or equivalent advanced credential.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Curriculum & Instruction
  • Educational Leadership
  • Instructional Design / Learning Technologies
  • Assessment & Measurement
  • Special Education or Multilingual Education (preferred for equity-focused roles)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 7–12+ years of progressively responsible experience in curriculum development, instructional leadership, assessment, or related roles (including classroom teaching experience and leadership of cross-functional teams).

Preferred:

  • 10+ years in education settings with at least 3–5 years in a district/campus or organizational leadership role overseeing curriculum, assessment, or instructional programs.
  • Demonstrated success launching large-scale curriculum initiatives, managing budgets, and delivering measurable improvements in student outcomes.
  • Experience with accreditation processes, standards adoption, and public reporting requirements (where applicable).
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