In addition to his role as executive director, Heider serves as the John Courtney Murray, S.J. University Professor of Social Ethics and holds an appointment as professor of communication.

The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics is one of the most active ethics centers in the United States, with programs in business, government, journalism, engineering, internet ethics, health care ethics, social sector ethics, leadership ethics, and K-12 character education. Heider coordinates the activities of over 25 staff members who work directly for the Center and 70 affiliated faculty scholars who work on all aspects of applied and professional ethics.

Formerly, Heider was the associate provost for strategy and innovation and dean of the School of Communication at Loyola University in Chicago.  He also was the founder of the Center for Digital Ethics and Policy at Loyola.  He served as associate dean of the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at University of Maryland, College Park, and as associate professor of journalism at University of Texas, Austin.

Heider began his career as a TV journalist and received five Emmy awards for his work.  He is the author or editor of seven books including "A Practical Guide to Digital Journalism Ethics and Ethics for a Digital Age," Volumes 1 and 2.