2017-03-15

**Lead Learning Designer \(Maternity Cover\)**

**Description**

At Pearson, we’re committed to a world that’s always learning and to our talented team who makes it all possible\. From bringing lectures vividly to life to turning textbooks into laptop lessons, we are always re\-examining the way people learn best, whether it’s one child in our own backyard or an education community across the globe\.We are bold thinkers and standout innovators who motivate each other to explore new frontiers in an environment that supports and inspires us to always be better\. By pushing the boundaries of technology — and each other to surpass these boundaries — we create seeds of learning that become the catalyst for the world’s innovations, personal and global, large and small\.

Context

The Service Delivery team is a newly formed dynamic, fast moving team supporting all parts of our UK Higher Education business to identify, win and deliver with excellence services and products that support teaching and learning in a blended or online environment, against an agreed set of strategic priorities and growth opportunities\. In 2017, the team will be supporting revenue targets in excess of £17m

These products and services include but are not limited to:

+ Online and blended course design and development

+ Custom publishing, content licensing and institutional publishing

+ Digital product training, and technology solution deployment

This role is responsible for supporting course development projects from pre–contract scoping through to course delivery\. The Lead Learning Designer plays an important role in solutioning the course structure and assets directly with the client and ensuring the quality and design as envisioned is maintained throughout the course development process\. The Lead Learning Designer will manage and oversee Junior IDs in all aspects of their work on particular projects, ensuring consistency of approach and the highest quality across units, in addition to being the main point of contact and content/editorial lead for the programme leaders and SMEs at the university\. The Lead Learning Designer will be responsible for blueprinting and then reviewing storyboards created by the Junior IDs but will need to be prepared to script and storyboard themselves where needed\.

This is a hands on role for a creative dynamic and resilient individual to continue to develop the work already established in our course design offering and processes\. The Lead Learning Designer will need to work collaboratively with all functions In Higher Education Service Delivery and beyond to deliver on projects on time, to specification and within budget\. This role will work closely with other members of the leadership team in shaping the overall strategy for our team and approach ensuring we deliver on the very real and exciting opportunities for our business\.

The job description reflects the current priorities of the company\. It may need to be configured differently over time if these priorities change\.

Key Accountabilities:

Stakeholder Management and Client Communication

+ Serve as primary contact for stakeholders at client universities\. Lead on all aspects of course development in the partnership\. Consultation activities can include face to face scoping meetings, requirement gathering workshops and presentations\.

+ Analyse client needs, instructional goals and objectives effectively to determine appropriate methods of learning design

+ Ensure all plans for provision of course development service align with wider partnership commercial and strategic goals whilst ensuring a primary focus on achieving the best learning outcomes\.

+ Establish mutually agreed Pearson and partner standards, guidelines and templates for course design ensuring all activity adheres to and maintains the highest quality\.

+ Put in place appropriate governance and project management processes, escalating internal and academic partner issues to relevant stakeholders

+ Present course design solutions to both current and potential clients\. Run workshops to demonstrate best practice in course design for both current and potential clients\.

Instructional Design and Documentation

+ Establish blueprint designs for each programme and detailed module design documentation based on agreed ID methodology and course objectives

+ Create objective\-based, engaging storyboards, course components and courses that are aligned with instructional design best practices for the appropriate learner context

+ Evaluate the effectiveness & quality of instruction through the use of qualitative, quantitative, formative, and summative methods\. developing evaluation tools for assessing effectiveness of courses

+ Employ appropriate consultation techniques such as storyboarding, learner persona creation, effective documentation and evaluation reports\.

+ Support accreditation, curriculum planning and development initiatives required to launch online programmes

+ Be able to design, develop and review content in a range of off\-the\-shelf authoring tools \(e\.g\. Articulate, Camtasia etc\)

+ Produce sound instructional materials in accordance with solid instructional principles, current research, client objectives, and program objectives\.

Content Development

+ Establish a strong network of trusted freelance instructional designers, copy editors and proof readings with a wide skill set to draw upon\.

+ Ensure quality, standards and schedules are maintained across all projects assigned

+ Ensure all courses remain aligned to agreed brief, client needs and, above all, learner outcomes\.

+ Coach and develop Junior IDs, to include training and reviewing of all storyboards/content to ensure quality and consistency\.

+ Brief and manage freelance copy editors and proof readers throughout the content development process

+ Assist in briefing developers and designers

+ Assist with implementation, review, and revision of courses

Research and Best Practice in Learning Design

+ Lead and consultant on all matters related to needs analysis, instructional design and delivery, assessment, and evaluation for the Higher Education Services business\.

+ Research, implement, and lead emerging technology initiatives\.

+ Keep up to date with leading research and emerging best practices in the instructional design community\. Attend conferences and networks accordingly, publish papers and share research widely with rest of Pearson community

**Qualifications**

_Essential:_

+ A Master’s degree in Instructional Design, Learning, Technology and Instruction, or related field or equivalent years of education and successful work experience in relevant field

+ Minimum of 5 \- 10 years’ experience designing and developing instructor led, self study, and / or web based instruction in the academic or corporate training fields\.

+ Specific experience in designing authentic assessments and engaging course content

+ Experience of the content development process

+ Excellent writing, communication, leadership & commercial acumen skills

+ Strong grasp of pedagogical and andragogical learning principles and other notable instructional design philosophies, strategies and theories, and the ability to apply those concepts to instructional content and development processes\.

+ Ability to articulate learning objectives that are practical, focused, concise and measurable\.

+ Strong analytical, logic and problem –solving skills for analysing and identifying user needs, proposing solutions and logically organising complex information\.

+ Ability to transform complex bodies of information into professionally designed, engaging and effective programmes\.

+ Strong ability to work on multiple, complex projects within aggressive timeframes, to multi\-task and continually prioritize changing project tasks / deliverables, and meet deadlines\.

+ Solid project planning and management skills\.

+ Excellent interpersonal skills, especially written and oral communications skills, including being able to explain technical concepts in non\-technical terms\.

+ Ability to build and maintain relationships with clients, SME’s project managers and other stakeholders, and collaborate both in person and long distance\.

+ Knowledge and experience with academic Learning Management systems

+ Familiarity with relevant computer programs and course delivery platforms including proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint, flowchart mapping \(e\.g Lucidchart\), screencapture software \(e\.g\. Camtasia\), off\-the\-shelf authoring tools \(e\.g\. Articulate\) and writing for Virtual Learning Environments \(e\.g\. Blackboard, Moodle, Canvas\)

+ A knowledge of rights and permissions when producing learning materials within a commercial context

+ Copy\-editing and proofreading skills

_Desirable:_

+ Experience working as an instructional designer in a university or other Higher Education establishment

+ Background in education

+ Strong network of freelance ID and editorial contacts

Personal style and behaviour

+ Solid work ethic

+ Dependability, initiative, strong integrity and accountability, high level of flexibility, creativity, imagination and artistic flair\.

+ Can\-do attitude\.

+ Happy operating in a changing and ambiguous environment

+ Strong attention to detail, superior organisational skills, client management skills, self\-direction, and motivation

+ Willingness to travel with in the UK to client meetings \( 30%\)

**Primary Location:** GB\-GB\-Harlow

**Work Locations:** GB\-Harlow\-Edinburgh Gate Edinburgh Gate Burnt Mill Harlow CM20 2JE

**Job:** Publishing

**Organization:** Core

**Employee Status:** Fixed Term

**Job Type:** Standard

**Shift:** Day Job

**Job Posting:** Mar 14, 2017

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