Specialist, Instructional Designer

About this role

Location: Remote

The job duties and responsibilities of this role are unable to be performed in the following states, California, New York, and Washington at this time.

Hiring Range: This position’s hiring range is anticipated to be $58,606 - $65,000 annually, depending on experience.

Applicants who advance past the initial recruiter phone screen will be required to submit a work sample or portfolio.

Position Summary: Best Friends’ Learning Advancement Team is looking for the most amazing, caring, and AWESOME instructional designer. If that sounds like you, apply today! (And if not, feel free to share with a FRIEND!)

Instructional designers are the foundation of our programs and learning opportunities, including those offered in partnership with Southern Utah University, and play a central role in shaping high-quality educational experiences. This partnership with SUU is helping establish a recognized discipline in animal services, and the instructional design role significantly influences how learning opportunities are created and experienced by those working in, or aspiring to work in, the animal services field - all with the ultimate goal of saving the lives of pets in shelters. Sound exciting? If so, keep reading!

Our world is unique and constantly evolving. We work with shelters across the country to help them increase their lifesaving, and we’re searching for an instructional designer who can design and develop impactful learning experiences that empower people to save pets. Is this you?

Our perfect candidate is passionate about helping people help animals, energized by creative problem solving and always striving to make learning meaningful and student-centered. In return, you’ll join a supportive, fun team of colleagues who are ready to partner with you to create learning that drives real, lifesaving change for animals nationwide.

The Instructional Designer, Specialist position is a key role providing an advanced specialty in designing innovative learning materials. The Instructional Designer, Specialist will work closely with the Manager of Instructional Design, Instructional Design team members, and Learning Advancement leadership and staff to oversee instructional design projects and volunteers. This work supports the team's programs and priorities in advancing Best Friends' goal of a no-kill nation.

Culture Statement and Responsibility: We believe in treating everyone with kindness and compassion, building trust through authenticity and following through on commitments. We prioritize well-being alongside our mission, fostering strong relationships through open communication and transparent feedback. Diversity and inclusion are integral to our culture, enriching team dynamics by valuing diverse perspectives. Each team member is responsible for creating an inclusive environment where all voices are respected and contributing to a workplace that embodies our shared values and commitment to progress. By consistently aligning our actions with our Guiding Principles, we strengthen our culture and ensure that our values are lived every day.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Work closely with the Instructional Design team to design educationally-sound learning programs and drive the development of engaging, outcome-based learning which is the integral foundation of eLearning courses, certificates, and blended learning programs that align to both the learning advancement department strategy and current organizational strategy.

Partner with the course development team in crafting clear, measurable learning objectives and authentic, real-world assessments that align with them.

Collaborate with subject matter experts to capture course specific knowledge for the development and management of course content.

Design and develop engaging, high-quality learning materials and course content for eLearning courses, blended learning programs, microlearning, and other instructional formats

Collaborate with the Instructional Design team to select appropriate instructional design principles, strategies, and formats relevant to the project and organization standards.

Proactively apply cognitive learning theories and accessibility guidelines, while staying current on instructional design trends, to create student-centered, inclusive learning experiences across eLearning, LMS, in-person, and blended environments.

Work with and coordinate contractor and volunteer projects to ensure the finished instructional design products are engaging, as well as educationally and professionally sound.

Maintain learning materials and resources to ensure consistency and support content management efforts.

Engage in project management responsibilities for instructional design projects, from supporting key tasks to managing full project workflows as needed.

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Skills and Experience:

Bachelor’s degree in Instructional Design preferred; a degree in Education, Educational Technology, Curriculum and Instruction or; equivalent combinations of certificates, direct experience, and demonstrated skills will also be considered.

Demonstrated ability to quickly grasp the nuances of an unfamiliar field and translate them into content that feels authentic to the audience required; experience in the animal services field is essential to ensure content is relevant to learners and reflects the actual conditions, challenges, and needs of the profession.

Significant expertise in Articulate Rise, including building Rise custom blocks and navigating complex publishing and output processes is a core requirement; familiarity with building and troubleshooting HTML and JavaScript Rise code blocks, as well as proficiency in Articulate Storyline, is a plus.

Proficient in Vyond or similar animation software, which includes innovative approaches to animation development that go beyond templated or default motion, props, or characters, is essential. Proficiency in Camtasia or similar video/audio editing tools is a…