Instruction Design Program Manager

Empower Retirement, LLC is focused on transforming financial lives and offers a flexible work environment. The Instructional Designer Program Manager will lead complex learning design and development programs, collaborating with various stakeholders to deliver high-quality learning solutions that align with organizational goals.

Responsibilities:

• Manage large, complex learning programs from initiation through completion, coordinating timelines, dependencies, deliverables, risks, and course sequencing across multiple contributors
• Serve as Scrum Master for learning programs by managing work backlogs, assigning work, monitoring daily progress, escalating issues, and ensuring quality standards are met
• Partner with stakeholders and SMEs to define program scope, manage expectations, and align learning solutions with business objectives
• Conduct quality assurance reviews of instructional content and provide detailed, actionable feedback to instructional designers
• Ensure consistency, effectiveness, and adherence to established instructional design standards across all learning deliverables
• Identify trends, gaps, and opportunities to improve learning design, development processes, and program execution
• Design, document, and maintain scalable processes, templates, standards, and documentation that improve efficiency and consistency across the instructional design team
• Research, evaluate, and pilot new tools, technologies, and methodologies that enhance learning effectiveness and team productivity
• Serve as a thought partner on operational excellence, process improvement, and instructional design best practices
• Design and develop instructor-led, virtual instructor-led, and self-paced eLearning solutions supporting leadership development, onboarding, and other people-related learning initiatives
• Apply adult learning theory, instructional systems design (ISD) methodologies, and cognitive learning principles to develop engaging, learner-centered learning experiences
• Develop learning content using Articulate Rise, Articulate Storyline, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Captivate, Camtasia, and related technologies
• Design assessment strategies, evaluate learning effectiveness, and recommend improvements to maximize business impact and learning outcomes

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Education, Instructional Design, or a related field, or equivalent business experience
• Minimum of 8 years of instructional design experience supporting both instructor-led and eLearning solutions, or equivalent business experience
• Demonstrated expertise managing large, complex learning programs involving multiple stakeholders and contributors
• Strong analytical, written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills
• Experience conducting quality assurance reviews and providing developmental feedback on instructional content
• Experience leading work across multiple contributors, managing work backlogs, and coordinating project execution against deadlines
• Strong knowledge of instructional design methodologies, adult learning theory, and learning science principles
• Working knowledge of project management methodologies, process improvement practices, and change implementation
• Experience creating templates, standards, and documentation that improve quality, consistency, and scalability
• Strong technical writing and computer proficiency
• Demonstrated technical aptitude and ability to learn new technologies quickly
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively while building effective relationships with SMEs and business stakeholders
• Commitment to continuous learning and adoption of emerging technologies
• Intermediate proficiency with one or more eLearning authoring tools such as Adobe Captivate, Articulate, or Lectora
• Agile or Scrum Master certification
• Instructional Systems Design (ISD) or Performance Improvement certification
• Experience with Adobe Creative Suite (particularly Adobe InDesign), AI-enabled learning tools, and related technologies
• Financial services industry experience