Senior Learning Strategist

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Senior Learning Strategist to translate business priorities and learning strategies into practical, high-quality learning solutions. This role combines strategic learning consulting, advanced instructional design, and hands-on solution development, with an emphasis on creating scalable, engaging, and performance-focused learning experiences.

The ideal candidate can move seamlessly from analyzing learning needs and defining instructional approaches to developing production-ready design specifications, creating sample learning assets, and establishing standards that guide consistent delivery across multiple learning initiatives.

This individual will help establish learning design frameworks, content standards, and development approaches while providing guidance and coaching to other instructional designers. The role requires someone who can think strategically, work hands-on, influence stakeholders, and maintain high standards for learning quality and effectiveness.

Employment Type: Full-Time Contract
Work Arrangement: Hybrid - Remote and In-Person
Location: Atlanta, Georgia area, with flexibility for candidates elsewhere in the United States
Start Date: ASAP
Hourly Rate: $90-110/hour
Duration: Through March 2027, with potential for extension

Key Responsibilities

Learning Strategy and Performance Consulting

• Partner with business stakeholders and subject matter experts to understand business objectives, workforce needs, performance gaps, and desired outcomes.

• Translate business strategies and learning requirements into actionable learning roadmaps, instructional approaches, and production-ready design plans.

• Conduct needs assessments, stakeholder interviews, content reviews, and performance analyses to identify appropriate learning interventions.

• Recommend effective learning modalities, including instructor-led training (ILT), virtual instructor-led training (VILT), e-learning, blended learning, and performance support.

• Align learning solutions with organizational priorities, audience needs, operational realities, and measurable performance outcomes.

Instructional Design and Learning Experience Development

• Lead the design and development of high-quality learning experiences grounded in adult learning principles and established instructional design methodologies.

• Develop learning objectives, course outlines, storyboards, facilitator guides, learner materials, assessments, and detailed design specifications.

• Create engaging and practical learning assets that incorporate real-world scenarios, application exercises, knowledge checks, and opportunities for feedback.

• Develop and refine early-stage prototypes and sample learning assets to demonstrate recommended approaches and establish a foundation for subsequent development.

• Apply appropriate instructional strategies across digital, instructor-led, virtual, and blended learning environments.

• Ensure learning materials are accurate, accessible, learner-centered, and aligned with defined learning objectives.

Learning Standards and Design Governance

• Establish and maintain content audit frameworks, taxonomies, templates, design standards, and quality assurance guidelines.

• Define consistent approaches to content structure, instructional design, assessment development, modality selection, and learning asset production.

• Review existing learning materials to assess quality, relevance, consistency, gaps, and opportunities for improvement.

• Develop design specifications that provide clear direction for instructional designers, subject matter experts, and other production team members.

• Promote consistency, scalability, maintainability, and quality across multiple learning programs and content areas.

Project Leadership and Collaboration

• Lead priority learning design initiatives from discovery and analysis through design, prototyping, review, and handoff for development or delivery.

• Collaborate with instructional designers, trainers, subject matter experts, and cross-functional stakeholders to ensure alignment and successful execution.

• Provide guidance, mentorship, and design feedback to other instructional designers, helping strengthen their capabilities and the quality of deliverables.

• Manage multiple priorities, timelines, stakeholder expectations, and design requirements in a dynamic environment.

• Communicate design decisions, project progress, risks, and recommendations clearly to technical and nontechnical audiences.

Learning Technology and Continuous Improvement

• Use authoring tools such as Articulate Rise or comparable platforms to develop prototypes and digital learning assets.

• Recommend appropriate technologies and development approaches based on learning objectives, audience requirements, accessibility, and scalability.

• Apply established quality standards and review processes to ensure learning assets meet agreed-upon specifications.

• Incorporate stakeholder feedback, learner insights, and available performance data to improve learning experiences and development processes.

• Identify opportunities to use AI-enabled tools and emerging technologies to support learning design and development where appropriate.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Instructional Design, Education, Learning and Development, Organizational Development, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

• Significant professional experience in senior instructional design, learning strategy, learning experience design, or a related discipline.

• Demonstrated ability to translate business objectives and performance needs into effective learning strategies and production-ready instructional designs.

• Advanced knowledge of instructional design methodologies, adult learning principles, assessment design, and learning experience development.

• Experience designing multiple learning modalities, including instructor-led, virtual, digital, and blended learning.

• Proven experience developing instructional design deliverables such as storyboards, facilitator guides, learning objectives, assessments, and course specifications.

• Experience establishing or improving learning design standards, templates, content frameworks, and quality assurance processes.

• Hands-on experience with Articulate Rise or comparable e-learning authoring tools.

• Strong stakeholder consulting, communication, project management, and problem-solving skills.

• Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and collaborate effectively with distributed teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading instructional design initiatives or providing design direction to other learning professionals.

• Experience developing content audit frameworks, curriculum structures, design taxonomies, or standardized learning production processes.

• Familiarity with learning management systems (LMS), learning experience platforms (LXP), and digital learning delivery technologies.

• Experience with competency frameworks, curriculum architecture, learning pathways, or skills-based development.

• Knowledge of accessibility standards and inclusive learning design practices.

• Experience using learning analytics, evaluation frameworks, or performance metrics to assess learning effectiveness.

• Familiarity with AI-enabled learning design and development tools.

• Experience supporting complex, enterprise-wide learning initiatives or multiple business units.

• Industry-specific expertise in areas such as healthcare, operations, technical training, or other specialized environments.

Initial Areas of Focus

The successful candidate will help establish a strong foundation for learning design and development, including:

• Creating a structured content audit framework and taxonomy.

• Developing standardized instructional design templates, content standards, and quality guidelines.

• Producing sample learning assets and early-stage prototypes to demonstrate design expectations.

• Establishing instructional design specifications and modality recommendations for priority learning initiatives.

• Providing design leadership and practical guidance to support consistent, high-quality execution across the broader team.

Work Arrangement and Engagement

This is a full-time contract opportunity with a hybrid work arrangement, combining remote work with in-person collaboration as required. Candidates should be based in the United States and able to accommodate onsite collaboration in the Atlanta, Georgia area as needed.

The anticipated engagement will run through March 2027, with the possibility of an extension based on business needs. The selected candidate should be available to start as soon as possible.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is a strategic learning professional who also knows how to execute. They can assess complex business needs, recommend the right learning approach, turn that approach into clear design specifications and usable learning assets, and establish standards that enable other designers to deliver consistently. They are comfortable leading early-stage design work, coaching colleagues, and balancing strategic thinking with hands-on production.