Learning Design Manager, Nature Masterclasses

The Learning Design Manager plays a vital role in the development and delivery of the growing portfolio of online professional development products on the prestigious Nature Masterclasses platform. This includes leading the learning design strategy across our training services, advising on blended learning best practice and innovating the way that we build our online courses in order to meet researchers’ needs and keep them engaged.

The Learning Design Manager will have the opportunity to co-lead and shape strategy, setting up a team of in-house or freelance instructional design and learning technologists to help to deliver on our roadmap of activities. In the meantime, the LDM will need to be happy to ‘roll up their sleeves’ and be well-practised and experienced in the day-to-day skills of course building, using industry-standard tools such as Articulate Rise and Storyline, and implementing and administrating the learning on LMS/VLEs such as Moodle.

You’ll have a creative, can-do mind-set, enjoy taking the lead as well as working within and across different teams, and overall be passionate about the effective training of researchers. You will have an excellent knowledge of the online training landscape, bringing both technical understanding and a demonstrable background in innovation in learning design.

The post-holder must be committed to championing digital learning systems (including accessibility standards) and enhancement of pedagogical practices. As outlined below, the successful applicant will have technical and pedagogical knowledge and experience; commercial awareness; experience of successfully leading digital learning projects and change initiatives and excellent people management skills.

Responsibilities

Lead for learning design and innovation

Own the learning design for Nature Masterclasses researcher training solutions, with influence across both the on-demand and live training formats. An important part of this role will be researching and conceptualising innovative learning experiences and feeding into the strategy and roadmap. The role is highly collaborative, working with a cross-functional team to ensure commercial success.

Management and delivery of our online learning portfolio

Be the company super user for our Learning Management System (currently Moodle-based), working closely with the product manager, publishing team and our LMS partner to ensure that the training content and experience is optimised for our users and the internal and client-based administrators.

• Build and manage a team of freelance (or potentially in-house) instructional designers to work with our publishing team from concept to upload, in building our online courses. This will require a demonstrable and hands-on approach from you in designing and developing interactive/multimedia learning activities that incorporate elements of social, scenario, and game-based learning using tools such as Articulate Rise, Articulate Storyline, H5P and similar.
• Work with our Springer Nature Accessibility team to ensure that everything we develop is within the latest industry standards, developing thought leadership and client comms in this area.
• Oversee the work on the LMS for our China NMO site, including translation, upload of translated course packages and associated tasks.
• Foster high levels of engagement with the Nature Masterclasses platform through close monitoring of user behaviours, market innovations, best practice advancements, and by liaising with our analytics, sales, marketing and customer relationship teams.

Experience, Skills & Qualifications

Instructional Design:

• Demonstrable knowledge and application of instructional design theory, principles, and adult learning theory
• Ability to determine, design, and develop curriculum through independent research and advanced functional/technical knowledge
• Ability to analyse learning data and apply insights to improve learning outcomes and inform decision-making
• Knowledge of accessibility standards and guidelines to ensure learning content is inclusive and accessible to all learners

Content Development:

• Collaborate with Publishing Managers to contribute to the development of storyboards for online learning content
• Brief design and development of interactive/multimedia learning activities incorporating social, scenario, and game-based learning elements
• Conceptualise video content that supports learning outcomes and enhances the online learning experience
• Ability to write and communicate training materials effectively in the English language, considering the needs of non-native English users

Learning Management Systems (LMS) and Authoring Tools:

• Proficiency in working across different authoring tools and LMSs. Confidence with Moodle-based LMSs and supporting software
• Experience in specifying technical requirements for LMS development and effective communication with developers
• Competency and hands-on recent experience with Articulate Rise 360 and/or Storyline, or similar software, with adaptability across different authoring tools
• Willingness to master new tools when required

Stakeholder Management and Communication:

• Collaborate with colleagues across departments to deliver an agreed approach to learning design
• Act as the learning design champion in communications about new products and updates

Product Strategy and Development:

• Support the development of business strategy and a roadmap for learning design within training services
• Advise on face-to-face and virtual workshop content in coordination with the Researcher Services team

Project Leadership and Management:

• Experience in managing external vendors, freelancers, or content development partners for learning projects
• Ability to lead and manage a team of learning designers, developers, and subject matter experts to ensure successful project execution
• Ability to support change management initiatives related to learning and development within the organisation
• Proficiency in managing multiple budgets for learning design and development projects
• Understanding of Scientists' and Researchers' Needs: Familiarity with the needs of scientists and researchers in the context of learning design (desirable, but not required)
• Higher Education Experience: Experience working within higher education settings (desirable, but not required)
• Digital Publishing Knowledge: Experience working in digital publishing at an educational or academic publisher (desirable, but not required)

Qualifications

• Educated to Bachelor’s degree or higher
• Diploma or other qualification in Learning Design, Instructional Design or similar (desirable, but not required)

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