Equity Specialist - Instructional Design

Western Governors University•Raleigh, NC

2d•$91,000 - $136,400•Onsite

About The Position

WGU is seeking an Equity Specialist - Instructional Design to serve as a subject matter expert (SME) and mentor to instructional designers (IDs). This role focuses on integrating equity, accessibility, and inclusive design into course development, ensuring the timely incorporation of emerging instructional technologies and methodologies. The specialist will be a key point of contact for inquiries related to equitable and accessible instructional design and assessment development, bridging the gap between instructional design expertise and cutting-edge educational technologies. This role also acts as a cross-team advocate, working with Academic Program Development (APD) to integrate equity strategies into course materials, assessments, and learning experiences. WGU is driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs and is committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce. The salary range for this position is $91,000.00 - $136,400.00.

Requirements

Expertise in instructional design, curriculum development, and learner experience (UX).
Advanced knowledge of emerging instructional technologies, including Generative AI applications in education.
Ability to integrate innovative instructional strategies into course and program design.
Advanced technical writing and documentation skills to codify and scale best practices.
Strong mentoring, coaching, and training skills to develop instructional designers.
Cross-functional leadership and stakeholder collaboration skills.
Demonstrated innovation in instructional design, course/program development, and process enhancement.
Problem-solving and analytical skills to assess instructional effectiveness and recommend improvements.
Strong organizational and self-management skills; able to manage multiple priorities effectively.
Expertise in equity-centered and inclusive instructional design (UDL, accessible design, culturally responsive pedagogy).
Working knowledge of ADA, Section 504, Section 508, WCAG, and related accessibility standards for digital learning.
Ability to translate equity principles into scalable, practical design solutions across a large instructional design team.
Master’s degree in Education, Instructional Design, User Experience Design, or a related field.
7 years of relevant experience.
Advanced experience in instructional design and content development for competency-based education.
Project leadership in multiple areas (e.g., multiple programs, maintenance, QA).
Demonstrated subject matter expertise in job-relevant content or practice area.
Strong experience with one or more of the following: learning design for equity, universal design for learning, accessible design for digital learning, or designing learning experiences to reduce equity gaps.
Equivalent relevant experience performing the essential functions of this job may substitute for education degree requirements.

Nice To Haves

Doctorate (PhD or EdD) in a related field.
Advanced experience with systems and procedures for course and program development.
Certification or demonstrated expertise in accessibility (e.g., IAAP CPACC, WAS, or equivalent).
Experience conducting accessibility audits of digital learning content.

Responsibilities

Coaches instructional designers in APD on course/content development using equitable, accessible design practices.
Leads the integration of new instructional design features and approaches; evaluates impact on diverse learner populations.
Ensures the timely rollout of new strategies and tools, monitoring effectiveness and learner impact.
Mentors and develops instructional designers and contractors, through training, guidance, and scalable resources.
Explores and implements emerging technologies (including generative AI); document best practices and innovation standards.
Develops and maintains AI-enabled guidance to ensure consistent design practices across instructional design roles.
Partners with stakeholders to strengthen instructional strategy and uphold academic quality standards.
Contributes to course development to ensure alignment with WGU’s mission and academic quality standards.
Delivers workshops, training sessions, and just-in-time resources to build team capability.
Leads cross-functional projects; recommends and implements process improvements.
Coordinates contractor work (approve hours, track timelines) to keep projects on schedule.
Designs and champions scalable solutions that advance student equity and next-generation accessibility across APD’s course portfolio.
Works laterally across APD teams to integrate equity strategies into course materials, learning resources, and assessments.
Creates and drives adoption of consistent accessibility, DEI, and inclusive design frameworks across curriculum and content.
Applies Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to proactively support diverse learner needs.
Conducts needs-analyses; provide training, consultation, and guidance on accessible design, assistive technologies, and data-informed equity gap reduction.
Represents APD and serve as a cross-department spokesperson for equity, diversity, and accessibility practices in Program Development.
Evaluates AI tools and instructional technologies through an equity lens; identify opportunities and risks for diverse learner populations.
Performs other related duties as assigned.