Live Events Instructional Designer Learning Consultant

Northwestern Mutual•Milwaukee, WI

About The Position

The P3 Live Events Instructional Designer Learning Consultant is an individual contributor who leads the design, development, and execution of learning experiences intended to drive business outcomes. The role focuses on instructional design for live, in-person learning environments, applying adult learning principles to sessions, workshops, and facilitated experiences. It emphasizes learning objectives, session flow, audience engagement, and practical application rather than event logistics. The role partners with business leaders, subject matter experts, and program leads to translate strategic priorities into impactful learning solutions. The Instructional Designer independently manages complex initiatives, selects effective learning approaches, advises stakeholders on instructional design best practices, and serves as a resource to other instructional designers. Consistent with Northwestern Mutual’s P3 Professional Band, the role solves complex learning challenges, leads significant projects, and influences stakeholders through expertise.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Instructional Design, Adult Education, Learning & Development, Organizational Development, Communications, or a related field.
At least 5 years of progressively responsible instructional design and learning development for live, in-person learning events.
Demonstrated expertise in adult learning theory and instructional design methodologies.
Experience leading complex projects with multiple stakeholders.
Strong consulting, facilitation, communication, and presentation skills.
Ability to connect with stakeholders to understand their needs, communicate effectively, gather requirements, apply domain knowledge, and collaborate with appropriate stakeholders.
Ability to design human-centered learning experiences addressing documented needs and measurable outcomes, apply adult-learning and instructional-design principles, develop and test solutions, evaluate effectiveness, and improve designs based on evidence and feedback.
Ability to identify skills gaps through data analysis and qualitative observation and advise on learning needs.
Ability to organize, influence, monitor, and improve stakeholder relationships and account for stakeholder needs and expectations in planning and decision-making.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Instructional Design, Education, Adult Learning, or a related field.
Instructional Design certification or advanced learning certifications.
Experience measuring learning effectiveness and business impact.

Responsibilities

Consult with business partners to identify performance gaps, learning needs, and desired business outcomes.
Recommend learning strategies, modalities, and engagement approaches based on audience needs and organizational priorities.
Influence stakeholders through instructional design expertise and adult learning best practices.
Translate the Multi-Year Strategy and business priorities into live learning experiences with measurable learning objectives and success measures that support field effectiveness.
Establish stakeholder alignment on learning objectives, success measures, scope, and deliverables.
Lead the end-to-end instructional design process, including analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation (ADDIE).
Design learning experiences that maximize engagement, application, and performance improvement.
Develop facilitator guides, participant materials, presentations, activities, assessments, and reinforcement tools.
Incorporate adult learning principles, accessibility standards, and inclusive design practices into learning solutions.
Lead complex learning initiatives with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.
Establish project plans, manage timelines, and drive contributor accountability to deliver content on time, on brand, and to agreed quality standards.
Identify project risks and proactively implement solutions.
Lead live learning content delivery and enable speakers, facilitators, and contributors through preparation, content reviews, and rehearsals, consistently using established learning plans, tools, and standard operating procedures.
Ensure learning experiences align with strategic objectives and learner needs.
Evaluate learner capability, confidence, performance, satisfaction, and engagement against established success measures, and use findings to improve future learning experiences.
Share best practices, innovative learning approaches, and emerging instructional design trends.
Contribute to continuous improvement of team processes, templates, tools, and standards.
Champion learning excellence and learner-centered design principles.