Senior Instructional Designer

National Safety Council•Itasca, IL

2d•$100,000 - $110,000•Remote

About The Position

The National Safety Council (NSC) is seeking a Senior Instructional Designer to play a foundational role in shaping the design, development, and delivery of training. This is an opportunity to help build the organization's training systems from the ground up. The role involves partnering with leadership to establish instructional design standards, define product development workflows, and bring structure to a complex and evolving environment. The Senior Instructional Designer will translate complex safety and regulatory content into engaging learning experiences that drive real-world behavior change, while also improving learner outcomes and elevating product quality. Success requires someone energized by ambiguity, motivated to create clarity and structure, and able to work collaboratively across teams and stakeholders.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Instructional Design, Education, Adult Learning, Educational Technology, or related field
5–7+ years of experience designing and developing learning solutions across modalities (eLearning, ILT/vILT, blended, and print)
Experience working in ambiguous or evolving environments, with the ability to create structure, standards, or processes from scratch
Experience establishing or improving instructional design workflows, templates, or development standards
Demonstrated expertise in instructional design methodologies and adult learning principles, with the ability to apply them to complex or technical content
Proven experience designing learning solutions that drive measurable performance improvement, knowledge retention, or behavior change
Track record of leading complex, cross-functional learning projects from concept through launch, balancing timelines, quality, and stakeholder needs
Strong writing, editing, and content structuring skills, with the ability to translate complex or regulatory content into clear, engaging learning experiences
Experience partnering with SMEs and influencing stakeholders to drive alignment across diverse perspectives or competing priorities
Experience using AI or emerging technologies to improve development speed, quality, or learner engagement
Proficiency with eLearning authoring tools (e.g., Articulate Storyline or similar), and familiarity with SCORM/xAPI standards
Experience using learner feedback, analytics, or performance data to evaluate and continuously improve learning effectiveness
Familiarity with accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 AA) and inclusive design practices, including screen reader support and structured navigation

Responsibilities

Help define and implement instructional design standards, templates, and best practices across NSC’s training portfolio.
Establish repeatable, scalable product development workflows in partnership with product managers and leadership.
Bring structure and clarity to an evolving environment, enabling more consistent and efficient development.
Design learning experiences that translate complex safety and regulatory content into clear, engaging, and actionable training.
Develop measurable learning objectives, assessments, and activities that ensure learners can apply safety-critical skills in real-world settings.
Use learner feedback, data, and performance insights to continuously improve product effectiveness.
Establish and apply modern instructional design standards across eLearning, ILT, vILT, and print materials.
Ensure all learning products reflect current learning science, accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 AA), and a cohesive user experience.
Contribute to defining the look, feel, and instructional approach of NSC’s evolving training portfolio.
Lead development of high-quality learning products from concept through launch, ensuring timelines, scope, and quality standards are met.
Streamline development workflows through strong planning, documentation, and effective use of tools and emerging technologies (including AI).
Identify opportunities to improve efficiency without sacrificing instructional integrity.
Partner with subject matter experts to extract and shape content into structured, learner-centered experiences.
Create collaborative processes that drive alignment without conflict, balancing input with clear decision-making.
Collaborate with product, design, and business teams to deliver cohesive, high-impact learning solutions.
Ensure all learning products are accessible and inclusive, applying best practices for screen readers, captions, and navigation.
Champion accessibility as a core design principle, not a compliance requirement.
Identify inefficiencies and gaps in current processes and proactively propose improvements.
Experiment with new approaches (e.g., microlearning, scenario-based learning, AI-assisted development) to enhance engagement and scalability.
Contribute to the evolution of NSC’s learning strategy and development practices.