Instructional Design Consultant 1

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Instructional Design Consultant 1

Company: Principal Financial Group

Location: Des Moines, Iowa, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Learning & Development / Operations Enablement

Date Posted: 2026-08-12

Experience Level: 2-5 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid (3 days in office)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the design, development, and implementation of comprehensive learning solutions for strategic business and technology initiatives within Workplace Savings and Retirement Solutions (WSRS).

• Serve as the primary training lead and learning strategist on cross-functional project teams, ensuring alignment with business objectives and employee development needs.

• Apply adult learning principles and instructional design methodologies (e.g., ADDIE) to analyze learning impacts, identify skill gaps, and create engaging, effective learning experiences.

• Collaborate with diverse stakeholders across various departments to translate complex financial services and technical concepts into clear, actionable training content that drives adoption and performance.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Instructional Design Consultant," the core responsibilities and the context of WSRS (Workplace Savings and Retirement Solutions) within a large financial institution like Principal Financial Group indicate this role functions as a critical operations enablement function. The focus on strategic initiatives, system enhancements, process changes, and modernization efforts directly impacts operational efficiency and employee performance in a regulated industry. Therefore, this role is categorized under Learning & Development / Operations Enablement to reflect its strategic operational impact.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Act as the dedicated learning and development lead for major strategic business initiatives, representing the WSRS Learning and Development Solutions team on project teams.

• Conduct thorough learning needs analyses by evaluating business changes, identifying impacted audiences, understanding stakeholder requirements, and assessing employee skill gaps, leveraging established instructional design frameworks.

• Design, develop, and maintain a variety of engaging learning solutions, including curriculum frameworks, training modules, and supporting materials for internal employees across WSRS functions.

• Skillfully translate intricate business processes, product details, and technical system functionalities into easily understandable and effective learning content that enhances learner comprehension and practical application.

• Develop impactful content and learning experiences specifically tailored to support strategic project goals, foster successful employee adoption of new tools and processes, and drive organizational change initiatives.

• Collaborate closely with training facilitators and other learning professionals to ensure seamless and successful rollout and delivery of designed learning solutions.

• Forge strong partnerships with stakeholders across customer care, sales, sales support, operations, compliance, document services, investment services, and other critical business units to guarantee learning solutions are strategically aligned with business goals, learner needs, and organizational priorities.

• Utilize learner feedback, performance data, and key business objectives to inform learning strategy recommendations, rigorously evaluate the effectiveness of training programs, and identify opportunities for continuous process and content improvement.

• Champion consistency and best practices within the broader learning and development community by contributing to the standardization of instructional design principles, core competencies, and emerging methodologies.

• Proactively explore and integrate emerging technologies, including AI-driven solutions, to innovate and enhance the design, development, and delivery of learning content and experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a strong project management and consulting aspect, typical of senior operations enablement roles. The need to partner with diverse business units and translate complex financial concepts highlights the operational criticality of this role in ensuring smooth transitions during product launches, system updates, and process re-engineering.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of relevant education and professional experience.

Experience: Minimum of 2 years of dedicated experience in instructional design, learning and development, adult learning theory application, or training development. A minimum of 4 years of experience within the Retirement industry, financial services sector, or a closely related business domain is a mandatory requirement.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrated expertise in applying core instructional design methodologies, such as ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation), and a strong understanding of adult learning principles.

• Proven experience in building and maintaining effective working relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders across multiple business functions and organizational levels.

• Hands-on experience in developing e-learning content, with a strong preference for proficiency in Articulate Rise.

• Exceptional ability to distill complex business information, technical specifications, and financial concepts into clear, concise, and effective learning solutions.

• Proficient in project management principles, with a strong capacity for managing multiple competing priorities in a dynamic and fast-paced environment.

• Excellent communication, consulting, and problem-solving skills, with a proven ability to influence stakeholders and drive consensus toward strategic learning objectives.

• Demonstrated ability to leverage data and performance metrics to inform learning strategies, evaluate program effectiveness, and drive continuous improvement initiatives. Preferred Skills:

• Experience supporting large, complex organizations with a multitude of stakeholder groups and varied business functions, common in enterprise financial services.

• Proficiency with additional learning technologies such as Articulate Storyline, Camtasia, SharePoint, Snagit, and advanced PowerPoint skills.

• Experience utilizing AI tools and platforms to enhance content creation, learning design efficiency, and personalized learning pathways.

• Experience in developing and implementing learning solutions that support organizational change management, employee adoption strategies, and business transformation efforts.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for 4+ years in the financial services/retirement industry alongside instructional design experience is a significant qualifier. This suggests the company is looking for someone who can immediately understand the nuances of their business and apply learning principles effectively within that context, rather than needing extensive onboarding for industry specifics. The emphasis on "Instructional Design Consultant 2" requirements suggests a strong potential for growth for the right candidate.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 2-3 distinct e-learning modules or comprehensive training programs developed using methodologies like ADDIE.

• Include examples demonstrating the translation of complex technical or business processes into accessible learning content, highlighting problem-solution framing.

• Provide evidence of how learning solutions were evaluated for effectiveness, ideally with quantifiable metrics (e.g., performance improvements, reduced error rates, increased adoption).

• Present case studies detailing collaboration with stakeholders, outlining the process of needs analysis, design decisions, and successful implementation outcomes. Process Documentation:

• Document the instructional design process followed for key projects, including needs analysis, learning objectives, content development, and evaluation strategies.

• Illustrate the workflow for developing and deploying e-learning content, detailing the tools and stages involved from concept to delivery.

• Showcase how feedback mechanisms and performance data were integrated to refine and improve learning solutions, demonstrating a commitment to continuous process optimization.

📝 Enhancement Note: For an Instructional Design Consultant role, a portfolio is crucial. The emphasis should be on demonstrating the process of instructional design and the impact of the learning solutions, not just the final products. Candidates should be prepared to discuss the rationale behind their design choices and how they measured success, aligning with operations' focus on efficiency and measurable outcomes.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $58,900 - $79,800 per year (for Des Moines, IA location).

Benefits:

• Flexible Time Off (FTO): Salaried (exempt) employees receive FTO for vacation, personal time, or short-term illness, without accrual of a specific bank of days.

• Pension Eligible: The position is eligible for a company pension plan, offering long-term financial security.

• Bonus Program: As a non-sales position, the role is eligible to participate in a bonus program, providing an opportunity for additional compensation based on company and individual performance.

• Comprehensive Health & Wellness: While not explicitly detailed, Principal typically offers robust benefits covering physical, financial, and social well-being, which would likely include health, dental, vision insurance, and retirement savings plans.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours are expected, likely around 40 hours per week. The hybrid work arrangement allows for flexibility in location.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range for Des Moines, IA ($58,900 - $79,800) is specific to the "Instructional Design Consultant 1" level. The broader company range of $55,800 - $126,000 indicates potential for growth into higher levels (e.g., Consultant 2) or different geographic locations. The "Pension Eligible" benefit is a significant, often rare, offering that signals long-term employee commitment and financial stability from the employer. The bonus program offers a performance-driven component to total compensation.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services, specifically focusing on Retirement and Workplace Savings solutions. Principal Financial Group is a long-standing leader in providing financial security products and services. This industry context implies a highly regulated environment, a focus on long-term planning, and a commitment to customer trust and data security.

Company Size: Principal Financial Group is a large, established financial institution. This typically means structured processes, defined career paths, and a significant emphasis on compliance and risk management. For operations-related roles, this can translate to opportunities for process optimization within stable frameworks and a need for meticulous attention to detail.

Founded: 1879. With over 140 years of history, Principal has a deeply ingrained culture and a proven track record. This longevity suggests stability, a strong mission, and a commitment to enduring customer relationships.

Team Structure: The role is part of the Workplace Savings and Retirement Solutions (WSRS) Learning and Development Solutions team. This team likely operates as a center of excellence for learning within WSRS, supporting various business functions.

• Team Size & Specialization: Likely a dedicated L&D team with specialists in instructional design, training delivery, and potentially learning technology.

• Reporting Structure: The consultant will report to a manager or director within the WSRS L&D team, with direct collaboration with project managers and business stakeholders.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: A significant aspect of this role involves partnering with numerous departments including customer care, sales, sales support, operations, compliance, document services, and investment services. This necessitates strong interpersonal and communication skills.

Methodology:

• Data Analysis & Insights: The role requires using learner insights and performance metrics to guide learning recommendations and evaluate effectiveness, aligning with data-driven operations principles.

• Workflow Planning & Optimization: Designing and developing learning solutions for strategic initiatives inherently involves workflow planning and optimization, ensuring new processes or systems are adopted smoothly.

• Automation & Efficiency: While not explicitly a technical operations role, the embrace of "AI-enabled solutions" suggests an interest in leveraging technology for efficiency in learning development and delivery.

Company Website: https://www.principal.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's long history and mission ("make financial security accessible to all") provide a strong cultural anchor. Operations roles within such organizations often benefit from a clear sense of purpose and the opportunity to contribute to tangible customer outcomes, even indirectly through enablement functions. The emphasis on "purpose-led firm" suggests a culture that values impact beyond just profit.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as an "Instructional Design Consultant 1," indicating an intermediate level. It requires demonstrated experience in instructional design methodologies and industry knowledge, with a focus on leading learning efforts for specific projects. The role acts as a key enabler for operational success by ensuring employees are equipped to handle new products, systems, and processes.

Reporting Structure: The Instructional Design Consultant will report to a manager within the WSRS Learning and Development Solutions team. They will work closely with project managers, business stakeholders, and subject matter experts (SMEs) from various operational departments. This matrixed reporting and collaboration is typical for project-focused roles in operations.

Operations Impact: This role directly impacts operational effectiveness by ensuring that employees in critical areas like customer care, sales, and general operations are proficient with new tools, products, and processes. Successful learning interventions lead to reduced errors, improved customer satisfaction, increased efficiency, and smoother adoption of strategic business changes, all of which are key operational KPIs.

Growth Opportunities:

• Operations Skill Advancement: Progression to "Instructional Design Consultant 2" is explicitly mentioned, requiring 6+ years in financial services/retirement or 3+ years in Instructional Systems Design. This path offers increased responsibility, scope, and complexity in learning projects.

• Learning & Development Specialization: Opportunities exist to deepen expertise in specific learning technologies (e.g., advanced Articulate Storyline, AI tools), learning methodologies, or specific business domains within WSRS.

• Leadership Potential: With demonstrated success in leading learning initiatives and influencing stakeholders, there's potential to move into leadership roles within the L&D team or transition into broader program management or operational roles that require strong enablement skills.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of a "Consultant 2" level and associated experience requirements provides a clear growth trajectory. For operations professionals, this role offers a pathway to leverage their understanding of business processes and systems to drive learning initiatives, a critical component of operational excellence and change management.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Principal offers a choice of work arrangements: in-office, hybrid, or remote. For this role, the hybrid option requires at least three office days per week. Remote work is an option only for those living more than 30 miles from designated office locations (Des Moines, IA; Raleigh, NC; Charlotte, NC). This blend is common in large corporations seeking to balance collaboration with employee flexibility.

Office Location(s): The primary location for this role is Des Moines, Iowa. Other specified locations where remote work might be considered include Raleigh, NC, and Charlotte, NC.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model is designed to foster collaboration. The expectation of three office days per week suggests a need for in-person interaction for brainstorming, stakeholder meetings, and team cohesion.

• Operations Tools & Technology: While specific tools are listed under "Tools & Technology Stack," the work environment will likely provide access to standard corporate IT infrastructure, including robust network connectivity, collaboration platforms, and potentially specialized learning development software.

• Team Interaction: The hybrid setup allows for a mix of in-person team meetings, project discussions, and individual work, promoting both focused development time and collaborative problem-solving.

Work Schedule: The position is full-time, with specific working hours to be determined by the leader, but standard corporate expectations apply. The hybrid arrangement provides some flexibility in the physical location of work, but adherence to project deadlines and meeting schedules is paramount for operational success.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work model is a key differentiator. For operations roles that often require deep focus, this offers a balance. The requirement of 3 office days per week in Des Moines (unless living more than 30 miles away) is crucial for candidates to understand, as it defines the level of in-person engagement expected.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: An AI-assisted review of applications will occur, followed by a human recruiter screen to assess foundational qualifications and alignment with role requirements.

• Hiring Manager Interview: This stage will likely focus on assessing your experience with instructional design methodologies, stakeholder management, and your understanding of the financial services/retirement industry. Be prepared to discuss specific projects from your portfolio.

• Skills Assessment/Case Study: A practical exercise may be administered, requiring you to analyze a business scenario and outline a learning solution approach, or present a detailed breakdown of a past project. This will test your ability to translate requirements into actionable learning strategies.

• Team/Stakeholder Interviews: You may meet with other members of the L&D team and key business stakeholders you would be collaborating with. This assesses cultural fit, communication style, and your ability to build rapport.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leader, focusing on strategic alignment, long-term vision, and overall fit within the organization.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-4 of your strongest projects that best demonstrate your skills in designing for complex business needs (especially financial services/retirement), using ADDIE, and developing e-learning.

• Focus on Impact: For each project, clearly articulate the business problem, your role, the learning objectives, the design choices you made and why, the development process, and most importantly, the measurable outcomes or impact on employee performance and business goals. Use data and metrics wherever possible.

• Highlight Process: Be ready to walk through your instructional design process for each example, explaining your analysis, design rationale, development approach, and evaluation methods.

• Tailor to Principal: Research Principal's mission, values, and current initiatives. If possible, tailor your examples or presentation to demonstrate how your skills align with their strategic goals in workplace savings and retirement solutions.

Challenge Preparation:

• Scenario-Based: Anticipate a scenario related to a new product launch, system update, or process change within a financial services context. Be prepared to outline your approach to needs assessment, learning objective setting, content design, and delivery strategy.

• Methodology Focus: Clearly articulate how you would apply ADDIE and adult learning principles to the given scenario.

• Stakeholder Communication: Practice how you would communicate your proposed learning strategy to different stakeholders (e.g., business leaders, operations managers, compliance officers), highlighting benefits and addressing potential concerns.

📝 Enhancement Note: The mention of AI in application review is significant. Candidates should ensure their resumes and cover letters are keyword-optimized for "Instructional Design," "ADDIE," "Adult Learning," "E-learning," "Articulate Rise," "Financial Services," and "Retirement Industry." The portfolio review will be a critical component, so candidates should prepare detailed case studies that showcase not just design skills but also problem-solving and impact measurement.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• E-learning Development: Articulate Rise (required), Articulate Storyline (preferred), Camtasia (preferred). These tools are essential for creating interactive and engaging online learning modules.

• Content Creation & Support: PowerPoint (required), Snagit (preferred). For presentations, visual aids, and screen capture.

• Collaboration & Content Management: SharePoint (preferred). Likely used for storing and organizing training materials, project documentation, and team collaboration.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Performance Metrics: While specific tools aren't listed, the role requires leveraging "learner insights, performance metrics, and business objectives to guide learning recommendations, evaluate effectiveness, and identify continuous improvement opportunities." This implies proficiency in interpreting data from learning management systems (LMS) or other performance tracking tools.

CRM & Automation:

• System Integration: While not directly a CRM role, understanding how learning impacts adoption of business systems (which may be CRM-related or proprietary financial systems) is key. The role supports "system enhancements" and "modernization efforts."

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on Articulate Rise as required and Articulate Storyline as preferred indicates a need for strong e-learning authoring skills. Understanding how learning solutions integrate with broader business systems and contribute to operational efficiency is crucial. The mention of AI tools suggests an openness to exploring new technologies for content development and delivery optimization.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Purpose-Driven: Principal's mission to "make financial security accessible to all" permeates the culture. Operations professionals are expected to contribute to this mission through their work, ensuring employees are well-equipped to serve clients.

• Integrity & Trust: As a financial institution, integrity is paramount. This translates to a culture of compliance, accuracy, and ethical decision-making in all operational and learning activities.

• Customer Focus: While this is an internal-facing role, the ultimate goal is to enhance employee capabilities that lead to better customer service and client outcomes.

• Efficiency & Continuous Improvement: The embrace of AI and focus on performance metrics points to a culture that values efficiency, process optimization, and a data-driven approach to learning and operational effectiveness.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Partnership: The role demands extensive collaboration with diverse teams, requiring strong interpersonal skills, active listening, and the ability to build consensus across different departmental priorities and perspectives.

• Consultative Approach: The "Consultant" title implies a proactive, advisory approach, working with stakeholders to understand their needs and co-create effective solutions rather than just fulfilling requests.

• Knowledge Sharing: Contributing to the broader L&D community suggests a culture that values sharing best practices, insights, and learnings to elevate the entire team's capabilities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The cultural values of Principal, particularly its purpose-driven nature and emphasis on integrity, are important for operations professionals to understand. They shape how decisions are made and how work is prioritized. A consultative and collaborative approach is essential for success in this role, as it requires navigating complex organizational dynamics.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Translating Complexity: A primary challenge will be distilling highly complex financial products, regulatory requirements, and technical system functionalities into easily digestible and actionable learning content for diverse audiences.

• Stakeholder Alignment: Managing expectations and driving alignment among numerous stakeholders with potentially competing priorities across various departments (e.g., Sales, Operations, Compliance) will require strong negotiation and influence skills.

• Measuring Impact: Demonstrating the tangible ROI of learning initiatives in a way that resonates with business leaders and directly ties to operational improvements or business outcomes can be challenging.

• Pace of Change: The financial services industry is dynamic. Keeping learning content current with evolving products, regulations, and technology requires agility and continuous updates.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Instructional Design: Opportunities to deepen expertise in areas like learning experience design (LXD), gamification, microlearning, and advanced e-learning development techniques.

• Industry Specialization: Gaining deeper knowledge of specific WSRS products, regulatory frameworks, and operational processes within Principal.

• Emerging Technologies: Hands-on experience with AI-enabled learning tools and other innovative technologies to enhance learning design and delivery.

• Project Leadership: Taking on lead roles for larger, more strategic learning initiatives, providing exposure to higher-level project management and strategic planning.

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding these challenges upfront allows candidates to prepare specific examples of how they have overcome similar obstacles in previous roles, demonstrating their problem-solving capabilities and resilience. The growth opportunities are clearly defined, offering a path for continuous professional development within the company.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for conducting a learning needs analysis for a complex system implementation in the financial services industry. How do you ensure all critical stakeholder needs are captured?" (Focus on ADDIE, stakeholder mapping, and data gathering.)

• "Walk me through a time you had to translate a highly technical or regulatory concept into a clear and engaging learning experience. What was your approach, and what was the outcome?" (Highlight simplification skills and impact measurement.)

• "How do you measure the effectiveness of your learning solutions, especially in terms of impacting operational performance or business objectives? Provide an example." (Emphasize metrics, KPIs, and ROI demonstration.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about Principal Financial Group's mission and values? How do you see your role as an Instructional Design Consultant contributing to our purpose?" (Research the company's mission, values, and recent news.)

• "Describe your experience working in a hybrid or remote environment. How do you ensure effective collaboration and communication with team members and stakeholders?" (Highlight remote collaboration tools and strategies.)

• "How do you approach building relationships and influencing stakeholders across different departments, especially when dealing with resistance to change or new learning initiatives?" (Focus on consulting skills, active listening, and persuasive communication.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: Structure your portfolio review as a narrative for each project: the challenge, your solution (design and development), and the results (impact).

• Visuals: Use screenshots, brief video clips, or interactive demos of your e-learning modules. Ensure any data or metrics are presented clearly and visually.

• Process Emphasis: Be ready to detail why you made certain design choices and how your process led to the outcome.

• Q&A Readiness: Anticipate questions about your design decisions, challenges faced, and how you would adapt your approach for Principal's specific context.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparing specific, STAR-method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) examples for these types of questions will be highly beneficial. Demonstrating an understanding of Principal's business and its strategic objectives will be key to showcasing cultural fit and strategic thinking.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations enablement position:

• Submit your application through the Principal Financial Group careers portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Prepare a digital portfolio that highlights 2-3 of your strongest instructional design projects, focusing on those relevant to financial services, complex systems, or process improvement. Ensure each project clearly articulates the problem, your solution, and measurable outcomes.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to emphasize keywords such as "Instructional Design," "ADDIE," "Adult Learning," "E-learning Development," "Articulate Rise," "Financial Services," "Retirement Industry," "Stakeholder Management," and "Project Management." Quantify your achievements whenever possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your instructional design process, your approach to translating complex information, and how you measure the impact of your learning solutions. Prepare specific examples using the STAR method.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Principal Financial Group's mission, values, recent news, and the WSRS division's strategic goals. Understand their commitment to financial security and how learning contributes to operational excellence.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.