Learning Design Manager

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Learning Design Manager

Company: Change Grow Live

Location: National Role (Hybrid) - Contractual base at nearest Change Grow Live office.

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Learning & Development Operations / Organizational Development

Date Posted: May 17, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the strategic design and development of impactful, evidence-based blended learning solutions that drive organizational change and improve lives.

• Champion the integration of learning science, digital innovation, and behavioral change principles to ensure sustained application and performance improvement.

• Manage, coach, and develop a specialist learning design team, establishing high standards for quality, governance, and consistency across all learning initiatives.

• Act as a central point of connection between learning strategy, technology adoption, and evolving organizational needs within a complex, mission-driven environment.

• Utilize data, feedback, and analytics to continuously evaluate learning impact and refine solutions to keep pace with organizational priorities and evolving industry best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Learning Design Manager," the description strongly emphasizes a strategic, leadership role focused on organizational impact and behavior change rather than just content creation. This aligns with a Revenue Operations or GTM Operations perspective where learning is a tool for performance improvement and achieving business objectives, hence the categorization within L&D Operations/Organizational Development. The emphasis on "not click-through content" and "learning that actually lands" indicates a need for a strategic approach to learning as a driver of business outcomes.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end design and development of blended learning solutions that are engaging, accessible, and directly aligned with real organizational needs and strategic priorities.

• Establish and embed robust quality assurance frameworks, governance protocols, and consistency standards across all learning design activities to ensure a high, evidence-based impact.

• Provide leadership, coaching, and professional development for a specialist learning design team, fostering a coordinated, high-quality, and outcome-focused delivery approach.

• Translate complex organizational priorities, diverse stakeholder requirements, and system constraints into clear, practical, and highly engaging learning solutions.

• Champion the application of learning science, digital innovation, and blended learning methodologies to ensure learning is actively applied in practice, leading to sustained performance improvements rather than mere completion.

• Collaborate closely with subject matter experts (SMEs), operational leaders, and digital teams to ensure learning solutions are seamlessly connected, relevant, and deeply embedded into day-to-day operational practices.

• Leverage data, user feedback, and learning analytics to rigorously evaluate the impact and effectiveness of learning interventions, driving continuous refinement and adaptation to organizational change.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strategic leadership role managing both people and processes within learning and development. This requires strong project management, stakeholder engagement, and a deep understanding of how learning initiatives contribute to broader organizational goals, mirroring the strategic oversight expected in operations roles.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Minimum of 5-10 years of progressive experience in learning design, instructional design, or a related L&D role, with at least 3 years in a leadership or management capacity.

Required Skills:

• Learning Design Strategy: Ability to conceptualize and design comprehensive blended learning programs that address complex organizational needs and drive measurable outcomes.

• Blended & Digital Learning Expertise: Deep understanding and practical experience in developing effective digital learning, e-learning, and blended learning solutions.

• Stakeholder Management & Engagement: Proven ability to build strong relationships, influence stakeholders at all levels, and manage diverse project requirements effectively.

• People Leadership & Team Development: Experience in leading, coaching, and developing a team of learning professionals, fostering a collaborative and high-performance environment.

• Learning Science & Behaviour Change: Solid understanding of adult learning principles, cognitive science, motivation theories, and behavior change models to inform design.

• Data Analysis & Impact Measurement: Proficiency in using data, feedback, and analytics to evaluate learning effectiveness, measure ROI, and drive continuous improvement.

• Project Management: Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, prioritize effectively, and meet deadlines.

• Instructional Design Methodologies: Familiarity with various instructional design models (e.g., ADDIE, SAM) and their practical application.

• Governance & Quality Assurance: Experience in establishing and implementing quality standards, governance frameworks, and best practices in learning development.

Preferred Skills:

• Learning Technology Proficiency: Familiarity with Learning Management Systems (LMS), authoring tools (e.g., Articulate Storyline, Adobe Captivate), and digital collaboration platforms.

• Performance Consulting: Ability to diagnose performance gaps and recommend appropriate learning and non-learning solutions.

• Change Management Principles: Understanding of change management frameworks and how to integrate learning into broader change initiatives.

• Experience in Social Services or Healthcare Sectors: Familiarity with the unique learning needs and operational challenges within these sectors.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required skills emphasize strategic thinking, leadership, and a deep understanding of learning effectiveness metrics, aligning with an operations-focused approach to L&D. The preference for specific sector experience and performance consulting highlights the need for practical, results-oriented application of learning design principles.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Impactful Case Studies: Demonstrate a minimum of 2-3 detailed case studies showcasing the design and implementation of blended or digital learning solutions. Each case study should clearly articulate the business challenge, the learning objectives, the design approach, the technology utilized, and critically, the measurable impact on behavior, performance, or organizational outcomes.

• Process Documentation Examples: Include examples of process documentation related to learning design workflows, quality assurance checks, or governance frameworks that you have developed or implemented.

• Stakeholder Management Examples: Showcase instances where you successfully managed complex stakeholder relationships to achieve learning design objectives, perhaps through project plans, communication strategies, or feedback summaries.

• Team Leadership Examples: If applicable, provide evidence of how you have led, mentored, or developed a learning design team, including any strategies for skill enhancement or performance improvement.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Provide documentation or descriptions of your process for designing learning solutions, from needs analysis and stakeholder consultation through to solution development and deployment. Highlight how you ensure efficiency and quality in these workflows.

• Implementation & Automation: Detail your approach to implementing learning solutions, including strategies for embedding learning into the workflow and leveraging technology for scalability and accessibility. Examples of how you've automated processes within L&D are highly valued.

• Measurement & Performance Analysis: Demonstrate your methods for evaluating the effectiveness of learning interventions, including the types of data collected, analysis techniques used, and how insights are translated into actionable improvements for future designs.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a leadership role in learning design, a portfolio is crucial. It needs to demonstrate not just design skills but also strategic thinking, process management, and the ability to prove ROI – all key elements in operations roles. The emphasis on "impact" and "measurable outcomes" is critical.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• £42,076.87 - £46,683.60 per annum (pro rata if part-time). This is based on CGL points 38 to 42.

• Note: Salary is subject to review in line with the 2025/26 pay award.

• London Weighting: London Weighting is applied if the contractual base is in London, in line with Change Grow Live policy. This role is designated as Outside London Weighting Area (ILW/OLW/Fringe: N/A).

Benefits:

• Generous Annual Leave: Starting at 25 days per year, increasing annually to 30 days (plus bank holidays).

• Wellness Support: A paid weekly Wellness Hour, access to a wellbeing hub, and a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme.

• Pension Scheme: Contributory pension scheme to support long-term financial planning.

• Employee Perks: A wide range of employee benefits and discounts available.

• Professional Growth: Opportunities for learning, development, and career progression within a supportive, values-led environment.

Working Hours:

• Full-time hours are 37.5 hours per week. For part-time roles, salary and payments will be pro-rata based on contracted hours.

• The role is national and hybrid, requiring regular travel.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is specific and falls within typical mid-level to senior L&D management roles in the UK non-profit sector. The mention of a pay award review indicates potential for salary increases. The benefits package is comprehensive, with a strong emphasis on employee wellbeing and professional development, which are key considerations for attracting and retaining talent in specialized roles.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Social Services / Health and Social Care. Change Grow Live operates within a sector focused on supporting individuals with complex needs, including substance misuse, mental health challenges, and homelessness. This context necessitates a compassionate, evidence-based, and community-rooted approach.

Company Size: Change Grow Live is a significant national charity, reflecting a large organizational structure with diverse services and a substantial workforce. This implies a need for scalable learning solutions and robust operational processes.

Founded: While the founding date isn't explicitly stated, the company's description as a well-established organization with "2030 ambitions" suggests a long-standing presence and a forward-looking strategic vision.

Team Structure:

• Learning Design Team: You will lead and develop a specialist learning design team responsible for creating impactful learning solutions. This team likely comprises instructional designers, content developers, and potentially e-learning specialists.

• Reporting Structure: The role likely reports into a Head of L&D, Director of People/HR, or a similar senior leadership position within the organization's People/HR function.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: This role demands close collaboration with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) from various service delivery areas, operational leaders to understand business needs, and digital teams to leverage technology effectively.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Decision Making: The company emphasizes being "built on evidence" and using "data, insight and learning to continuously improve outcomes." This signifies a commitment to evidence-based practices and performance measurement in all areas, including learning.

• Workflow Planning & Optimization: The role requires translating organizational challenges into clear learning solutions, implying a structured approach to planning and optimizing learning development workflows.

• Automation & Efficiency: While not explicitly stated, the need to "keep pace with organizational change" and the focus on "digital innovation" suggest an interest in leveraging technology to enhance efficiency and scalability in learning delivery.

Company Website: https://www.changegrowlive.org/

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding the company's mission in social services is critical. It frames the purpose of learning as directly impacting lives and communities, requiring a different approach than purely commercial objectives. The emphasis on evidence and community roots informs the expected culture and operational focus.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is a senior management position within the Learning & Development function, acting as a key leader responsible for shaping the organization's learning strategy and execution. It sits above individual contributor learning designers and below executive-level L&D or HR leadership. The scope includes strategic design, team management, and cross-functional influence.

Reporting Structure: The Learning Design Manager will report to a senior leader (e.g., Head of L&D, HR Director) and will directly manage a team of learning designers. This structure allows for strategic direction from above and operational execution through the managed team.

Operations Impact: The impact of this role is directly tied to enhancing the capabilities and performance of Change Grow Live's workforce. By designing effective learning, the manager contributes to improved service delivery, better outcomes for beneficiaries, and the overall achievement of the organization's 2030 ambitions. This is crucial for mission-driven organizations where human capital performance is paramount to success.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Advancement: Potential to progress into a Head of L&D or Director of Organizational Development role, overseeing broader learning, talent, and OD initiatives.

• Strategic Influence: Opportunity to shape the future of learning and development across the entire organization, influencing strategic direction and investment in learning technologies and methodologies.

• Specialization & Expertise: Deepen expertise in specific areas such as learning science, digital learning strategy, or behavior change within a complex social impact context.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Develop broader leadership experience by collaborating across different departments and potentially leading cross-functional projects related to organizational effectiveness.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a significant opportunity to impact an organization's mission through strategic learning initiatives. The growth potential is tied to expanding leadership scope and strategic influence within the L&D and broader organizational development space.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is national and hybrid, meaning there will be a contractual base at a Change Grow Live office, but significant remote work is expected. Regular travel to various Change Grow Live locations and potentially external sites will be necessary for stakeholder engagement, team support, and understanding operational contexts.

Office Location(s): The contractual base will be the employee's nearest Change Grow Live office. The organization operates nationally, so specific locations will vary based on employee location. This hybrid model aims to balance remote flexibility with the need for in-person collaboration and team presence.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid nature requires proactive engagement and collaboration, both virtually and in person. Regular travel will foster connections with teams across different sites.

• Operations Tools & Technology: Access to standard office technology, communication platforms (e.g., Microsoft Teams, Zoom), and potentially specialized learning development software and LMS will be provided. The role requires proficiency in leveraging these tools for design, collaboration, and management.

• Team Interaction: While the team is likely distributed, opportunities for team meetings, workshops, and face-to-face interactions will be crucial for fostering cohesion and effective collaboration.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours are 37.5 per week. The hybrid nature allows for some flexibility in managing work hours, but regular travel and team/stakeholder needs will dictate the schedule. The focus is on achieving outcomes rather than strict adherence to office presence.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature and national scope require strong self-management, communication skills, and the ability to build relationships across a distributed workforce. Travel is an integral part of the role, necessitating flexibility and adaptability.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Application Review: Applications will be screened against the core requirements, with a strong emphasis on relevant experience in learning design leadership and demonstrable impact.

• Portfolio Submission & Review: Candidates will likely be asked to submit a portfolio showcasing their work. This will be a critical step, with reviewers assessing the quality, strategic thinking, and impact demonstrated in case studies and process examples.

• First Interview (Screening/Skills): This interview will likely focus on your experience, leadership style, understanding of learning science, and your approach to managing design processes and teams. Expect behavioral questions.

• Second Interview (Case Study/Presentation): Candidates may be asked to prepare a presentation or case study analysis based on a prompt related to organizational challenges at Change Grow Live. This assesses strategic thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills.

• Final Interview (Senior Leadership): This stage will involve meeting with senior leaders to assess cultural fit, strategic alignment with the organization's mission and values, and overall leadership potential.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Focus on Impact: Prioritize case studies that clearly demonstrate measurable results and positive impact on individuals, teams, or the organization. Quantify achievements wherever possible (e.g., "reduced error rates by X%", "increased knowledge retention by Y%").

• Showcase Process & Strategy: Don't just show the final product; explain your thought process, the methodologies used (learning science, design models), and how you managed stakeholders and potential challenges.

• Tailor to the Role: Highlight examples relevant to complex organizations, behavior change, and blended/digital learning. Align your portfolio with Change Grow Live's values (open, compassionate, bold) and mission.

• Clarity and Conciseness: Present your portfolio in a well-organized, easy-to-navigate format. Use clear language and compelling visuals. Be prepared to walk through your work and answer detailed questions about your contributions.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Organization: Research Change Grow Live's mission, values, services, and strategic goals (e.g., 2030 ambitions). Understand the context of social services and the specific challenges faced by non-profits in this sector.

• Prepare for Behavioral Questions: Anticipate questions about leadership, team management, stakeholder conflict resolution, and how you handle ambiguity or complex challenges. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

• Think Strategically about Learning: Be ready to discuss how learning can be a strategic lever for organizational change, performance improvement, and achieving mission-critical objectives. Consider how you would approach designing learning for diverse user groups with varying needs and access to technology.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is designed to assess strategic thinking, leadership capability, and practical application of learning design principles. A strong portfolio demonstrating measurable impact is paramount, and candidates should be prepared to articulate their process and strategic rationale.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Learning Authoring Tools: Proficiency with industry-standard tools such as Articulate Storyline, Adobe Captivate, or similar is expected for creating engaging digital learning content.

• Learning Management System (LMS): Experience with managing, deploying, and reporting on learning through an LMS is essential. Specific platform knowledge (e.g., Moodle, Docebo, Cornerstone) might be beneficial.

• Digital Collaboration Platforms: Expertise in using tools like Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Slack, or similar for virtual meetings, team communication, and collaborative design sessions.

• Project Management Software: Familiarity with tools like Asana, Trello, Monday.com, or Jira for managing learning design projects, tracking progress, and coordinating tasks.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Learning Analytics Tools: Ability to interpret data from LMS and other sources to measure learner engagement, completion rates, knowledge retention, and impact.

• Data Visualization Tools: Experience using tools like Tableau, Power BI, or even advanced Excel functions to create clear reports and dashboards for stakeholders.

• Survey & Feedback Tools: Proficiency with tools like SurveyMonkey, Google Forms, or Typeform for gathering learner feedback and evaluating program effectiveness.

CRM & Automation:

• CRM (Indirect Relevance): While not a direct CRM role, understanding how learning relates to CRM functions (e.g., sales training, customer service skills) might be beneficial depending on specific organizational needs.

• Workflow Automation: Familiarity with tools or principles that can automate repetitive L&D processes (e.g., notifications, enrollment, reporting) to improve efficiency.

• Integration Basics: Understanding how different learning technologies might integrate to provide a seamless experience for learners and administrators.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack emphasizes tools for content creation, delivery, management, and analysis. A candidate's ability to leverage these tools effectively to create engaging, measurable, and scalable learning solutions is key.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Be Open: Demonstrates transparency in design processes, feedback mechanisms, and decision-making. Encourages diverse perspectives and embraces new ideas to foster innovation in learning.

• Be Compassionate: Designs learning with empathy for the learner, considering their diverse needs, backgrounds, and challenges. Fosters a supportive team environment where individuals feel valued and understood.

• Be Bold: Encourages innovation and challenging the status quo in learning design. Takes calculated risks to explore new methodologies and technologies that can drive significant impact.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Actively seeks partnerships with SMEs, operational leaders, and digital teams to ensure learning solutions are deeply integrated into business processes and strategic objectives. Proactively shares insights and seeks input.

• Process Review & Feedback Culture: Establishes mechanisms for constructive feedback on learning designs and processes, both within the team and from stakeholders. Encourages a culture of continuous improvement based on feedback.

• Knowledge Sharing & Experimentation: Fosters an environment where team members share best practices, learnings, and new insights. Encourages experimentation with new tools and techniques to drive innovation and efficiency in learning development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's core values—Open, Compassionate, Bold—should permeate the approach to learning design and team management. This means creating inclusive learning experiences, being transparent in processes, and being willing to innovate.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Strategic Vision with Operational Delivery: Ensuring the team delivers high-quality learning solutions that meet immediate organizational needs while also advancing a longer-term, strategic learning agenda.

• Driving Behaviour Change at Scale: The core challenge is moving beyond simple completion of training to ensuring learning is applied in practice and leads to sustained behavior change and performance improvement across a large, dispersed workforce.

• Leveraging Technology Effectively: Keeping pace with advancements in learning technology and successfully integrating new tools and digital approaches to enhance engagement and accessibility, particularly within a non-profit budget.

• Measuring True Impact: Developing robust methods to measure the ROI and impact of learning interventions beyond traditional metrics like completion rates, demonstrating clear value to the organization and its beneficiaries.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Operations Skill Advancement: Opportunity to deepen expertise in areas like learning analytics, performance consulting, and advanced instructional design techniques.

• Industry Engagement: Potential to attend relevant conferences (e.g., Learning Technologies, ATD), join professional networks, and pursue certifications in learning and development or organizational psychology.

• Leadership Development: Access to leadership training programs, mentorship opportunities within Change Grow Live, and the chance to develop strategic leadership capabilities.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should be prepared to discuss how they would tackle these challenges, demonstrating a proactive and strategic approach to problem-solving and continuous improvement in learning operations.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach designing a comprehensive blended learning program for our frontline staff to improve their engagement with beneficiaries, ensuring the learning is applied consistently across different service locations?" (Focus on process, learning science, stakeholder engagement, and impact measurement.)

• "Describe a time you had to manage conflicting priorities or requirements from different stakeholders regarding a learning initiative. How did you resolve it and ensure a successful outcome?" (Focus on stakeholder management, negotiation, and strategic alignment.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "How do Change Grow Live's values (Open, Compassionate, Bold) influence your approach to leading a learning design team and designing learning solutions?" (Focus on cultural fit and values alignment.)

• "How would you foster a culture of continuous learning and feedback within your team and with the broader organization?" (Focus on team dynamics, collaboration, and process improvement.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Begin with a high-level overview of your portfolio, then dive into 1-2 key case studies that best represent your strategic thinking and quantifiable achievements.

• Tell a Story: For each case study, clearly articulate the problem, your proposed solution (design process), the implementation, and the ultimate results. Emphasize your role and the specific actions you took.

• Highlight Process & Rationale: Be prepared to explain why you made certain design choices, referencing learning science principles, stakeholder input, and organizational goals.

• Quantify Results: Whenever possible, present data and metrics that demonstrate the success of your learning interventions. Explain how you gathered and interpreted this data.

• Engage Your Audience: Make your presentation interactive, inviting questions and discussion. Tailor your examples to resonate with the specific context of Change Grow Live.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview questions will assess not only your technical skills in learning design but also your strategic leadership, understanding of organizational impact, and alignment with Change Grow Live's values. The portfolio presentation is a critical opportunity to showcase your capabilities.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Learning Design Manager position:

• Submit Your Application: Complete the online application form through the provided link.

• Portfolio Customization: Curate your portfolio to highlight 2-3 of your most impactful learning design projects. Focus on case studies that demonstrate strategic thinking, measurable outcomes, and experience in complex organizations or behavior change initiatives. Ensure your portfolio clearly articulates the business challenge, your solution, and the results achieved.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to emphasize leadership experience, strategic learning design, team management, and your understanding of learning science and impact measurement. Use keywords from the job description like "blended learning," "digital learning," "stakeholder management," "behavior change," and "impact measurement."

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your experience using the STAR method for behavioral questions. Prepare to discuss your strategic approach to learning design, team leadership, and how you measure learning impact. Rehearse your portfolio presentation, focusing on clarity, impact, and strategic rationale.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Change Grow Live's mission, values, services, and strategic goals. Understand their commitment to "evidence and compassion" and "community roots." Consider how your skills and experience can best contribute to these overarching objectives.

⚠️ 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.