PLEASE NOTE: Recruitment for this role is being managed exclusively by Telfer Partners. To apply, please email your CV and covering letter to Neil Telfer at neiltelferpartners.com. About the role: As a Learning Design Manager, you will change leaders who change the world by working with the Head of Digital (JBSEEL) and Director of Digital Education, to develop and implement a Learning Design Strategy for JBSEEL which drives Learning Design and pedagogical excellence across all of our activities most specifically into our Executive Education programmes and commercial product offering. The successful candidate will act as the senior member and leader of the Learning Design team. The creation of a dedicated Learning Design team is a new and important strategic development for JBSEEL. Accordingly, the role of Learning Design Manager is a unique and exciting opportunity for a strategic and proactive Learning Design professional to establish, shape, and lead a team to maximise the impact and value of learning design at JBSEEL. The Learning Design Manager will establish and proactively lead the team to success. They will, in collaboration with the Head of Digital (JBSEEL) and Director of Digital Education, develop a learning design strategy for JBSEEL which plans and executes the potential for pedagogical excellence to be embedded into our Business Development teams and client programmes. The Learning Design Manager will help colleagues understand the principles of best practice in Learning Design and harness its potential within our product offering and organisation. They will work with Custom Programme Business Development colleagues on bids, proposals and contracted business to showcase the pedagogical excellence and impact of Executive Education at Cambridge. More generally, the Learning Design Manager will advocate skills development for the rest of the business around the Learning Design capabilities and run training sessions and workshops in line with in-house sessions such as the Elevate bootcamp and Digital. They will be responsible for the professional development, growth, and impact of two direct reports and will represent the team in the wider organisation. They will ensure innovative and differentiated learning experiences for both online and face to face programmes during the next stage of our growth. This will include curating and implementing world-class, innovative learning solutions which combine premium Cambridge content and research with innovative methods (eg simulations, apps, business games, immersions, role plays), and the latest educational technologies (eg digital learning, virtual classrooms, virtual reality (VR)/ augmented reality (AR), AI-driven personalisation, digital learning platforms) across fully online asynchronous, face-to-face, live virtual, blended modalities. The role holder will have significant experience of leading a team to design and develop engaging content and producing technology-enabled learning. They will be comfortable working independently in an environment that is fast-paced, deadline-driven, challenging and varied. They will work closely with art directors, developers and project managers as well as client subject matter experts (SMEs) and faculty to develop learning solutions. A fast learner with a creative flair and aptitude for problem solving, they will be a persuasive communicator able to write and speak in a clear, concise, and engaging way. We foster a collaborative culture within the department, and we encourage team working and peer support on all our projects. This role intersects with other departments and the post holder will work flexibly in multiple project teams. Main responsibilities: Design and implementation of strategy Work with the Head of Digital (JBSEEL) and Director of Digital Education in developing and implementing a strategic plan to drive and embed commercial and pedagogical Learning Design at JBSEEL in order to maximise financial contribution and business growth. Maintain close working relationships with internal and external stakeholders including faculty, members of Open and Custom Business Development teams and clients. Increase the quality and impact of our in-house Learning Design function to add value to our teams, clients and commercial offering. Operational and Line Management Maintain a highly collaborative and service-oriented Learning Design Team. Specifically, this position will oversee two Learning Design Consultants and require management of workloads, ensuring quality control, and timely project completion. Ensuring team resources are allocated to cover client requirements across both Open and Custom Programmes, and taking a proportionate amount of that work. Offer skills development, training, facilitation of career pathways, and evaluation of performance for direct reports which support the growth and impact of the Learning Design function. In close collaboration with the Head of Digital (JBSEEL) and Director of Digital Education, ensure the effective running of the JBSEEL Learning Design function. Set priorities and communicate to the Leadership Team. Review and evaluate annually. Take the lead in finding ways to optimise the deployment of new technologies, resources, finding and implementing operational efficiencies and ensuring effective resource management processes and systems are in place. Design leadership Support and promote a differentiated learning design for Executive Education, including sourcing and curating new learning solutions, innovations, partners and methods and successfully integrating them with faculty premium content delivery. Working in partnership with the Executive Education Digital team and also CJBS Digital Learning (DL) team and IT/audio visual (AV) media specialists to continually develop digital learning solutions for Executive Education and CJBS. Inform design and development with latest pedagogical insights from the future of learning, neuroscience of learning, future of work and educational innovation/best practice globally. Lead on learning quality, innovation and currency, reporting regularly on evaluations of the quality of learning design and delivery, and new learning technology applications. Driving understanding and skill across the Executive Education team in applying new educational technologies to enhance and differentiate experiential learning design across the portfolio. Proposals and bids Be a lead contributor to bid strategies through building a compelling, market-leading programme design narrative and integrating appropriate innovative learning methods, technologies and experiences to meet client needs. At the proposal stage for custom programmes, work with the Custom Business Development team and faculty Academic Programme Directors (APDs) to create an overarching storyboard. Provide a consultative approach for both existing and prospective clients, and APDs, establishing yourself as the trusted advisor on programme design and suitable pedagogical modalities. Assist the Custom Business Development team in the creation of pedagogically robust and compelling responses, to request for proposal or capability statements, often within short response times. Join client meetings when required to present innovative learning solutions in collaboration with APDs and other Business Development Team members. Ensure that there is a coherent and clear theme for a programme proposal, based on the University of Cambridge's values and mission and on our faculty expertise and knowledge. Encourage and champion the use of creativity in session design and delivery, including chairing and facilitating creative design sprints, incorporating faculty from the wider University as well as the business school and our network of academics and practitioners. Provide APDs with support in briefing faculty on the purpose and context of their teaching on the programme. Ensure that the Custom Business Development team and APDs are encouraged to refresh and renew continuing or repeat programmes, to maintain relevance and reflect latest thinking and research. Curriculum enrichment Advise and enhance current design tools and curricula through innovative methods (eg simulations, apps, business games, immersions), and the latest educational technologies (eg digital learning, virtual classrooms, VR/AR, AI-driven personalisation, digital learning platforms) across face-to-face, live virtual, blended and digital modalities. Design digital and in person simulation exercises and classroom-based exercises that reinforce learning and explore transfer of learning to the workplace. Engage with programme colleagues within CJBS to share learning of pedagogical solutions that can be used both in custom executive education programmes and accredited programmes in the Business School. Seek out potential contributors and experts from within the University of Cambridge who could work with us to increase our creativity and our relevance for clients. Additionally: Contribute effectively to JBSEEL values and team activities. Participate in and contribute to special projects where relevant. About you: Our ideal candidate should have the following qualities, skills and attributes. You are asked to provide a CV and a covering letter demonstrating how your own experience meets these requirements: Essential: Extensive experience of designing learning solutions for complex problems and within complex client environments, preferably across face to face, blended, live virtual and digital modalities. Behaviourally oriented towards innovation, continuous improvement, creativity, and experimentation. Experience of effectively leading, managing and developing a team. Ability to take a strategic approach to developing a function and demonstrate commercial and pedagogical value add. Knowledge and understanding of pedagogical approaches which facilitate understanding and the transfer of learning, and ability to advise and influence clients and teams accordingly. Excellent client-facing ability to communicate innovative learning design concepts and be able to tell a narrative across a programme. Excellent client and faculty-facing communication and presentation skills, with the ability to demonstrate accuracy and fluency in spoken and written communications. Extensive experience in training and facilitation including assessing. Experience of assessing learning needs, curriculum design of, evaluation of events and assessment of learning outcomes. Experience in devising and implementing agreed metrics to assess return on investment. Experience of designing and delivering tailor made or consultancy services in line with client needs. Experience of transferring classroom teaching materials to online delivery. Experience of working cross-departmentally within multiple project teams. Experience in facilitating and directing client scoping workshops and needs analysis. Financial awareness and the aptitude to learn to manage costs and develop budgets. Enjoys working as part of a team but confident when working independently and comfortable taking responsibility where required. A flexible approach to work to ensure that clients’ and stakeholders’ needs are met within the scope of the project and, in some instances, within short timelines. Networking, representation, highly communicative. Desirable: APM, Agile Project Management, or accreditation. Experience working with Fortune 500 organisations. Understanding and experience of a business school executive education, professional services learning solutions or edtech environment. Deep experience of applying digital and virtual learning methods including simulations, apps, VR/AR, virtual classroom or other technologies in an executive education setting. Other information: There will be a nine-month probationary period. Working hours are 40 hours per week. The successful applicant must be willing to work such additional hours as are necessary for the proper performance of their duties, including evenings and weekends. This is a hybrid role, with a current company-wide requirement of a minimum of two working days from our office in Cambridge. Please note that the nature of this particular role involves on-location programme support and delivery, therefore the successful candidate will be expected to attend the office more regularly than this should business demand require. Flexible working patterns and schedules are supported. PLEASE NOTE: Recruitment for this role is being managed exclusively by Telfer Partners. To apply, please email your CV and covering letter to Neil Telfer at neiltelferpartners.com.