Head of Learning Design

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About us

King's Digital are seeking a highly motivated Head of Learning Design to join a vibrant production team driving innovation and quality in online education.

About King's Digital

Our mission is to provide transformative, high-quality digital education, so students can learn, wherever they are.

We collaborate with academics and professional services staff across the university, and with our external partners, to design, develop and deliver a wide range of educational programmes.

Our learners study with us from across the world, choosing when and where they study, working around their schedules.

We are a dynamic team with ambitious growth targets in a priority area of development for King's. We proudly foster a supportive culture and community which prioritises both individual and collective wellbeing.

Employee support at King's includes flexible working arrangements, paid maternity/shared parental leave, menopausal support, an active wellbeing programme, training and development opportunities and much more. All of our staff benefit from a generous pension contribution as well.

As part of hybrid working at King's, all team members can work remotely for part of the week if they wish.

Join us as we open futures and unlock potential.

About the role

King's Vision 2029, the organisation's overarching strategic plan, articulates a clear and bold ambition for the future of digital provision across the university, supported by King's Digital. Specifically, it references an "aim to be the UK leader in online and blended delivery by 2029".

To ensure this objective of Vision 2029 is realised, King's Digital has embarked on an exciting and large-scale change programme to take the department to the next level. We are committed to excellence in education and dedicated to providing students with unparalleled learning experiences that prepare them for success in a rapidly evolving world.

The Head of Learning Design will have passion for, and experience in, the development of online higher education programmes. The successful candidate will lead a creative and highly experienced Learning Design team with oversight of the end-to-end learning design process.

The Head of Learning Design will lead on developing and implementing pedagogical strategies for online programmes across an increasingly diversified portfolio. King's Digital at King's College London proudly deliver high-quality curricula through flexible and easy-to-access online resources and, as a core component of the Production unit, the Learning Design team also play an integral role in the development of external projects offering expertise in learning design, these include transnational projects of varying scale.

Reporting to the Director of Production, you will work alongside the Head of Programme Development and Head of Learning Technology to continue shaping the strategic focus of the King's Digital production team. You will also work closely with the Associate Director of Academic Affairs to align working practices to wider institutional operations, developing a robust quality framework for online programme development.

This is a full time post of 35 hours, and you will be offered an indefinite contract.

Please note that due to the high level of interest in this position, the job advert may close earlier than the specified deadline if we receive a large number of applications. We encourage early submission to avoid disappointment.

About you

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

Essential criteria

1. First degree in any subject (minimum 2:2 and ideally 2:1 or above or international equivalent)
2. Deep understanding of learning theories, learning design models, and best practices in online education. Ability to apply pedagogical principles to create engaging, interactive, and learner-centred online learning experiences.
3. Demonstrable experience in leading learning design teams, focusing on curriculum development and educational technology within higher education, preferably in an online learning environment.
4. A strong commitment to diversity, inclusivity and accessibility. Promoting accessibility and designing inclusive learning experiences for diverse student populations.
5. Ability to present complex ideas clearly and creatively in a logical, coherent way, for a range of audiences.
6. Extensive experience training or supporting academics, course tutors or online teachers in learning design and the use of virtual learning environments and online platforms e.g Moodle, FutureLearn, EdX.
7. Ability to effectively lead a team with a complex caseload of programmes and projects.
8. Ability to recommend improvements to pedagogical design to improve student engagement and address digital discrimination.

Desirable criteria

1. Familiarity with accreditation standards and processes for online education, including experience preparing accreditation reports and participating in accreditation reviews.
2. Familiarity with quality assurance standards for online course design and experience applying QA principles to ensure the quality and effectiveness of online courses.
3. Relevant certifications in learning design, online learning, project management, or related areas.

Downloading a copy of our Job Description

Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document, provided at the bottom of the next page after you click "Apply Now". This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.

Further information

We pride ourselves on being inclusive and welcoming. We embrace diversity and want everyone to feel that they belong and are connected to others in our community.

We are committed to working with our staff and unions on these and other issues, to continue to support our people and to develop a diverse and inclusive culture at King's. We ask all candidates to submit a copy of their CV, and a supporting statement, detailing how they meet the essential criteria listed in the advert. If we receive a strong field of candidates, we may use the desirable criteria to choose our final shortlist, so please include your evidence against these where possible.

To find out how our managers will review your application, please take a look at our ' How we Recruit ' pages.

Interviews are due to be held on Wednesday 12th March 2025.

We are not able to offer sponsorship for candidates who do not currently possess the right to work in the UK.