Fast Facts

InStride is seeking an Accelerator Design & Development Director who will lead the design and implementation of innovative learning programs that align with business objectives while leveraging advanced learning methodologies and technology.

Responsibilities: The Director will engage with employers to develop custom learning programs, oversee the integration of AI in learning design, collaborate with academic partners, manage instructional teams, and advance InStride's learning models for scalability.

Skills: Candidates should demonstrate expertise in learning innovation, program design, client engagement, instructional design leadership, and strategic problem solving, along with familiarity in AI-enabled learning and managing complex projects.

Qualifications: 10+ years in learning design, strong background in adult education principles, experience in corporate and academic partnerships, and a proven track record in scaling learning programs are preferred.

Location: This position can be performed remotely or from the Los Angeles, CA area, with occasional travel required.

Compensation: Not provided by employer. Typical compensation ranges for this position are between $120,000 - $180,000.

What we're looking for (role overview):

At InStride, we’re redefining how employers develop talent—through applied, university-quality learning that delivers measurable business impact. Our Capability Accelerators—cohort-based, role-aligned programs co-developed with leading universities and employers—help organizations build the skills that drive performance and mobility at scale.

To build on this momentum, we’re hiring an Accelerator Design and Development Director to design and scale the next generation of these programs. This role sits at the intersection of business, learning science, and technology—leading innovation in applied learning, deliberate practice, and AI-enabled feedback to transform workforce capability.

Reporting to the Enterprise Learning Director, you’ll lead the design and development of custom and ready-to-deploy Accelerators, turning employer priorities into structured program blueprints and bringing them to life with academic and industry partners. You’ll also codify and evolve the Accelerator model—creating the systems, templates, and frameworks that ensure quality, scalability, and continuous innovation across our portfolio.

This is both a strategic and hands-on role: you’ll design flagship programs for employers today while building the foundation and tools that power InStride’s growth tomorrow.

Skills we’d love to see you show off:

• Learning Innovation & AI Fluency: Skilled at using AI, simulation, and practice-based learning to personalize experiences, deepen engagement, and accelerate skill development.
• Program Design & Development Expertise: Proven record designing enterprise learning programs—from concept to launch—grounded in learning science and aligned to business outcomes.
• Client Engagement & Relationship Management: Experienced collaboration with senior L&D leaders and CLOs to translate business goals into actionable, high-impact learning designs.
• Higher Ed + Corporate Experience: Confident navigating between academic and corporate worlds—blending academic rigor with employer relevance and speed.
• Learning Systems Builder: Expert at codifying models, creating templates and playbooks, and scaling innovation into repeatable excellence.
• Instructional Design Leadership: Adept at guiding instructional designers and content teams across multiple platforms to deliver engaging, high-quality programs.
• Strategic Problem Solving: Able to connect the dots between business needs, learning strategy, and measurable outcomes—balancing creativity with execution.
• Project Management Excellence: Experienced managing complex, multi-stakeholder projects with clarity, precision, and accountability.
• Collaboration & Influence: Strong communicator who builds trust and alignment across employers, academic partners, and internal teams.
• Entrepreneurial Drive: Thrives in a fast-paced, high-growth environment—energized by building what doesn’t yet exist.

Who you are (ideal profile):

• 10+ years in learning design, corporate education, or higher education, with a track record of building and scaling innovative learning programs that deliver measurable impact.
• Deep understanding of adult learning and instructional design principles, including applied and cohort-based models.
• Experience partnering with enterprise clients to co-design programs tied to business performance and capability development.
• Proven success working with academic institutions or faculty to co-create programs that combine rigor with real-world relevance.
• Familiarity with AI-enabled learning design, adaptive feedback, or simulation-based practice environments.
• Experience managing instructional design teams or vendors to deliver high-quality, complex projects.
• Skilled at building and improving learning systems, processes, and frameworks for scale and continuous improvement.
• Strategic and organized—able to juggle multiple priorities while maintaining focus on quality and outcomes.
• Comfortable navigating ambiguity and adapting quickly as technology and client needs evolve.
• Willingness to travel occasionally to collaborate with clients, academic partners, and internal teams.

How you will create impact (key responsibilities):

• Lead employer engagements during the design and development of custom and semi-custom Capability Accelerators—translating business needs into structured, outcome-driven learning blueprints.
• Design or oversee development of programs that integrate AI-enabled practice, simulation, and feedback to drive measurable skill growth.
• Collaborate with academic and industry partners to co-create programs that combine academic rigor with business relevance.
• Manage instructional designers and content developers (contract and, over time, full-time) to deliver engaging, high-quality learning experiences.
• Advance InStride’s ready-to-deploy Accelerators by refining and adapting core content for rapid customization and scale.
• Codify and continuously improve the Capability Accelerator model—developing repeatable design systems, templates, and playbooks.
• Partner with internal teams to ensure tight alignment between client objectives, academic partnerships, and delivery execution.
• Manage multiple concurrent projects with clear priorities, communication, and accountability.
• Review feedback and performance data to continuously strengthen content, models, and learner impact.
• Build for scale—help define the systems, tools, and workflows that enable InStride’s expanding Accelerator portfolio.