Academic Learning Design Lead (Module Design and Development)

Arden University; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Arden University is seeking a passionate Academic Learning Design Lead for their Marketing Department. The role involves leading the academic design of evolving modules in a home-based capacity with a strong focus on student engagement and success. Candidates should demonstrate experience in developing online learning environments and possess strong collaborative skills.

Benefits

Access to UK Employee Assistance Programme

Generous Aviva pension plan with company contribution of 7%

Discounts and savings schemes

Rolled up holiday pay, including Christmas closure

Qualifications

• Experience in academic design and development of high-quality modules.
• Ability to create engaging and inclusive learning experiences.
• Strong written communication skills and understanding of inclusive design principles.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design of academic modules in alignment with learning outcomes.
• Create interactive online lessons using multimedia elements.
• Develop inclusive assessment tasks focused on student feedback.

Skills

Digital Marketing

User Experience Design

Assessment Practices

Interactive Learning Design

Education

Experience designing online or blended learning modules

Tools

Moodle

Padlet

Mentimeter

H5P

Job description

• Minimum hours: 90 hours per module
• School:School of Business Management & Executive Education
• Department: Department of Marketing
• Working model: Home-based with occasional travel to the office
• Rates of Pay:£34.60 per hour (which includes rolled upholiday pay)

* This is a 'worker contract' position, and due to the working model, only applicants based in the UK are eligible to apply. The hours stated are not guaranteed, and lesson allocation will be determined by the school's needs.

* We do not offer remote contracts at Arden University. If this role is primarily home-based, the closest contract location to your address will be listed as your official work location.

The Opportunity

We are excited to announce a fantastic opportunity for an Academic Learning Design Lead: Module Design and Development to join Arden University’s dynamic Marketing Department. In this role, you will lead the academic design and development of high-quality modules within our Virtual Learning Environment (iLearn, built on Moodle). Working collaboratively with colleagues across academic and professional services teams, you will create engaging, inclusive, and innovative learning experiences that align with Arden’s Prepare, Engage, Demonstrate (PED) model. Your contributions will be central to advancing our mission of supporting student continuation, engagement, and success in our distance learning environment.

The design and development of modules need to be created for the following areas of expertise:

• Digital Advertising
• Search Engine Optimisation and Copywriting
• User Experience Design
• Digital Marketing Campaigns
• Research for Digital Marketing

Main Responsibilities

• Module Design Leadership: Lead the academic design of assigned modules, aligning with learning outcomes, institutional strategy, and the PED model.
• Collaborative Design Process: Contribute to key development stages, including Kick-off Meetings, Design Workshops, Sprints, and Sign-Off.
• Content Creation and Co-Development: Develop and co-create pedagogically sound online lessons, integrating interactive and multimedia-rich elements.
• Assessment Development: Design authentic, inclusive, and feedback-focused assessment tasks.
• Timeliness and Communication: Proactively manage progress, meet deadlines, and flag risks or challenges early.
• Quality Assurance: Work with Academic Reviewers to ensure modules meet academic and pedagogical standards.
• Professional Development: Engage with training to stay current on digital skills, pedagogy, and emerging technologies.

About You:

As our new Academic Learning Design Lead: Module Design and Development you will have a passion for creating structured, interactive, and learner-centred experiences. You’ll bring experience in designing or delivering online or blended learning modules and understand how to build multimedia-rich, engaging environments. Strong written communication skills, an understanding of inclusive and accessible design principles, and the ability to work collaboratively in agile, sprint-based processes are essential. You’ll be comfortable working with tools such as Moodle, Padlet, Mentimeter, and H5P – or eager to learn – and be curious about how AI-supported tools can further enhance content creation. Above all, you’ll be collaborative, innovative, and learner-focused, ensuring every design decision puts our students’ success at the forefront.

Skills & Knowledge

• Experience designing or delivering online/blended learning modules or activities.
• Ability to create engaging, structured, and learner-centred experiences.
• Proficiency in or enthusiasm to learn tools such as Moodle, Padlet, Mentimeter, and H5P.
• Understanding of assessment practices that support feedback and student success.
• Familiarity with inclusive and accessible design principles (e.g., WCAG 2.2).
• Experience with flipped classroom, constructivist, or active learning pedagogies is desirable.

Personal Attributes

• Collaborative: Embraces teamwork and co-creation.
• Innovative: Designs dynamic learning experiences with creativity.
• Learner-Centred: Keeps students’ needs and engagement at the core of design decisions.
• Adaptable and Agile: Thrives in iterative, fast-paced environments.
• Solution-Focused: Finds proactive, creative solutions to challenges.
• Digitally Curious: Open to new tools and emerging technologies.
• Reflective: Committed to continuous improvement and learning.

If you’re passionate about designing outstanding digital learning experiences and ready to take the next step in your career, we would love to hear from you.

Why Arden:

At Arden, you will become a part of a passionate and dedicated team who are committed to removing unnecessary barriers to learning and making education more accessible. Our people work hard to ensure our students journeys are the best they can possibly be, as such we want to reward our people with fantastic benefits. Workers benefit from:

• Access to:
• UK Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) - by Health Assured
• Menopause at Work and Wellbeing Hubs
• Various discounts and savings schemes
• Rolled up holiday pay, and we even throw in Christmas closure!
• A generous Aviva pension plan, with a company contribution of 7% (subject to eligibility)

Arden’s values:

Stand out, Progressive, Accessible, Resourceful, Kindness, reflect who we are as an institution, a team and as individuals. If they also reflect you and you are excited by the chance to be the driving, creative force within a growing business, we want to hear from you.

Closing Date:Wednesday 18th June 2025

Please note that while a closing date has been provided for this role, it is an urgent vacancy, and we will review applications, shortlist, and interview as they are received. As such, the role may close prior to the advertised closing date if a suitable candidate is identified. We therefore encourage interested applicants to submit their applications as soon as possible to ensure they are considered for this opportunity.

Arden University is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. This means that if you have a disability, as defined by the Disability Equality Act 2010, you may be guaranteed an interview if you meet the essential criteria for the role.

If you wish to be considered under this scheme, indicate this through in the application form below. By doing so, you are also consenting for this information to be shared with the hiring team. For more details on what qualifies as a disability under the Disability Equality Act 2010, please refer to the guidance here.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. Therefore, we ensure our recruitment and selection processes never discriminate based upon people's age, disability, gender, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or other personal circumstances, and actively welcome applications from all groups.