ISD Consultant

AMA CONSULTING; Ann Arbor (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

AMA Consulting LLC is seeking an experienced Instructional Systems Designer (ISD) Consultant to support leadership development initiatives, including research, assessment, design, and evaluation of a comprehensive program.

This role requires expertise in competency modeling, assessment methodology, curriculum design, and program evaluation, with a focus on translating findings into actionable development programs for government and public-sector clients.

Qualifications

• Requires master’s degree in a related field and 7+ years of experience in organizational or leadership development.
• Experience building leadership competency models, behavioral indicators, and proficiency frameworks.
• Knowledge of validated leadership assessment methodologies and assessment principles.
• Ability to conduct organizational and gap analyses and translate results into curricula.

Responsibilities

• Conduct discovery activities with County Administration, HR, and stakeholders.
• Review priorities and future service-delivery needs to inform program design.
• Develop a five-year leadership competency model with behaviors and proficiency levels.
• Design validated multi-method leadership assessment approaches.
• Evaluate instruments for validity, accessibility, and licensing considerations.
• Translate assessment findings into learning objectives, curricula, and activities.
• Develop multi-phase leadership development programming using adult learning principles.
• Create program measurement frameworks and baseline/follow-up evaluation plans.
• Analyze results and recommend program refinement and continuous improvement.
• Produce technical reports, competency frameworks, and evaluation plans.
• Collaborate with leadership, facilitators, and support staff to ensure alignment.

Skills

Leadership development

Instructional design

Program evaluation

Competency modeling

Adult learning

Research and analysis

Technical writing

Education

Master’s degree in I/O Psychology / related

Doctoral degree (preferred)

Tools

360 feedback

Structured interviews

Simulations

Self-assessments

Behavioral assessments

Job description

ISD Consultant – Assessments

About AMA Consulting LLC

AMA Consulting LLC is a woman-owned, SBA 8(a)-certified management consulting firm providing organizational effectiveness, program management, workforce development, and professional services to government and public-sector clients.

Position Summary

AMA Consulting LLC is seeking an experienced Instructional Systems Designer (ISD) Consultant to support the research, assessment, design, and evaluation of a proposed comprehensive leadership development program.

This position requires a strong academic, research, and analytical background with expertise in leadership development, competency modeling, assessment methodology, gap analysis, curriculum design, and program evaluation. The Consultant/ISD will help translate County priorities, future workforce needs, and leadership assessment findings into an evidence-based leadership development architecture.

This role is broader than a traditional training or e-learning ISD position. The scope requires development of a five-year competency model, validated multi-method assessment, individual and aggregate gap analysis, customized development programming, and baseline/follow-up evaluation.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct and support discovery activities with County Administration, Human Resources, department heads, and other stakeholders.
• Review organizational priorities, workforce considerations, operating challenges, technology changes, and anticipated future service-delivery needs.
• Research and develop a five-year leadership competency model incorporating competencies, observable behaviors, and proficiency levels.
• Design or recommend validated multi-method leadership assessment approaches.
• Evaluate assessment instruments and methodologies for validity, intended use, accessibility, licensing considerations, and applicability to senior public-sector leaders.
• Conduct individual and aggregate gap analyses to identify leadership strengths and development priorities.
• Translate assessment findings and identified gaps into learning objectives, curriculum, developmental activities, applied projects, and reinforcement strategies.
• Design customized, multi-phase leadership development programming using adult learning and instructional design principles.
• Develop program measurement frameworks, baseline measures, success indicators, and follow-up evaluation methodologies.
• Analyze program results and support recommendations for program refinement and continuous improvement.
• Develop technical reports, competency frameworks, assessment documentation, curricula, evaluation plans, and other project deliverables.
• Collaborate with program leadership, facilitators, coaches, and program support personnel to ensure alignment among assessment, curriculum, coaching, delivery, and evaluation.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Organizational Development, Instructional Design, Education, Human Resources Development, Leadership, Behavioral Science, or a closely related discipline.
• Seven (7)+ years of relevant experience in organizational development, leadership development, instructional design, leadership assessment, program evaluation, or related consulting.
• Demonstrated experience developing leadership competency models, behavioral indicators, proficiency frameworks, or comparable competency-based systems.
• Demonstrated knowledge of validated leadership assessment methodologies and assessment principles.
• Experience conducting organizational, cohort, or individual capability/gap analyses.
• Experience designing customized leadership development curricula and multi-phase development programs.
• Strong knowledge of adult learning, instructional systems design, competency-based development, and program evaluation methodologies.
• Experience establishing measurable learning, behavioral, or performance outcomes.
• Strong research, analytical, data interpretation, and technical writing skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Organizational Development, Education, Leadership, Behavioral Science, or a related discipline.
• Experience developing leadership programs for local government or comparable public-sector organizations.
• Experience designing or implementing multi-method leadership assessments incorporating tools such as 360 feedback, structured interviews, simulations, self‑assessments, or behavioral assessments.
• Certification in recognized leadership, behavioral, personality, or organizational assessment instruments.
• Experience designing programs specifically for executive or senior‑leader populations.
• Experience in program measurement/evaluation and organizational capability assessment.
• Experience integrating assessments, competency models, curriculum, coaching, IDPs, applied learning, and evaluation into a comprehensive leadership development program.