Lead Learning Designer

The Holdsworth Center; Austin (TX); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401k with company match

Paid time off

Pet insurance

Job summary

The Holdsworth Center is seeking a Lead Learning Designer in Austin, Texas. This full-time hybrid role involves designing and delivering leadership development programs for educators. The ideal candidate has experience in adult learning, strong facilitation skills, and alignment with values promoting student excellence. The position offers a salary range of $100,000 to $115,000 and includes benefits such as health insurance, paid time off, and a 401k plan. Applications are accepted until June 1, 2026.

Qualifications

• Experience in leading, designing, and delivering adult learning or leadership development training.
• Ability to facilitate engaging discussions and manage group dynamics.
• Strong alignment with organizational values and a commitment to excellence.

Responsibilities

• Design, deliver, and improve leadership development experiences for educators.
• Collaborate with Program Director to refine curriculum based on evaluations.
• Serve as a primary faculty member for leadership programming.

Skills

Adult learning principles

Leadership development

Facilitation

Team collaboration

Time management

Organizational skills

Job description

The Holdsworth Center is a non‑profit organization founded and largely funded by Charles Butt, Chairman of H‑E‑B, a regional retail company. Our mission is to impact, over time, the quality of K‑12 public education for all Texas students by supporting and developing leaders. Based in Austin, Texas, we were founded in 2017 in honor of Charles’ mother, Mary Elizabeth Holdsworth Butt, who was an educator, a philanthropist, and a lifelong pioneering advocate.

We partner with public school districts to help them grow outstanding leaders at all levels so that staff thrive, and students excel in every classroom. At Holdsworth, we believe leadership isn’t just about titles. We make a deep investment in leaders at both the district and campus levels, including teachers who lead students in the classroom and influence and lead their colleagues.

Purpose & Responsibilities

The Lead Learning Designer (Campus Programs) will work within a team led by a Program Director to design, deliver and continuously improve leadership development experiences for educators and school‑based teams. This role supports current and future leadership programs by applying best practices in adult learning, leadership development, and facilitation from both the education sector and other industries. In collaboration with fellow Lead Learning Designers, contract facilitators, and program coordinators, you will guide cohorts of participants through multi‑year learning experiences that build their leadership skills and strengthen school‑level impact.

You must have a strong desire to help leaders in our programs thrive in their careers and lead their campuses effectively. We are looking for individuals who share our passion for developing leadership in public education to improve the life opportunities of all students.

Reporting to a Program Director, you will work with talented, mission‑driven peers in a fast‑paced, dynamic environment on the following:

• Collaborate with the Program Director to continually refine the curriculum using lessons learned from prior cohorts to strengthen leader effectiveness and student outcomes.
• Apply adult‑learning principles and research‑backed methodologies to design & / or redesign learning materials and experiences based on evaluation data and learner feedback.
• Adapt and differentiate curriculum to maximize leader learning and achievement of objectives, including designing, implementing, and monitoring learning assessments.
• Leverage the Learning Management System (LMS) to support curriculum delivery and pilot innovative uses that enhance cohort learning and engagement.
• Lead the detailed planning and design of session content and learning experiences to ensure each session meets its objectives.
• Collaborate with a program coordinator to ensure strong project management and that seamless logistics support the learning environment.
• Ensure all sessions integrate into a coherent and powerful arc of learning that aligns with program goals and reinforces core concepts across the program.

3. Facilitation & Faculty Leadership

• Serve as one of the primary faculty members for leadership programming, facilitating engaging learning experiences that deepen understanding and increase overall program coherence.
• As needed, train, supervise, and support faculty and presenters, ensuring high‑quality facilitation and strong cohort culture.
• Foster a psychologically safe and collaborative learning environment where leaders can engage deeply with peers and build capacity to lead sustainable campus improvement.

Strong candidates will have a range of prior experience and capabilities to include:

• Strong alignment with organizational values—Drive for Excellence for Every Student, Be of Service, Believe in People. Demonstrated commitment to and engagement in learning and actions to promote excellent outcomes for every student.
• Experience leading, designing and delivering high quality adult‑learning and / or leadership development training (in any sector). Familiarity with schools and their leadership roles, challenges, and professional learning needs.
• Proven ability to facilitate engaging, challenging, and thought‑provoking discussion among diverse audiences, manage group dynamics, and encourage commitment to action and lasting personal growth and change.
• Ability to synthesize complex information and design and create clear and compelling learning experiences and materials as part of a coherent extended program of professional development.
• Highly collaborative work style and ability to work well in a team environment, establish good rapport at all levels of the organization, collaborate with other faculty and experts and work with and relate to people from diverse backgrounds.
• Demonstrated ability to thrive and lead in a fast‑paced, dynamic environment, to adapt to an ever‑changing, growing organization and to bring structure to highly ambiguous or complex topics; embraces a portfolio of work that may change over time.
• Self‑motivated individual who demonstrates initiative without waiting for direction.
• Exceptional receptivity to feedback motivated by deep curiosity, keen learning mindset, and above all an obsession with delivering the highest impact experiences for our leaders.
• Superb time management and organizational skills; the ability to independently manage multiple events at one time at a rapid pace; demonstrated ability to be thorough, with strong attention to detail.
• Credibility with school leaders, faculty/experts, and our partner organizations and working knowledge of the education landscape in Texas, including knowledge of the context within which our leaders work.
• Salary range: $100,000 to $115,000.
• Compensation for the role will depend on several factors, including but not limited to your qualifications, skills, competencies, and experience. The Holdsworth Center also factors internal pay equity into evaluating compensation.
• This position is eligible to participate in company benefits, including but not limited to medical, dental, and vision coverage, life and AD&D, short‑ and long‑term disability coverage, four weeks of paid time off, employee assistance program, pet insurance, participation in a 401k program that includes a company match, and many other additional benefits.

Job Requirements and Expectations

• This is a full‑time, hybrid role that is Austin‑based.
• Ability to be on Campus for program sessions, which may include early mornings, late evenings, and occasional weekends.
• Ability to travel outside of Austin (up to 10%) for events.

How to Apply

Interested candidates can submit their resume and a completed application that provides additional insight into the core competencies for Lead Learning Designer position and the work of The Holdsworth Center. Applications will be accepted through June 1, 2026.

At the Holdsworth Center, all employment decisions are based on job requirements and individual qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.