Senior Instructional Designer, Board Governance Education

About the role

NRECA is a unique national trade association providing advocacy, financial services, and business support services to more than 900 consumer-owned electric cooperatives across the country. NRECA employees are united by our mission, inclusive culture, collaborative workplace, and commitment to service excellence. As a "best place to work" employer, we operate with integrity, transparency, and a spirit of innovation. NRECA's Education, Training & Events team designs, delivers, and facilitates high-impact learning experiences and events—both online and in person—that empower cooperative leaders and staff to guide their organizations and communities into the future.

Responsibilities

• Leverages an understanding of the cooperative business model and electric cooperative board governance practices to research, design and develop innovative courses that enhance NRECA’s board of directors education portfolio.
• Leads the design of a cohesive, high-impact learning portfolio that blends in-person and digital experiences for cooperative boards of directors.
• Applies deep instructional design expertise to translate complex governance challenges into practical, competency-based learning solutions with clear, measurable learning objectives.
• Creates dynamic, learner-centered materials that bring content to life—including presentations, participant guides, job aids, video tutorials, and interactive simulations—tailored to engage and meet the needs of cooperative board members.
• Incorporates innovative and technology-driven instructional strategies for both online and in-person delivery, understands varied learning delivery channels and best practices to improve the effectiveness of education course development, learning application and retention.
• Recruits, develops, and supports a network of 20+ contracted instructors—setting clear expectations for instructional quality, providing coaching and feedback, and ensuring a consistent, high-caliber learning experience.
• Designs and shapes meaningful learning experiences by defining curriculum purpose, understanding audience needs, and crafting compelling value propositions.
• Implements tactics to ensure learners are fully prepared before a course and stay engaged beyond the program.
• Conducts review cycles and facilitates subject-matter expert ideation sessions. Identifies and partners with governance experts and experienced instructors to ensure content is relevant and impactful.
• Evaluates program effectiveness through participant feedback and performance insights; applies findings to continuously refine curriculum, enhance learning outcomes, and support data-informed decision-making.
• Consults the budget for assigned programs to meet assigned net revenue margins.
• Builds relationships with NRECA departments, member cooperative employees and network partners to stay on top of trends and issues that impact electric cooperatives.
• Collaborates with conference program managers to generate content ideas for director education events such as Director’s Conference and NRECA’s Summer and Winter Schools for Directors.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in education, communications, business, accounting, or utility industry related degree.
• Seven or more years of experience in designing, developing content for in-person and online programs and conferences.
• Experience working with competency frameworks and using them to develop curriculum and programs.
• Experience using Articulate 360 and other development tools including InDesign, PowerPoint, Adobe Premiere, among others.
• AI tools experience a plus.
• Expertise with a Learning Management System (LMS) for delivery of programs and online collaboration tools.
• Employment experience in a member-based organization’s (association) educational department and experience managing externally contracted projects a plus.
• Association for Talent Development (ATD), American Society for Association Executives (ASAE) certification or equivalent and/or professional certification or licensure a plus.
• Knowledge of governance education either as practitioner, board member or board liaison.
• Knowledge of adult learning principles and instructional frameworks.
• Knowledge of instructional design theory, models and best practices for both in-person and online education program development.
• Knowledge of learning management systems (LMSs) as well as tools such as InDesign, PowerPoint, Adobe Premiere and Articulate 360.
• Ability to lead functional teams without direct supervisory authority over team members.
• Ability to manage competing deadlines and multiple education programs at various stages of development using effective organization skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to produce innovative education programs that meet learners’ needs and enhances on-the-job performance while producing positive revenue results.
• Ability to communicate, both verbally and in writing, with a diverse membership, employees and/or vendors in a clear and precise manner.
• Ability to develop and deliver effective and engaging presentations.
• Ability to use Microsoft Office tools (Excel, Word, Outlook, Power Point) and artificial intelligence tools and applications in the day-to-day essential duties of the job.
• Ability to operate various office equipment such as personal computer, copier, printer, fax machine or other job-related equipment.
• Ability to provide service excellence by building relationships, being resourceful.
• Ability to report to the office when required.
• Ability to travel.