Instructional Designer

Scope of Position

Reporting to the Manager, Organizational Development, the Instructional Designer follows instructional design theories, practices, and methods to custom-design engaging learning content and activities that enhance employee knowledge and develop the required job skills.

To be effective, the incumbent must quickly assimilate relevant job performance, business, and systems application requirements to establish learning goals and objectives, and then design learning initiatives that leverage a blended instructional design methodology.

The work also requires an understanding of Alterna's vision, mission, and values to ensure the alignment of learning outcomes that support the achievement of the employees' agreed upon Alterna business objectives.

Major Responsibilities

Design and Delivery of Talent Development Initiatives:
Learning Needs Assessment

• Conduct learning needs assessments in collaboration with internal stakeholders and subject matter experts to identify the relevant learning content and learning design requirements.

Learning Design

• Design and implement Banking System, Back Office, Up-Skilling and Management Training, beginning with comprehensive intake to ensure alignment to the business needs.
• Partner and maintain strong interaction with subject matter experts and other team members to create, review, and revise materials, valuing others' input, expertise, and diversity.
• Design the learning framework for various types of learning methods and media that enables the achievement of desired job performance outcomes.
• Design storyboards, curriculum, learning modules, supporting learning collateral (manuals, job aids, etc.) and instructor guides.
• Develop interactive, engaging training experiences by applying the principles of adult learning including contextualized practice, assessment and testing.
• Identify opportunities and activities to promote knowledge and skills transfer before, during, and after the learning initiative.
• Ensure training content is accurate and supports identified competencies.
• Pilot (test) learning initiatives with appropriate target audiences.
• Revise / adjust learning design and collateral, based on pilot feedback.
• Other tasks as deemed necessary to support the needs of the business.

Learning Management System

• Assist with the maintenance of the content and structure for the LMS offerings.
• System Reporting - Creating, sharing, and updating as necessary to track and monitor learning and effectiveness across Alterna.
• Understand and anticipate the impact of future LMS vendor releases and patches.
• Troubleshoot employee issues and provide solution(s).

Design and Delivery of Culture Initiatives

Change Management

• Design, develop and implement integration and conversion training programs to support Alterna-specific mergers and acquisitions.
• Contribute to design and delivery of People and Culture initiatives, such as Bring Your Child to Work Program, Holiday Events and other engagement initiatives aimed at enhancing the employee experience
• Advocate the role of change agents for corporate programs to ensure management and employees buy in to the required change(s).
• Participate in development and delivery of companywide presentations.

Expectations / Outcomes

• Creation of high value custom-designed learning collateral, i.e., Intakes, frameworks, storyboards, curriculums, and learning materials and resources.
• Documentation and use of learning goals and objectives that support desired performance outcomes and business measures.
• Implementation of learning content that is presented clearly and concisely and is focused on "need to know" job knowledge and skills (tasks).
• Use of frequent and effective practice opportunities and learning reinforcement strategies that support learning retention.
• Creation of well-designed learning experiences that set up facilitators and learners for success.
• Establishment of strong HR relationships, collaboration, trust and credibility to create a cohesive team and maintain a high-quality reputation with internal HR and OD customers.
• Use and maintenance of OD policies and procedures based on industry best practices.
• Minimized risk of exposure to loss of critical Alterna knowledge and skill sets and compliance.

Qualifications

Educations / Certifications / Experience

• A degree in instructional design, education, related field or relevant combination of education and experience in Human Resources, Adult Education or Training and Development, certificate or diploma from a college, university, or a recognized and acceptable supplier of train the trainer courses.
• 3 years experience in an instructional design role supporting enterprise-wide learning preferably in a financial services setting
• Experience with authoring tools (Articulate or other e-learning software) is an asset.
• Change Management Certification is an asset.
• I4PL certification required - Certified Training and Development ProfessionalTM (CTDP)

Knowledge & Skills

Must have:

• Applied understanding of the principles of instructional design and adult learning.
• Demonstrated ability to plan for and custom-design various types of learning initiatives (for all types of in person and virtual learning media), i.e., learning design plans / frameworks, storyboards, scripts, learning objectives, learning content and interactive strategies, and materials and media to support learning retention (job aids / performance support tools, learner workbooks and resources, etc.).
• Demonstrated ability to create courses for blended learning programs through effective performance needs assessment, curricula design, learning experience design, and learning evaluation.
• Proven ability to plan, coordinate and manage multiple projects concurrently in a fast-paced working environment.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, Learning Management Systems (Cornerstone a plus), Articulate 360 (Storyline, Rise), Canva, Vyond.
• Excellent verbal and written English language communication skills including writing and editing.
• Excellent attention to detail and quality assurance.
• Know the impact of and comply with Intellectual Property rights (copyright), and Ethics when designing learning content.
• Experience managing/coordinating enterprise-wide on-boarding programs and/or certification program(s)
• Exhibit competent partnering with clients to build commitment, effectively implement solutions, and meet the needs of both the learners, their managers and project sponsors (stakeholders).

Nice to have:

• Experienced with facilitating learning in classroom and virtual settings.
• Good working knowledge of fundamental banking practices/processes (credit, deposit, banking system etc).
• Understand and utilize a coaching style of relating to internal clients, colleagues, and learners.
• Knowledge of and experience with AI (Artificial Intelligence) applied to the design and development of learning initiatives.

About Alterna Savings

Alterna Savings and Credit Union Limited (Alterna) has been the Good in BankingTM for over 115 years creating financial services that transform lives for the better, all while giving back to our community. Alterna is made up of Alterna Savings and Credit Union Limited and its wholly owned subsidiary, Alterna Bank.

As the first full-service, member-owned cooperative financial institution outside Quebec, Alterna Savings shares its expertise with over 210,000 members through a network of over 40 branches across Ontario, as well as call centre and digital channels. Members and customers also benefit from an industry-leading online brokerage and investment management services.

Working at Alterna

We are incredibly proud of our corporate culture of Integrity, Respect and Collaboration, where everyone works together towards a common goal; the financial wellbeing of our employees, members and customers. This commitment has earned us several prestigious employer awards, including the National Capital Region's Top Employers award for eight years running.

Although we appreciate all applicants, preference will be given to candidates who most closely meet the qualifications, key skills, and competencies outlined above.

Alterna is compliant with the Ontarians with Disabilities Act. If you have a disability, please contact our Recruitment Team and let us know how we can accommodate you.