Learning Designer

At 2U, we are all in on purpose. We are motivated by our mission – to eliminate the back row in education – and connected by our shared passion to deliver world-class digital education at scale. As the parent company of edX, the world’s leading online learning platform, 2U powers more than 4,000 online higher education offerings – from free courses to full degrees. Together with more than 230 colleges, universities, and corporate partners, we are helping to unlock human potential.

What We’re Looking For:

The Learning Designer will collaborate with partner faculty and subject matter experts (SMEs) to develop engaging, high-quality learning experiences for all of 2U’s product lines. In this role, you will focus on a backwards design strategy, content structure, and learner engagement, while overseeing content implementation executed by our vendor and collaborating with the Video Production team to ensure the creation of high-quality multimedia. A deep understanding of Canvas, Moodle, and edX, is essential to ensure the seamless implementation of content across 2U’s digital learning environments.

Responsibilities Include, But Are Not Limited To:

• Learning Design: Collaborate with course designers and SMEs to create course goals and learning outcomes, an aligned assessment strategy, and asynchronous content as required. Apply instructional design principles to build a course framework that fosters student engagement and aligns with overarching programmatic and curricular goals. Guide faculty and SME’s on learner-centered and inclusive approaches for content delivery, incorporating the latest pedagogical best practices and engagement techniques across 2U’s learning platforms.
• Vendor Management for Content Implementation: Serve as the primary point of contact for our content implementation vendor, ensuring they have detailed learning design plans and timelines, and review all content deliverables for alignment with project requirements. Provide ongoing feedback and quality assurance, ensuring content accuracy, pedagogical best practices, and alignment with 2U’s brand and overarching curriculum goals and accreditation requirements.
• Collaboration with Video Production: Work in partnership with the Video Production team to create high-quality multimedia, including developing and reviewing scripts, storyboards, visual elements, lecture slides or software demos that support course objectives. Ensure Video Production is included in course design conversations to support course designers in building their confidence and understanding of the 2U recording process.
• Quality Assurance & Content Review: Manage and review each stage of content creation to ensure it meets academic rigor, accessibility, and quality standards. Leverage in-depth knowledge of Canvas, Moodle, and/or edX to ensure content is accurately built and/or placed within the LMS. Ensure content functions seamlessly within learning platforms by conducting thorough testing and quality assurance. Adhere to both platform-specific guidelines and accessibility standards. Proactively escalate any QA issues to Curriculum Management to ensure program leadership awareness and prompt resolution.
• Project Coordination: Oversee project timelines and milestones, ensuring cross-functional alignment between course designers, vendors, and Video Production teams. Maintain effective communication and proactively address potential roadblocks to keep projects on track and within scope. Provide weekly status reports to Curriculum Management and relevant stakeholders through email, Jira, ClickUp, or other project management tools. Update Curriculum Management promptly of any issues that need to be escalated to partners.

Things That Should Be In Your Background:

• Bachelor’s degree in Instructional Design, Educational Technology, or a related field (Master’s preferred).
• 5+ years of experience in instructional design or learning design, preferably in higher education, ed-tech, or corporate learning environments.
• Expertise with adult learning principles, learning theories, and course design practices for digital education.
• Proficiency with LMS platforms, especially Canvas, Moodle, and edX, and a clear understanding of their functionalities and implementation processes.
• Proficiency in project management tools, such as JIRA or ClickUp.
• Demonstrated experience with multimedia integration and working in collaboration with video production teams.
• Strong project management skills with a record of managing cross-functional collaboration, especially in dynamic and remote environments.
• Outstanding communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to effectively engage with high-level stakeholders, educators, and cross-functional teams.
• Familiarity with accessibility standards, ensuring course materials are inclusive and accessible.

Other Attributes That Will Help You In This Role:

Working Conditions:

• Availability during UK standard business hours required.
• Travel estimated to be 10-15%, may include international travel.

Benefits & Culture

Our global employee base is a diverse collection of innovators, dreamers, and doers working together to transform lives through higher education. We believe that every employee can advance our shared purpose, and that life at 2U should be fun and meaningful. If you’re excited by the opportunity to provide over 40 million learners and counting with access to world-class online higher education, then join us – and do work that makes a difference. #NoBackRow

We offer comprehensive benefits (unique per country) and excellent work/life balance.
Full-time, ZA benefits include: 

• 2 complimentary Getsmarter short courses per year
• Subsidised medical aid with Discovery Health Medical Scheme
• 4% 2U contribution towards Discovery Life Pension Fund and Group Risk Benefit
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Generous leave policy including time off to volunteer for non-profit organization, study leave, sports leave and a company-wide festive season break

2U Diversity and Inclusion Statement

At 2U, we are committed to building and sustaining a culture of belonging, respect, and inclusion. We are proud of the steps we’ve taken to bring together an employee base that embodies diverse walks of life, ideas, genders, ages, races, cultures, sexual orientations, abilities and other unique qualities. We strive to offer a workplace where every employee feels empowered by what makes us different, as well as by how we are alike. 

2U is committed to providing reasonable accommodations during our recruitment process. If you need assistance or accommodations, please reach out to us at: [email protected]. 

About 2U Inc. (NASDAQ: TWOU)

For more than a decade, 2U, Inc. has been the digital transformation partner of choice to great non-profit colleges and universities delivering high-quality online education at scale. As the parent company of edX, a leading global online learning platform, 2U provides over 45 million learners with access to world-class education in partnership with more than 230 colleges, universities, and corporations. Our people and technology are powering more than 4,000 digital education offerings — from free courses to full degrees — and helping unlock human potential. To learn more: visit 2U.com.

About edX

edX is the education movement for restless learners and a leading global online learning platform from 2U, Inc. (Nasdaq: TWOU). Together with the majority of the world’s top-ranked universities and industry-leading companies, we bring our community of over 45 million learners world-class education to support them at every stage of their lives and careers, from free courses to full degrees. And we're not stopping there — we're relentlessly pursuing our vision of a world where every learner can access education to unlock their potential, without the barriers of cost or location. Learn more at edX.org.

Learn more at https://2u.com/careers/
#NoBackRow

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by individuals assigned to this position, and are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required. All employees may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.

2U is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against applicants or employees and ensures equal employment opportunity for all persons regardless of their race, creed, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, national origin, age, marital status, disability, citizenship, military or veterans’ status, or any other classifications protected by applicable federal, state or local laws. 2U’s equal opportunity policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to recruiting, hiring, training, promotion, job benefits and pay. 

2U is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications from South African citizens who are members of designated groups who may contribute to Employment Equity within the workplace and the further diversification of ideas. In this regard, the relevant laws and principles associated with Employment Equity will be considered when appointing potential candidates. We are required by law to verify your ability to work lawfully in South Africa. 2U requires that you submit a copy of either your identity document or your passport and any applicable work permit if you are a foreign national, along with an updated curriculum vitae.