About BrainBuffet
BrainBuffet is an EdTech curriculum production company focused on creating certification-aligned learning experiences that prepare students for real-world careers. We design high-quality courses and resources for industry certifications such as Adobe, Microsoft, Unity, Cisco, and Intuit, combining strong instructional design, hands-on learning, and practical skill development. Our mission is to empower educators and students through engaging, accessible, and effective digital learning that builds creativity, confidence, and career-ready skills. Learn more at www.Brainbuffet.Com
About the Role
We’re looking for a Lead Learning Designer to own the pre-production and instructional design strategy of our certification courses. This role sits at the intersection of pedagogy, content strategy, and cross-functional collaboration.
You’ll be responsible for shaping courses from the ground up—working closely with the Product Manager, the Creative Director, Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), the Project Manager, and Curriculum Consultants to ensure every course is accurate, well-structured, and aligned with certification requirements.
This is a leadership role that requires strong instructional design expertise, systems thinking, and the ability to guide both internal teams and external partners.
Requirements
* Strong background in instructional design, curriculum development, or learning experience design.
* Proven experience designing structured courses with clear learning objectives and measurable outcomes.
* Professional proficiency in spoken and written English.
* Excellent organizational skills and strong attention to detail.
* Strong collaboration and communication skills across cross-functional teams.
* Experience working with subject-matter experts (SMEs) to develop accurate, instructionally sound content.
* Ability to manage complex workflows and own instructional pre-production from planning through production readiness.
* Demonstrated leadership experience, including mentoring instructional designers, setting quality standards, and providing clear feedback.
* Ability to guide, prioritize, and align the education design team, ensuring consistency, scalability, and high instructional quality across courses.
Preferred Qualifications
* Previous experience in EdTech, digital learning, or curriculum production environments.
* Experience creating instructional blueprints, scripts, templates, and structured course frameworks.
* Experience collaborating with creative and production teams in video-based learning environments.
* Familiarity with technical subject matter such as creative software, IT, business, or certification pathways.
* Experience designing certification-aligned or standards-aligned courses.
Key ResponsibilitiesExam & Content Analysis
* Analyze certification objective domains to understand the exam structure, and to gather the knowledge students will need to succeed.
* Translate exam requirements into effective learning strategies and course structure.
Course Ideation & Strategy
* Collaborate with Product Managers, Creative Directors, and Consultants to support course ideation and development.
* Conduct desk research to understand the topic area, target audience, industry trends, key players, opportunities, and challenges.
* Participate in stakeholder handoffs and ensure alignment from concept to execution.
Partner Selection & Onboarding
* Support the selection and onboarding of external partners:
* Curriculum Consultants (subject-matter experts who validate content accuracy)
* Instructors / SMEs (on-camera educators who record course content)
* Review instructor samples to ensure teaching style, clarity, and tone align with BrainBuffet standards.
* Lead onboarding for SMEs and contributors by sharing guidelines, templates, workflows, and quality expectations.
Pre Production Ownership
You are accountable for instructional pre-production and content structure, ensuring all educational components are clearly defined and prepared before production begins:
* Partner with Consultants and the Creative Director to draft and refine the course outline.
* Define the instructional structure, scope, and sequence to ensure alignment with learning objectives and product goals.
* Develop or approve instructional guidelines, templates, scripts, and blueprints for:
* Video content
* Written materials (worksheets, quizzes, lesson plans, and supporting resources)
* Collaborate with the Creative Director to ensure instructional plans align with creative vision and production approach.
* Review early instructional drafts with Education, Editing, and Creative teams, incorporating feedback as appropriate.
* Ensure instructional accuracy and pedagogical integrity in collaboration with Consultants and SMEs.
* Provide instructional input on video samples and early production materials in partnership with the Creative Director.
Content Review & Quality Control
* Review and refine instructional scripts and recorded videos, providing actionable feedback to instructors and clear notes for the editing team (cuts, cleanup, and improvements).
* Guide the team in reviewing the instructional structure of written deliverables (including quizzes, video pop-up questions, endcards), ensuring alignment with the course blueprint and supporting consistency, clarity, and pedagogical integrity.
* Review and approve written deliverables, including quizzes, worksheets, handbooks, activities, and lesson plans.
* Review and approve SME deliverables, cleanup runs, and ensure alignment with established standards and workflows across modules and videos.
* Maintain accurate project documentation and status updates throughout the production process.
Collaboration & Leadership
* Create and maintain course syllabi that define structure, scope, and instructional direction for each course.
* Train and mentor new Learning Designers and Learning Experience Designers.
* Lead and support the education team, fostering collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
* Act as the main point of contact for SMEs and Consultants regarding content, pedagogy, and educational practices.
Why Join BrainBuffet <
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* Help shape learning experiences that directly prepare students for careers.
* Collaborate with a passionate, cross-disciplinary team.
* Work on impactful, industry-recognized certification courses.
* Fully remote and collaborative work environment.