Senior Instructional Designer, Board Governance Education

Job Description 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. The portfolio includes certification programs, a robust education curriculum of 100+ courses, leadership development programs, a trade show, thought leadership events and multi-day conferences. This position is located in our Arlington, VA Headquarters and would be eligible for NRECA’s hybrid schedule which allows flexibility to work from home up to 2 days per/week. Position Summary: We are looking for a senior-level instructional designer to manage and advance NRECA’s director education portfolio with a focus on strengthening board governance excellence across the electric cooperative network. This role blends deep understanding of electric cooperative governance and board leadership practices with a strong passion for instructional design and adult learning innovation to position NRECA as the industry leader in governance education. Designs, develops, and delivers high-impact learning experiences for NRECA’s 7,000-member board community—leveraging modern instructional design methodologies, innovative technologies, and diverse delivery channels.  Owns the lifecycle of director education programming—from research and design through development, marketing, delivery, and evaluation—while ensuring alignment with strategic priorities, budget expectations, and evolving governance needs. Contributes content expertise to flagship programs including Directors Conference, Winter and Summer Schools, and other key NRECA events. Essential Duties and 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 relevantand 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 partnersto 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 Required Qualifications and Skills   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 collaboraton 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 functio