Lead Learning Experience Designer

ABOUT ALU

ALU provides higher education for a higher purpose. Our students declare missions, not majors.
They develop the real-world skills to take on the world’s most pressing challenges. And they take ownership of their learning from day one through our peer and student-led approach – because ALU believes in the power and agency of young people to start shaping the future right now.
Together with a world-class faculty and staff, our students are igniting a ripple of positive impact across Africa and the world.

HOW WE WORK

As a high-growth start-up, the ALU Team works in starkly different ways to traditional academic bureaucracies. We approach education from first principles, empower individuals to design, test, and implement creative new ideas, and work closely together to craft transformative learning experiences. We are deeply passionate about our students and excited by the challenge of building something entirely new.

The African Leadership University is committed to ensuring the safety and Well-being of all students under our care. As part of this commitment , we have a comprehensive safeguarding policy in place , which outlines our Zero-tolerance approach to any violation of safeguarding.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Lead Learning Experience Designer (LEDI) is responsible for leading the design, development, and implementation of learning experiences across a designated campus portfolio within Centre for Applied Learning Innovation (CALI). 

Reporting to the Manager: Learning Architecture & Quality Systems, this role ensures programmes are designed and delivered in alignment with the ALU Learning Model, CALI standards, and institutional quality expectations. 

The role acts as the primary learning design lead for campus-based programme development, balancing central learning architecture with contextual implementation needs across programmes, faculty, and modalities. 

Unique features within the University context: 

• Operates as the primary campus-based learning design lead within CALI’s central learning system 
• Balances institutional consistency with contextual programme implementation across campuses and modalities 
• Leads programme development across multiple portfolios while ensuring alignment to CALI standards and the ALU Learning Model 
• Translates central learning architecture into practical, high-quality student learning experiences 
• Combines learning design, faculty enablement, and implementation support within a single integrated role 
• Supports both accredited academic programmes and emerging innovative learning models

Team: 

• Senior Associate LEDIs 
• Associate LEDIs 

Core Responsibilities:

1. Programme Design & Development 

• Lead end-to-end design and development of programmes within the assigned campus portfolio 
• Translate programme requirements into: 

○ Curriculum structures 

○ Learning journeys 

○ Session designs 

○ Assessments and learning activities 

○ Ensure programmes are: 

○ Skills-driven 

○ Experiential

○ Mission-aligned 

○ Academically rigorous 

• Support the development of new programmes, revisions, and accreditation-related update

2. Governance & Quality Assurance 

• Apply CALI’s learning architecture and pedagogical standards consistently across programmes 
• Design authentic, applied, and student-centred learning experiences 
• Ensure alignment between: 

○ Outcomes 

○ Assessments 

○ Learning activities 

○ Skills development 

• Support integration of: 

○ Canvas systems 

○ Learning portfolios 

○ Mastery-based learning approaches

3. Learning Experience Design 

• Act as the "connective tissue" between Product, Architecture, Innovation, and Measurement teams. 
• Drive alignment of outputs into a cohesive, integrated system. 
• Partner with Academic Directors, Deans, and Faculty to ensure institutional coherence.

4. Faculty Enablement & Implementation Support 

• Partner with faculty and programme teams during programme delivery 
• Provide coaching and implementation support on: 

○ Pedagogy 

○ Assessment 

○ Learning technologies 

○ Student experience design 

• Support contextual adaptation across modalities without compromising core standards 
• Monitor implementation quality and identify areas for improvement. 

Qualifications: 

Essential 

• Education: Degree (Education, Psychology, Learning Design) or + 5-7 years experience
• Expertise: Proven track record in systems thinking, process design, and operational leadership. 
• Skills: Experience designing scalable frameworks and leading cross-functional teams in complex environments.

Preferred 

• Terminal degree in learning systems, educational standards, curriculum development, or related field. 
• Experience in Higher Education (Africa context highly valued). 
• Familiarity with blended/online learning and accreditation/QA regulations.
• Background in innovative or non-traditional education models.