Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Curriculum Designer

🎯 Role Definition

As a Curriculum Designer you will lead the design, development, and continuous improvement of curriculum and learning experiences across modalities (instructor-led, blended, and online). You will translate business and learner needs into measurable learning objectives, build engaging and accessible courses using modern instructional design models and authoring tools, and partner with subject-matter experts, product teams, and stakeholders to deliver scalable learning solutions that drive measurable outcomes and learner performance.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Instructional Designer or Learning Experience Designer transitioning to curriculum leadership
Classroom Teacher or University Lecturer moving into corporate or edtech curriculum design
Training Specialist / Learning & Development Specialist

Advancement To:

Senior / Lead Curriculum Designer
Manager or Director of Learning & Development
Head of Instructional Design or Chief Learning Officer

Lateral Moves:

Learning Experience Designer (LxD)
Education Program Manager
Content Strategy or Product Curriculum Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Conduct comprehensive needs analysis and stakeholder interviews to identify performance gaps, business outcomes, and learner personas; translate insights into prioritized curriculum goals and measurable learning objectives aligned with organizational strategy.
Design end-to-end curriculum frameworks and learning pathways (K-12, higher education, corporate upskilling, certification programs or product onboarding) that sequence learning modules, microlearning units, assessments, and performance supports to achieve competency‑based outcomes.
Apply instructional design models (ADDIE, SAM, Backward Design, Bloom’s Taxonomy) and evidence-based adult learning principles to create pedagogically sound learning experiences that balance theory, practice, and authentic assessment.
Develop detailed course design documents, storyboards, learning journeys, and facilitator guides that specify learning outcomes, content flow, interaction types, assessment strategies, and learner supports for both synchronous and asynchronous delivery.
Create and/or supervise development of high-quality learning assets including interactive e-learning modules, video lessons, simulations, job aids, infographics, case studies, and scenario-based learning aligned with accessibility and UX best practices.
Build formative and summative assessments (quizzes, rubrics, project-based assessments, competency checks) that validly measure learning outcomes, include clear scoring criteria, and provide actionable feedback to learners and managers.
Configure and publish courses in Learning Management Systems (LMS) and learning platforms; manage course shells, enrollments, release schedules, and learner tracking to ensure a smooth learner experience and accurate completion data.
Implement SCORM/xAPI/Tin Can tracking and define learning analytics requirements to capture engagement, mastery, and behavior change; collaborate with analytics teams to develop dashboards and KPI reports measuring ROI, completion rates, and skill attainment.
Facilitate pilot programs and usability testing with representative learners to validate learning design, iterate based on feedback, and measure transfer of learning into workplace performance or academic outcomes.
Partner with subject matter experts (SMEs), faculty, instructors, and business leaders to curate and validate content, ensure technical accuracy, and translate domain expertise into structured learning interventions.
Ensure all curriculum content meets accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1), cultural and linguistic appropriateness, and legal/compliance requirements; lead remediation and audit cycles to keep content inclusive and up to date.
Manage end-to-end content production workflows—scheduling, vendor coordination, copyediting, quality assurance, media production, and localization—to deliver projects on time and within budget.
Lead curriculum mapping and alignment activities across programs to avoid redundancy, ensure vertical and horizontal alignment of competencies, and support credit/credential articulation where applicable.
Write clear, SEO-friendly course descriptions, learning objectives, and metadata to improve discoverability within LMS, catalogs, marketplaces, or search engines.
Create instructor-facing materials and train-the-trainer programs to ensure consistent delivery, effective facilitation techniques, and correct use of instructional materials and assessment tools.
Maintain version control and source documentation for curriculum assets, including content licensing records, copyright attributions, and style/branding guidelines for consistent learner experience.
Conduct ongoing evaluation using Kirkpatrick levels, learning analytics, and qualitative feedback to iterate curriculum design, demonstrate impact to stakeholders, and recommend continuous improvement actions.
Develop competency frameworks and certification criteria, including badge definitions, recertification paths, and microcredential design to support career pathways and learner motivation.
Coordinate with product, marketing, and sales teams to align curriculum offers with product roadmaps, customer needs, and go-to-market strategies for instructional products or learning services.
Lead cross-functional workshops and design sprints to rapidly prototype new learning experiences, prioritize feature requests, and mobilize stakeholders toward shared learning objectives.
Maintain deep subject-matter awareness of instructional technology trends (immersive learning, AI-driven personalization, adaptive learning), evaluate vendor solutions, and recommend strategic investments to modernize the curriculum ecosystem.
Create and manage project plans, resource allocations, and budgets for curriculum initiatives; provide regular status updates and risk mitigation strategies to senior leadership.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc learning analytics requests and provide descriptive analysis of learner engagement, assessment performance, and completion trends to inform curriculum decisions.
Contribute to the organization’s learning strategy and roadmap by recommending scalable curriculum structures, modular content libraries, and capability-building initiatives.
Collaborate with HR, product, and business units to translate competency requirements into curricular standards, role-based learning journeys, and assessment criteria.
Assist in vendor selection and management for outsourced content development, translation, multimedia production, and platform integrations.
Maintain the content repository, taxonomy, and metadata to ensure easy retrieval, reuse, and compliance with content governance standards.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies when working with instructional technology, product, or cross-functional development teams.
Deliver workshops and coaching for subject matter experts on learning design best practices, storyboarding, and effective microlearning techniques.
Monitor industry benchmarks and competitor curriculum offerings to ensure our programs remain differentiated, evidence-based, and aligned to market needs.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Instructional design expertise with working knowledge of ADDIE, SAM, Backward Design, Bloom’s Taxonomy, and competency-based design.
Proficiency with e-learning authoring tools such as Articulate Storyline, Articulate Rise, Adobe Captivate, Lectora, or H5P for rapid and bespoke content creation.
Experience managing and publishing content in Learning Management Systems (LMS) — Moodle, Canvas, Blackboard, Cornerstone, Docebo, Workday Learning, or similar.
Practical knowledge of SCORM, xAPI/Tin Can, AICC packaging, and content tracking for robust learning analytics and reporting.
Strong assessment design skills including rubric development, item writing for multiple-choice and constructed-response items, and psychometric considerations.
Multimedia production skills or oversight experience: video scripting, basic video editing (Premiere, Final Cut, Camtasia), audio editing, and interactive media integration.
Data literacy for learning: ability to analyze LMS reports, manage learner datasets, use Excel/Google Sheets, and basic familiarity with SQL, Tableau, Power BI, or Looker for dashboards.
Experience with accessibility standards and universal design for learning (WCAG 2.1, captioning, alt text, screen reader testing).
Content strategy and curriculum mapping tools: experience with learning taxonomies, competency frameworks, and curriculum alignment processes.
Project management and collaboration tools: JIRA, Trello, Asana, Confluence, Microsoft Project, or similar to manage development sprints and cross-functional work.
Familiarity with localization and translation workflows, including SCORM translation best practices and cultural adaptation of content.
Experience with user testing, pilot evaluations, and A/B testing of learning variations to drive iterative improvements.

Soft Skills

Strong stakeholder management and partnership skills: able to translate business goals into learning solutions and manage SMEs with diplomacy and clarity.
Excellent written and verbal communication — able to write clear learning objectives, scripts, and facilitator guides, and present findings to executives.
Creative problem-solving and instructional creativity to design engaging, scalable learning experiences across modalities.
Attention to detail and quality orientation for instructional accuracy, accessibility compliance, and consistent learner experience.
Project prioritization and time management to balance multiple curriculum initiatives and meet delivery deadlines.
Facilitation and training skills for leading workshops, train-the-trainer sessions, and learner focus groups.
Adaptability and willingness to experiment with new technologies and methodologies, with a data-informed mindset.
Empathy and learner-centric thinking to design inclusive learning that meets diverse needs and contexts.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Education, Instructional Design, Learning & Development, Curriculum & Instruction, Educational Technology, Cognitive Science, or a related field.

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree in Instructional Design, Learning Sciences, Curriculum & Instruction, Educational Technology, or Adult Learning (preferred for senior roles).

Relevant Fields of Study:

Instructional Design / Educational Technology
Curriculum & Instruction / Learning Sciences
Adult Education / Organizational Development
Cognitive Psychology / Educational Psychology
Subject-matter fields relevant to the curriculum (e.g., STEM, Business, Healthcare)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

3–7 years of progressive instructional design or curriculum development experience (entry-to-mid level: 2–4 years; senior: 5+ years).

Preferred:

5+ years designing and delivering curriculum or learning programs for corporate L&D, K-12/Higher Ed, or edtech products; demonstrable portfolio of digital learning assets, assessment design, and measurable impact on learner outcomes.