Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for E-Learning Support Specialist

🎯 Role Definition

The E-Learning Support Specialist is a customer-facing technical and pedagogical role responsible for administering learning management systems (LMS), supporting instructors and learners, troubleshooting e-learning content and integrations, and enabling scalable digital learning experiences. This role bridges instructional design, technical operations, and user support: configuring LMS settings, publishing SCORM/xAPI content, coordinating with content authors and IT, providing training and documentation, and producing analytics to improve course effectiveness. The ideal candidate is proficient with common LMS platforms (e.g., Canvas, Moodle, Blackboard, Cornerstone), content authoring tools (Articulate, Captivate), and e-learning standards (SCORM, xAPI), and demonstrates strong customer service, problem-solving, and communication skills.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Help Desk / Technical Support Technician with education/learning clients
Junior LMS Administrator or LMS Coordinator
Instructional Design Assistant or E-Learning Developer (entry level)

Advancement To:

Senior E-Learning Support Specialist / Lead LMS Administrator
Learning Technologies Manager / E-Learning Manager
Senior Instructional Designer or Digital Learning Solutions Architect

Lateral Moves:

Training & Development Specialist
Learning Experience (LX) Designer
Learning Analytics Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Serve as the primary day-to-day administrator for one or more LMS platforms, including user provisioning, role and permission management, course lifecycle management (create, archive, copy), and system configuration to meet organizational learning policies.
Troubleshoot and resolve technical issues reported by instructors and learners, including login/authentication problems, enrollment errors, broken links, corrupted SCORM packages, and gradebook discrepancies, escalating to IT or vendor support when required.
Publish, test, and validate e-learning modules and course packages (SCORM 1.2/2004, xAPI/Tin Can), ensuring content launches, bookmarking, time tracking, and completion criteria function correctly across browsers and devices.
Configure and manage integrations between the LMS and third-party systems (SSO/SAML/Azure AD, HRIS/Workday, video hosting, CRM, payment gateways) using LTI, APIs, or middleware tools to enable single sign-on and automated user and enrollment synchronization.
Conduct QA and compatibility testing for new course content, updates, and platform upgrades — including cross-browser checks, mobile responsiveness, accessibility tests, and LMS reporting validation prior to production deployment.
Provide rapid-response user support through ticketing systems, email, chat, and phone; triage issues, set realistic SLAs, document resolutions, and maintain high user satisfaction through professional communication.
Create and maintain clear, searchable documentation and self-help resources for instructors and learners: how-to guides, step-by-step tutorials, video walkthroughs, FAQs, and knowledge base articles.
Deliver live and recorded training sessions and workshops for faculty, trainers, and internal stakeholders on LMS functionality, best practices for online course design, uploading content, assessments, discussion forums, and reporting tools.
Maintain course templates, global settings, and instructional design checklists to ensure consistency, branding compliance, accessibility (WCAG) and pedagogical quality across all online offerings.
Monitor LMS system health and usage metrics; generate regular analytics and executive-ready reports (course completion rates, engagement, assessment results, system errors) to inform instructional staff and leadership decisions.
Manage course enrollments and user lifecycle events for new hires, transfers, and terminations, following business rules and data privacy policies; process bulk imports, roster changes, and enrollment overrides.
Coordinate with instructional designers and content developers to convert instructor-led training to effective online modalities; advise on multimedia best practices, assessment types, and learner engagement strategies.
Support video and media management workflow: encoding/streaming recommendations, captioning coordination, embedding practices, and optimization for bandwidth and accessibility.
Maintain version control and publishing workflow for e-learning content, including sandbox/testing environments, staging approvals, and scheduled production releases to avoid learner disruption.
Implement and enforce accessibility remediation processes (captioning, transcripts, semantic heading structure, keyboard navigation) and provide guidance to content authors on inclusive course design and accommodations.
Execute platform upgrades, patch management, and vendor-managed releases in coordination with IT and vendors — plan maintenance windows, run pre/post-upgrade checks, and communicate outages to stakeholders.
Manage LMS user roles and training for adjuncts, external partners, and contractors; create onboarding sequences and orientation courses that reduce support volume and increase user adoption.
Maintain and test backups, restore procedures, and disaster recovery plans for e-learning assets and LMS configuration data to support business continuity and minimize downtime.
Analyze support ticket trends and root causes to propose process improvements, automation opportunities (self-service guides, chatbots), and training initiatives that reduce repeat incidents and improve the learner experience.
Assist with procurement evaluation and vendor selection for learning technologies by documenting requirements, testing functionality, and participating in vendor demos or proof-of-concept trials.
Enforce data privacy, security, and compliance standards related to learner data, assessment integrity, and third-party integrations, and collaborate with legal/IT when handling sensitive incidents.

Secondary Functions

Produce ad-hoc analytics and dashboards to answer stakeholder questions about course performance, learner progression, and training ROI; provide interpretation and actionable recommendations.
Contribute to the department’s roadmap by recommending upgrades, tooling, or process changes that improve scalability, reduce support overhead, or enhance the learning experience.
Work with business units to translate training needs into LMS-configured solutions, custom enrollments, or learning pathways; gather requirements and propose technical approaches.
Participate in agile ceremonies, sprint planning, and cross-functional project meetings for learning technology initiatives to align priorities and deliverables.
Pilot new learning tools and authoring features in a sandbox environment and document implementation guides and governance processes for broader rollout.
Support content migration projects (legacy systems to new LMS) including mapping of learning objects, metadata cleanup, and validation of migrated content.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

LMS administration (Canvas, Moodle, Blackboard, Cornerstone, Totara, or similar): user and course management, permissions, enrollments, and system settings.
SCORM (1.2 and 2004) and xAPI/Tin Can knowledge: packaging, troubleshooting launch issues, tracking completion and interaction data.
Familiarity with LTI integrations and single sign-on protocols (SAML, OAuth, Azure AD) to manage secure access and third-party tool integrations.
Experience with e-learning authoring tools: Articulate Storyline, Rise, Adobe Captivate, Camtasia, or similar for troubleshooting and content QA.
Basic HTML/CSS and familiarity with JavaScript troubleshooting to resolve display issues, embed media, and customize templates.
Experience with video management workflows, captioning, transcript generation, and accessibility compliance for multimedia content.
Reporting and analytics skills within LMS or BI tools (built-in LMS reports, Google Analytics, Tableau, Power BI) to analyze engagement and outcomes.
Knowledge of accessibility standards (WCAG) and assistive technologies to ensure inclusive course design and remediation.
Working knowledge of Learning Record Stores (LRS) and xAPI endpoints for advanced tracking and analytics.
Familiarity with content migration, version control practices, and backup/restore procedures for LMS course artifacts.
Basic SQL or data query experience is a plus for complex reporting and data validation tasks.
Experience with ticketing systems (Jira, ServiceNow, Zendesk) and incident management for support workflows.

Soft Skills

Excellent written and verbal communication skills tailored to technical and non-technical audiences.
Strong customer service orientation with patience, empathy, and solutions-driven follow-up.
Analytical mindset with attention to detail for QA, testing, and report interpretation.
Effective project coordination and time-management skills, able to prioritize concurrent requests and deadlines.
Collaborative team player who partners with instructional designers, IT, product managers, and subject matter experts.
Proactive problem solver who identifies root causes, recommends improvements, and drives implementation.
Training and presentation skills to deliver instructor and stakeholder onboarding sessions.
Adaptability to rapidly changing technologies, vendor updates, and shifting organizational priorities.
Clear documentation and knowledge-transfer capabilities to scale support and reduce single points of failure.
Discretion and professionalism when handling sensitive learner and HR data.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Associate degree or equivalent vocational training; or relevant certificate in instructional technology, information technology, or adult education.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Instructional Design, Educational Technology, Computer Science, Communications, Human Resources, or related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Instructional Design / Educational Technology
Computer Science / Information Systems
Communications / Technical Writing
Human Resources / Organizational Development
Adult Learning / Education

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 2–5 years supporting LMS platforms, e-learning content, and end-user training in corporate, higher education, or training vendor environments.

Preferred: 3+ years as an LMS administrator or e-learning support specialist with demonstrable experience publishing SCORM/xAPI content, managing integrations (SSO/LTI), providing end-user support, and delivering training to instructors and learners. Experience with accessibility compliance, analytics/reporting, and at least one major LMS platform is highly desirable.