Instructional Designer

ABOUT AWE (Action for Women’s Empowerment) GLOBAL

AWE supports women’s empowerment around the world through entrepreneurship. By developing women’s capacity to leverage their existing assets for income generation, we help women create sustainable livelihoods for themselves which empowers them to exert a positive influence in their families and their communities. We design and implement training programs to develop the skills they need to achieve sales and growth goals on a sustainable basis.

ROLE DESCRIPTION

AWE is seeking a mission-driven and creative Instructional Designer to adapt an existing, successful entrepreneurship training program to meet the needs of 66 women farmers in Malawi. Informed by a recent needs assessment, the redesigned program will ensure content is contextually relevant, accessible, and impactful. Working closely with the Program and Communications teams, the Instructional Designer will transform and tailor materials to help women increase their incomes, adopt sustainable practices, and take on leadership roles in their communities.

This role is ideal for a recent graduate or early-career professional eager to apply their instructional design skills to real-world impact; experienced IDs are encouraged to apply!

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Design & Development

• Adapt existing training content based on needs identified in needs assessment conducted in April 2025, including printed manuals, handouts, illustrated guides, and facilitator notes.
• Apply adult learning principles to all content so it is practical, engaging, and suited for offline use in low-resource environments.
• Support the development of story- or visual-based tools that simplify technical or entrepreneurial concepts.

Collaboration & Contextualization

• Work with AWE’s program team and in-country partners to ensure content reflects local realities and needs.
• Contribute ideas and solutions to help tailor training content for different cultural and delivery contexts.
• Help test and iterate materials based on feedback from trainers and learners; integrate input and feedback from participant advisory council.

Support & Evaluation

• Assist in developing simple tools (like checklists or quizzes) to track learner understanding.
• Help develop or adapt other assessment tools to evaluate impact.
• Participate in program design meetings, and occasionally in project meetings.

KEY SKILLS & COMPETENCIES

Instructional Design & Learning

• Knowledge of instructional design principles and adult learning theories.
• Creativity in adapting engaging, learner-centered materials.
• Interest in social impact, women’s empowerment, or entrepreneurship.

Communication & Collaboration

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaborate in a remote, cross-cultural team.
• Openness to feedback and a willingness to learn and iterate.

Tech & Visual Tools

• Use accessible design tools (e.g., Canva, PowerPoint, Word) to create printable and low-bandwidth materials.
• Design with the end-user in mind — most materials must be usable without electricity, internet access, or digital devices (or have an off-line option)
• Experience with audio or visual storytelling (e.g., printable comic-style stories or offline visual aids) is a strong asset.

QUALIFICATIONS & EDUCATION

• Degree or diploma in Education, Instructional Design, Education, Educational Technology, Learning Sciences, or a related field.
• Coursework or experience in curriculum development or learning material design preferred.

EXPERIENCE

• 1–2 years of relevant experience (this may include internships, academic projects, or volunteer work).
• Experience in international development, gender equity, or community-based training is an asset but not required.

GEOGRAPHIC REQUIREMENTS

• Open to applicants based anywhere with a good command of English.
• Role is remote.

OTHER

• No fundraising expectations.
• Flexible hours.
• Mandate May 12-Aug 4, with flexibility.