Director Learning Design K-5 ELA

Position Overview

We are seeking an innovative, highly strategic, and deeply knowledgeable science of reading curriculum expert to spearhead the creation, prototyping, and scaling of our next-generation K-5 foundational literacy products with a specialization in K-2.

Please read the information in this job post thoroughly to understand exactly what is expected of potential candidates.

This is not a traditional, siloed content-writing role. We are looking for a dynamic educational architect who pairs world-class pedagogical expertise with a builder's mindset and client consultation.

The ideal candidate possesses an authoritative understanding of evidence-based reading instruction (including Scarborough's Reading Rope and the Simple View of Reading) specifically mapped to the critical K-2 developmental years.

As our subject matter expert, you will actively navigate complex client requirements, transform abstract pedagogy into interactive instructional models, act as a cross-functional thought partner, and rapidly prototype high-impact curriculum solutions.

The ideal candidate is a thought partner, agile prototyper, a solution-oriented team leader.

• You confidently consult with client and internal stakeholders to co-construct instructional visions and strategic solutions.
• You enjoy getting hands-on, quickly sketching blueprints, mockups, and scope-and-sequences to test market and pedagogical efficacy.
• You thrive on constraints and actively transform complex client compliance roadblocks into creative, compliant product wins.

Core Responsibilities

1. Cross-Functional Thought Leadership

• Guide clients through the presales through the delivery lifecycle.
• Advocate persuasively for the science of reading integrity while remaining flexible enough to satisfy specific, custom client structural constraints.
• Act as an internal consultant and educational lighthouse for engineering, design, marketing, and sales teams, translating cognitive science insights into accessible product principles.
• Mentor junior content and project management team members.
• Write research rationales supporting the commercial positioning of the K-2 portfolio.

1. K-2 Product & Curriculum Development

• Architect comprehensive, explicit, and systematic K-2 foundational literacy products, scope-and-sequences, and instructional materials strictly aligned with the Science of Reading.
• Deconstruct diverse state standards, local adoptions, and rigid compliance guidelines into clear, actionable engineering and content specifications.
• Design high-quality student and teacher-facing materials that prioritize phonemic awareness, systematic phonics, decoding, high-frequency word orthographic mapping, and language comprehension.
• Ensure all developed assets reflect cultural responsiveness, universal design for learning (UDL) frameworks, and highly engaging age-appropriate pedagogy.

1. Rapid Prototyping & Continuous Innovation

• Collaborate with product managers, UX/UI designers, and software engineers to conceptualize, wireframe, and build functional prototypes of print and digital literacy tools.
• Iterate rapidly based on user testing, pilot feedback, and internal critique, pivoting content frameworks fluidly without losing sight of foundational research.
• Translate abstract pedagogical hypotheses into concrete, testable educational content models.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Education: Master's degree or higher in Reading/Literacy, Curriculum & Instruction, Cognitive Psychology, Early Childhood Education, or an equivalent educational field. Deep certification in structured literacy (e.g., LETRS, Orton-Gillingham, Wilson, CERI) is exceptionally highly valued.
• Pedagogical Expertise: Comprehensive, demonstrable expertise in the science of reading frameworks, cognitive models of reading acquisition, and the current state legislative landscape regarding literacy mandates.
• K-2 Domain Mastery: Minimum of 5 years of combined experience in K-2 classroom instruction, coaching, or specialized literacy product design, with a proven track record of driving measurable early literacy outcomes.
• Product Development Experience: Proven experience designing comprehensive curricular products, supplemental tools, or digital learning media from concept to market launch. xhyhwjd

Key Competencies & Soft Skills

• Solution-Oriented Problem Solving & Creative Thinking
• Client-Facing Advisory & Relationship Management
• Design Thinking, Wireframing & Agile Iteration
• Comfort with Ambiguity & Fast-Paced Environments
• Cross-Functional Collaboration & Empathy
• Exceptional Technical & Curricular Writing Skills

If you are a curriculum architect who blends a passion for the science of reading with a builder's mindset, we want to hear from you.

LearningMate is an equal opportunity employer.