Instructional Designer

Forward Financing is a financial technology company based in Boston, Massachusetts with team members throughout the United States, Dominican Republic, and Canada. The company is on a mission to unlock the capital that fuels small businesses across America. Recognized as a Best Place to Work by Built In Boston and certified as a Great Place To Work®, Forward is investing in its employees, technology, and customer experience – with long-term success in mind every step of the way.

In this role you will:

• Leadership & Performance: Design high-impact leadership curricula and performance management resources. You will translate management frameworks into actionable scenarios, role-playing exercises, and "Just-in-Time" guides to support the performance cycle.

• Onboarding Optimization: Optimize the global functional onboarding experiences. Your goal is to structure content that reduces "time-to-ramp" and integrates new hires into our culture effectively.

• VILT & Facilitation Design: Create comprehensive materials for synchronous learning (Zoom/Google Meet), including visually engaging slide decks, detailed facilitator guides, and interactive breakout activities.

• Video Production: Edit training videos, screen captures, and interviews. You must be comfortable trimming footage, syncing audio, and adding polish using Adobe Premiere, Camtasia, or Canva.

• eLearning & Rapid Design: Build SCORM-compliant courses in Articulate Storyline/Rise 360 and create quick, on-brand assets (thumbnails, worksheets, infographics) using Canva.

• AI Content Creation & Literacy Support: Use Generative AI to rapidly build training outlines, draft scripts, and develop course assets to move beyond traditional timelines. You will also support the organization’s AI enablement by designing resources and "Just-in-Time" guides that help employees across the business learn how to use AI tools effectively in their own roles.

• LMS & Asset Management: Maintain a library of assets and manage course uploads/testing within the LMS to ensure accurate tracking.

Why you should apply:

• Join us to move beyond traditional instructional design and become a strategic Learning Partner. At Forward, you will have the autonomy to consult with stakeholders, solve complex business problems, and help lead our team into the future by integrating AI into the way we learn and work. If you are a creative problem-solver you’ll find a home here.

• Mission driven company: Forward is a trusted source of fast, flexible funding for small businesses that have often been underserved by traditional financing options. When you join the team, you will help ensure all small businesses have access to the financial support they need to succeed.

• Flexibility is a top priority: Our employees are empowered to choose where they want to work (whether that’s from home, in the office, or a combination of both) with flexible hours.

Role Requirements:

• Experience: 3+ years of experience in Instructional Design or Learning & Development.

• Adult Learning Expertise: Deep understanding of learning modalities. You know when to use a video, when to use a live workshop, and when to use a PDF job aid to get the best result.

• The "Partner" & Innovator Mindset: Strong consulting skills. You are comfortable pushing back on stakeholders to ensure the training solution actually solves the business problem and are eager to help others navigate and adopt new technologies like AI to improve their productivity.

• Live Training Expertise: Proven experience designing for Synchronous Learning (Zoom/Teams/WebEx). You know how to structure a 60-minute session so it isn't just "talking head" lectures.

• Video Skills: Working knowledge of video editing. You don't need to be a motion graphics wizard, but you must be able to:

  • Trim and assemble raw footage.

  • Sync audio and remove background noise.

  • Add lower thirds, text overlays, and simple transitions.

• Tech Stack:

  • Authoring: Proficiency in Articulate Storyline 360 and Rise 360.

  • Design: Strong skills in Canva for daily tasks; basic familiarity with Adobe Photoshop/Illustrator for occasional complex needs.

  • Virtual Delivery: Familiarity with the engagement tools in Zoom, MS Teams, or WebEx.

• Portfolio: A portfolio showing examples of eLearning work, at least one video sample, and examples of support materials for live training (e.g., a facilitator guide or slide deck excerpt).

Bonus Points

• Experience designing "Train the Trainer" programs.

• Certification or experience with specific leadership frameworks (e.g., Situational Leadership, Radical Candor, GROW Model).

• Experience with LMS reporting and analytics to prove ROI.

• Experience facilitating training sessions yourself (even if just occasionally).

• Familiarity with admin tasks in an LMS (e.g., Docebo, Cornerstone, Workday).

Compensation:

Annual Targeted Salary: $80,000-$95,000 USD

Annual Target Bonus: 10%

At Forward Financing, we're committed to fair and transparent compensation. We believe in providing a compensation package that recognizes your skills, experience, and the unique value you bring to our team. We take a market-based approach to pay, regularly reviewing benchmark data to ensure our compensation remains competitive, equitable, and aligned with our performance-driven culture.

Final offers are determined by a variety of factors, including the candidate's qualifications, relevant experience, specific skills, and internal equity. This approach ensures that our compensation is competitive and equitable. Your recruiter will provide specific details on the expected base and variable earnings as it pertains to this specific role.

Total Rewards:

Additionally, we offer a comprehensive total rewards package, including but not limited to: medical, dental, vision, commuter benefits, a flexible time-off policy, paid parental leave, 401k match for US employees, wellness reimbursement, volunteering days, annual professional development budget, and charitable donation match.

Forward is proud to be a remote-first company, keeping workplace flexibility a top priority for our employees. As a business, we are focused on impact; we are more concerned with your contributions to the success of the company than where you get your work done. To help facilitate in-person collaboration, employees are welcome to work from one of our premiere office locations.

When we aren’t collaborating to drive business and support our customers, we’re finding virtual and in-person ways to get to know our colleagues, celebrate team wins, and have fun together!

Our Core Values:

• Drive the Mission: We believe in financial opportunity for underserved small businesses. We say “yes” when others say “no.”

• Keep It Real: We value direct communication, candid feedback, and authenticity. We are an open book.

• Act With Kindness: We create an environment where caring is cool and helping is the norm. We do the right thing.

• Shoot for Extraordinary: We are inspired by innovative thinking and continuous improvement. We never settle for yesterday’s best.

About Us:

Forward Financing is a fintech company based in Boston, Massachusetts with team members throughout the United States, Dominican Republic, and Canada. The company is on a mission to unlock the capital that fuels small businesses across America. Whether facing challenges accessing traditional financing or simply needing a convenient, flexible solution, Forward is committed to funding more of the millions of small businesses nationwide. By simplifying the requirements, streamlining the process, and using advanced proprietary technology, Forward is often able to deliver approvals within hours and funds that same day – giving more businesses the financial opportunity they need to thrive. Plus, with their dedicated teams and award-winning service, customers get personalized support when they need it most.

Since 2012, Forward has expanded access to capital by providing over $4.8 billion in funding to more than 92,000 small businesses. The company is A+ rated by the Better Business Bureau with an Excellent / 4.7 stars rating on Trustpilot.com. Recognized as a Best Place to Work by Built In Boston and certified as a Great Place To Work®, Forward is dedicated to empowering both its team and the customers they serve, helping them succeed and thrive.

U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment Information

Forward Financing is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and is committed to fostering a fair and inclusive culture built on a foundation of high performance and exceptional customer experience. With a laser focus on employee impact, we’re able to reduce biases and ensure the right people are in the right jobs to contribute to our mission. The varied perspectives of our people fuel innovation and make us a stronger team. By embracing what makes each of us unique, we create a supportive environment where people feel valued, accepted, and empowered to thrive.

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