Content Development Manager

M.C. Dean, Inc • Tysons, VA

2d

About The Position

The Content Development Manager owns the design, development, and quality of all internal learning content at M.C. Dean. The Content Development Manager defines instructional design standards, enforces content quality, and converts SME pilots into repeatable competency-aligned learning products.
This role requires a high degree of autonomy, initiative and operational creativity. The manager must be a self-starter who proactively identifies gaps, proposes and executes solutions end-to-end with minimal direction, and drives measurable improvement. Key expectations include:
Operates with strong independent judgment and makes data-backed recommendations; escalates only when decisions exceed delegated authority.
Proactively identifies process, technical or content gaps and delivers a prioritized implementation plan with outcomes, owners and timelines.
Leads innovation in tools, learning approaches and vendor use — experiments, measures impact, and scales what works.
Demonstrates strong stakeholder influence: convenes SMEs, gains alignment, and drives cross-functional execution without sustained escalation to the Director.
Owns outcomes (quality, schedule, budget and impact) and is accountable for corrective action when metrics fall short.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 8+ years of experience in instructional design, curriculum development, or learning product development.
• Experience leading content development efforts, instructional design teams, or cross-functional learning initiatives.
• Demonstrated experience developing competency-aligned curricula, including technical training and/or leadership development programs.
• Proven ability to convert subject matter expert (SME)-driven content into scalable, repeatable learning products.
• Working knowledge of learning technologies, including LMS platforms, SCORM/xAPI standards, and digital content development tools.
• Exposure to computer screens for an extended period of time.
• Sitting for extended periods of time.
• Reach by extending hands or arms in any direction.
• Have finger dexterity in order to manipulate objects with fingers rather than whole hands or arms, for example, using a keyboard.
• Listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Identify and understand the speech of another person.

Nice To Haves

• Professional certifications strongly preferred (e.g., ATD CPLP/CTDP, APTD, PMI, Agile/Scrum, eLearning Guild certifications).
• Experience working in technical, operational, or skilled workforce environments (e.g., construction, engineering, manufacturing) preferred.
• Experience managing vendors, contractors, or external content providers preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead content strategy and end-to-end development for core internal curricula; produce editorial and instructional standards, templates and evaluation rubrics to raise quality and reduce time-to-publish.
• Design and manage the learning intake & triage protocol: create a standardized intake form and business-case checklist (audience, outcomes, SME availability, constraints, compliance, job-number mapping and success metrics); run a prioritization/triage process and a build vs. buy decision matrix; publish SLAs for intake → design handoffs.
• Develop and enforce instructional design documentation & templates: own mandatory design artifacts for every build — design brief, measurable learning objectives, assessment blueprint, storyboard/template, media & accessibility specs, SME interview guides, and a post-launch evaluation plan.
• Establish design review gates and acceptance criteria: implement milestone checklists and peer-review gates (concept sign-off, alpha QA, beta pilot, final QA) with defined owner sign-offs and remediation steps.
• Coordinate the design → publish handoff: define technical packaging requirements, SCORM/xAPI and metadata standards, and the formal handoff checklist to Learning Technology & Integrations for packaging, integrations and publishing; own decision rules for custom vs. vendor content.
• Convert SME pilots (Assembler, Fire Alarm, Bootcamps, Engineer Rotation pilots) into repeatable playbooks and learning products mapped to career pathways and competency frameworks.
• Own leadership development and manager curricula (Superintendent/Foreman Academies): design, pilot, evaluate and iterate leadership tracks and coaching assets.
• Maintain ID and content governance: SCORM/xAPI guidance, microlearning best practices, peer-review cycles and final QA prior to publishing; manage the content backlog and prioritize remediations.
• Serve as apprenticeship/CTE curricular steward: co-design syllabi, capstone assessments and credit-bearing alignment with CTE/post-secondary partners in partnership with the Education & Talent Management teams.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees