Instructional Designer for Black Belt Academy

@ Cisco

About

The Black Belt Academy is a cornerstone of Cisco’s integrated partner enablement strategy, aligned with the Cisco 360 Partner Program. It delivers tailored, agile training that accelerates partner growth across Cloud & AI, Networking, Collaboration, Security, and Services. The Academy complements Cisco Career Certifications and other enablement initiatives, helping partners enhance their Partner Value Index (PVI) and unlock greater opportunities within the Cisco ecosystem.

Key Responsibilities

Instructional Design & Development: Design and develop instructional materials (e-learning modules, instructor-led training, virtual courses, and blended learning solutions) for IT topics including Networking, Cybersecurity, Cloud & AI, and Collaboration. Apply adult learning principles, established instructional design models (ADDIE, SAM, Bloom’s Taxonomy, Kirkpatrick Evaluation Model), and accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG) to create engaging content. Incorporate emerging technologies and AI-powered tools for enhanced learning personalization and interactivity.

Collaboration & Alignment: Partner with Subject Matter Experts to analyze training needs, define learning objectives, and align content with Cisco’s strategic initiatives. Collaborate with teams across Business Entities, Global Partner Engineering, Go-to-Market, and Architectures to ensure that training strategies meet Cisco’s business priorities and align with the Capability Acceleration Framework for Enablement (CAFE) and Partner Learning Journeys.

Program Development & Delivery: Develop assessments and evaluation tools to measure learner progress and program effectiveness. Ensure delivery in multiple modalities, including video-on-demand, virtual/web-based training, and adaptable instructor-led formats. Continuously update content to reflect IT industry trends, Cisco solutions, and evolving partner needs.

Evaluation & Improvement: Collect and analyze learner feedback and course metrics to iterate and improve training programs, supporting ongoing enhancement of the Black Belt Academy content catalog.

Qualifications

Proven experience in instructional design, preferably within IT or technology. Strong understanding of IT concepts including networking, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and software development. Excellent ability to translate complex technical topics into clear, engaging learning content. Strong communication, collaboration, and project management skills. Knowledge of AI in learning design is a plus, and familiarity with Cisco’s Black Belt Academy or Cisco 360 Partner Program is highly desirable.

Required Skills

• Instructional Design Models & Frameworks: ADDIE, SAM, Bloom’s Taxonomy, Kirkpatrick Model, Adult Learning Theory.
• eLearning Authoring Tools: Articulate 360, Adobe Captivate, Camtasia, Vyond.
• Learning Management Systems: Mindtickle, Moodle, Docebo, Cornerstone.
• Collaboration & Content Tools: MS PowerPoint, Google Workspace, Figma, Miro.
• Assessment & Analytics: Designing knowledge checks, simulations, and using data.
• Accessibility & Standards: WCAG compliance, SCORM, xAPI.
• Emerging Tech in L&D: AI-powered adaptive learning tools, AR/VR (a plus).

Preferred Skills

Experience with Cisco Networking Academy or similar IT-focused programs, along with knowledge of IT industry certifications (e.g., CCNA, CCNP, CISSP, AWS, Azure) and designing for diverse learners.

Key skills/competency

• Instructional Design
• eLearning
• IT Concepts
• Training Development
• Collaboration
• Assessment
• Adult Learning
• Emerging Technologies
• Accessibility
• Feedback Analysis