Learning & Development Expert (Educational Program Design)

🌍 We're Hiring: L&D Expert (Educational Program Design)

Odyssea’s mission is to ensure that people have equal opportunities by harnessing the power of knowledge for employment and personal development. Our vision is to build a world where all young people thrive by realising their full potential.

At Odyssea, we place people at the heart of the programs and services we develop, with the aim to meet their needs and help them gain the skills and confidence to become productive members of society. If you really want to make an impact on peoples’ lives, this is a great position for you!

Odyssea follows the principles of transparency, neutrality, and accountability. In Odyssea, we offer equal upskilling and reskilling opportunities for all, regardless of gender, origin, religion, belief, disability, age, or sexual orientation.

Location: Athens (with occasional travel ✈️ to Thessaloniki and field sites across Greece, including accommodation facilities)

Job Type: Full-time

Reports to: Academy Manager

Starting date: ASAP

Position Summary:

The L&D Expert (Educational Program Design) is the driving force behind the strategic design, development, and continuous improvement of Odyssea’s educational programs. The role involves leading the entire curriculum development lifecycle, from conceptualization and instructional design to the final creation of learner-centered materials. This role is key to ensuring the quality, coherence, and inclusiveness of all educational offerings, while also supporting educators in adopting best-practice teaching methodologies.

We are looking for a professional with deep expertise in Instructional Design, Learning Experience methodologies, adult training, and L&D practices, with a proven ability to develop comprehensive training programs, curricula, and highly engaging learning materials that promote effective and learner-centered instruction.

Key Responsibilities:

Curriculum Development & Instructional Design

• Lead the Instructional Design process to develop, adapt, and continuously update curricula and comprehensive learning materials for vocational and language courses.
• Ensure all content and course structure align strategically with labour market trends, adult learning principles, and donor requirements.
• Design the overall Learning Experience, integrating inclusive education principles and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) approaches into all materials and course structures.
• Develop robust cross-sectoral modules (e.g., labour law, soft skills, workplace safety), ensuring a high level of pedagogical quality and engagement.
• Ensure that materials comply with Odyssea’s rigorous quality and accessibility standards (dyslexia-friendly, bilingual, simplified formats).

Educator Support & Capacity Building

• Train and support educators through induction sessions, workshops, and ongoing pedagogical guidance in the effective implementation of the newly designed curricula and methodologies.
• Provide methodological coaching, classroom observation, and feedback to ensure high-quality delivery.
• Facilitate peer learning and exchange among trainers across locations.
• Contribute to the design of evaluation tools and feedback mechanisms for educators and students.

Quality Assurance & Monitoring

• Oversee the educational implementation of Odyssea’s training programmes in collaboration with project managers, ensuring the fidelity of the program delivery to the original learning design and pedagogical intent.
• Conduct field visits to training sites and accommodation facilities to monitor teaching quality and learner engagement.
• Develop and apply quality assurance tools and indicators to assess learning outcomes and course effectiveness.
• Support the collection and analysis of data for internal and donor reports.

Assessment & Certification

• Design and review formative and summative assessment tools.
• Support the validation of learners’ acquired skills and their connection with Odyssea’s Employability Department and Talent Platform.

Collaboration & Representation

• Act as the focal point for education-related coordination with project partners, donors, and institutional stakeholders.
• Contribute to the preparation of educational content for proposals, presentations, and reporting.
• Represent Odyssea in education working groups and external meetings when required.

Qualifications

Education:

• Advanced University degree in Education, Adult Learning, Pedagogy, Refugee Education or a related field (Master’s degree preferred).

Experience:

• Minimum 3 years of professional experience in Instructional Design or leading education programme development/coordination.
• Proven experience with refugee or migrant adult learners.
• Previous involvement in vocational or non-formal education projects.
• Experience with donor-funded projects (e.g., IOM, UNICEF, UNHCR) is considered an asset.

Skills & Competencies:

• Expert-level knowledge of Instructional Design models and adult learning methodologies.
• Proven ability to design, structure, and review complex educational materials and curricula.
• Excellent knowledge of inclusive education approaches (UDL) and their practical application.
• Strong communication, teamwork, and organizational skills.
• Capacity to provide constructive feedback and mentor educators.
• Fluency in Greek and English (both written and spoken); knowledge of Arabic or Farsi is an asset.
• Willingness to travel occasionally to field sites and accommodation facilities across Greece.

Safeguarding & Protection

Odyssea is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable populations. Employment is subject to Odyssea’s Protection Policy, background checks, and GDPR compliance.

Recruitment Process

1st Interview: Academy Manager & HR Generalist

2nd Interview: with the CEO

What we offer to make your work-life awesome! 🌟:

🏖️ +3 additional holiday days per year, beyond the legal entitlement and national bank holidays

📚 3 personal learning days p.a. with 100€ company contribution

🤝 2 volunteer days off p.a in another organization

🌐 Hybrid work model: One remote day per week

💪 Private health insurance