Instructional Designer and Engagement Specialist

Why work with YWCA Seattle King Snohomish?

YWCA SKS is the region’s largest non-profit organization with a 120+ year legacy, focused on the needs of women, with programs serving 7,000 people each year. When you work with YWCA, you make a difference.

We’re women and BIPOC-led, family-centered, and supportive of employees. As a full-time YWCA employee (30+ hours), you’ll enjoy a benefits package including medical insurance, generous vacation, holiday, sick leave plans, and an outstanding retirement plan. Put your passion for racial equity and social justice to work – apply today!

What You'll Do

We are seeking a mission-aligned Instructional Designer and Engagement Specialist to help foster a culture of learning, equity, and inclusion at our community-based social services organization. This role is responsible for designing and facilitating impactful training experiences, managing internal communications (including newsletters), and gathering feedback through staff engagement surveys. The ideal candidate is both a creative educator and a thoughtful communicator with a deep commitment to social justice and community-centered practices.

YWCA’s Mission is focused on social justice and requires critical thinking through the lens of racism and intersections with poverty. Knowing the core principles of antiracism work and grounding those principles in everyday work, are required job skills and core values.

This position is hybrid from Seattle with the majority of work being conducted online. 

• Content Design & eLearning Integration
• Design and develop training programs and learning resources that promote social justice, equity, trauma-informed care, and inclusive practices.
• In partnership with YWCA’s Senior Trainer and Learning Coordinator create training content that takes complex topics and turns them into engaging, digestible course materials within YWCA’s Learning Management System (Paylocity)
• Identify and engage Subject Matter Experts to design engaging eLearning and instructor-led course materials.
• Support integration of eLearning with other initiatives, incorporating multimedia elements and staying updated on eLearning trends.
• Apply adult learning principles to create engaging and accessible materials for diverse staff roles and learning styles.
• Lead all efforts through a Design Thinking Approach where we engage, inquire and actively seek the perspectives of our employees through the lens of our mission and individuals served. 
• All efforts and programs will be continually adjusted and modified to ensure that our mission and people served are centered on all employee facing efforts.

• Internal Communication & Engagement
• Write and manage the organization’s internal staff newsletter, sharing updates, celebrations, resources, and key messages from leadership.
• Create accessible, inclusive communications that foster connection, transparency, and alignment across programs and teams.
• Maintain a consistent tone and style that reflects the organization’s values and amplifies staff voices.
• Manage, maintain, and optimize HR SharePoint sites and pages, ensuring content is accurate, organized, and user-friendly.
• Create and update document libraries, permission structures, workflows, and HR-specific web parts or apps.
• Support site governance, access control, and versioning in line with IT and HR security standards.
• Will support and help coordinate staff engagement events scheduled throughout the year.

• Training Facilitation & Delivery
• In partnership with the Senior Trainer facilitate in-person and virtual training sessions for staff on topics such as trauma-informed care, mandatory reporting, anti-racism, mental health first aid, communication skills, and community leadership.
• Co-lead onboarding and orientation for new hires, ensuring alignment with YWCA values and practices.
• Tailor facilitation style and content to meet the needs of various teams, roles, and learning preferences.
• Supports classroom learning preparation and clean-up activities, such as ordering food, setting-up the room and ensuring sign-in procedures are followed.

• Staff Surveys & Feedback Systems
• Coordinate, update, and administer staff engagement and pulse surveys.
• Analyze and summarize survey results to identify trends, challenges, and areas for growth.
• Work with leadership to develop action plans and close feedback loops in a transparent, collaborative way.

• Program Coordination and Learning System Management
• Schedule and coordinate training sessions, workshops, and e-learning programs.
• Manage logistics for in-person and virtual learning events (e.g., booking rooms, sending invites, setting up materials).
• Maintain the learning calendar and ensure timely communication of learning opportunities.
• Administer and update the Learning Management System (LMS), including enrolling users, tracking progress, and generating reports.

• Evaluation & Continuous Improvement
• Administer and analyze training assessments to ensure comprehension and retention of training materials.
• Continuously review and update course curriculum based on feedback and effectiveness.

• BA or equivalent level of education and experience in Human Resources, Communications or related field OR associate’s degree with certification in Learning and Development.
• 3-5 years of experience in instructional design, organizational learning, or community-based education.  
• Demonstrated commitment to social justice, racial equity and social change work.
• Experience writing newsletters, toolkits, or internal communications for diverse audiences.
• Strong facilitation and interpersonal skills, with ability to hold space for vulnerable or complex conversations.
• Skilled in learning design tools (e.g., Canva, Google Slides, LMS platforms), and communication tools (e.g., Mailchimp, Constant Contact, or similar).
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.

• COMPETENCIES:
• Strong understanding of race and social justice principles
• Trauma-informed with a commitment to prioritizing relationships and building community; flex behavior/communication style as needed
• Comfortable working independently and as part of a team
• Ability to communicate and work respectfully with other staff, clients, and contractors from a variety of racial, cultural, and economic backgrounds.
• Ability to use tact, diplomacy, and confidentiality when working with sensitive information

• Salaried, Exempt: $75,000 - $100,000
• 40 hours per week
• Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Classification: Exempt position.
• Excellent benefits package including medical insurance, retirement plan, plus generous vacation, holiday, and sick leave plans.
• At the time of hire, employees may choose to voluntarily enroll in the Fidelity 403b Plan.  Typically, after two years of employment, employees are eligible to participate in the YWCA Retirement Fund with a 14% employer contribution.

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an individual to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  In performing this position, the employee:

• All positions at YWCA Seattle | King | Snohomish are exposed to clients who have experienced or are experiencing trauma in various forms including but not limited to domestic violence, sexual violence, homelessness, unemployment, financial hardship, etc.  As a result, staff are at risk of secondary trauma. Employees are encouraged to seek external support and maintain self-care when working indirectly or directly with clients.
• Frequently stands, walks, sits, and climbs in performing duties in the office and in traveling to various YWCA worksites.
• Frequently reaches and grasps in using telephones, computers, copy machines and other office equipment and supplies.
• Must be willing and able to Lift up to 20-40 pounds.
• Frequently kneels, bends, pushes, and pulls in setting up workstations.
• Frequently maneuvers around and/or under desks in sometimes tight and dirty locations.

• *Continuously = Over 80% of the time * Frequently = 20-80% * Occasionally = Under 20%

#LI-Hybrid

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YWCA encourages applicants with a variety of experiences to apply!

At YWCA, we recognize that lived expertise is a powerful asset. This refers to the insights, knowledge, and skills developed by those who have navigated systems and experienced inequity.

Valuing lived expertise helps build trust with program participants, develop culturally responsive programs, and break down barriers to equity. It enriches our collective understanding and enhances our ability to serve communities that are furthest from opportunity.

Mental Health Considerations

All employees of the YWCA interact with clients who have experienced or are experiencing trauma in various forms, including but not limited to, racial trauma, domestic violence, sexual violence, homelessness, unemployment, and financial hardship. As a result, employees are at risk of secondary trauma. We encourage employees to seek support inside and outside the workplace and maintain self-care routines.

Equal Opportunity Employment

YWCA Seattle King Snohomish is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  To read more about this, view the EEO is the Law Poster and this EEO is the Law Poster Supplement.

For more information

Contact us at careers@ywcaworks.org with any questions or if you need accommodation for your application.