Instructional Designer

About IRIS

IRIS Software Group is one of the UK's largest privately held software companies, trusted by 100,000+ businesses, schools and accountancy firms to keep their operations running. Our software pays 1 in 6 UK employees, supports over 12,000 schools, and is relied on by 91 of the top 100 UK accountancy firms.

We're a Great Place to Work® certified employer, recognised for our commitment to well-being, inclusion and development - and we're growing fast.

At IRIS Software Group, we help businesses, schools and organisations work smarter through software. But great software only delivers real value when customers understand how to use it confidently and successfully.

That’s where IRIS Academy comes in.

IRIS Academy is our online customer learning platform, helping people understand IRIS products, adopt new features, complete important tasks and continue getting value from the software they use.

As IRIS Academy continues to grow across more of our products, we’re looking for Content Designers / Digital Learning Designers to help us create clear, practical and useful digital learning for our customers.

This role would suit someone who has created digital learning, customer education, software training, enablement, instructional or support content, ideally within a software, SaaS, technology or customer-facing environment.

You don’t need previous experience with IRIS products, but you do need to be curious, confident learning unfamiliar software and comfortable asking questions until you fully understand how a product or feature works.

🧾 Why This Role Matters

Every day, thousands of customers rely on IRIS software to run important parts of their organisation.

The learning you create will help customers:

• understand how our products work

• adopt new features

• complete important tasks correctly

• solve common problems

• use our software with confidence

• continue getting value from the products they use

Instead of helping one customer at a time, you’ll create learning that can support thousands of customers whenever they need it.

📊 What You'll Be Doing

A big part of this role is discovery.

Before creating content, you’ll work with Product Owners, Subject Matter Experts, customer-facing teams and other stakeholders to understand:

• what the product or feature does

• who it is for

• what customer problem it solves

• why it matters

• how customers use it

• where customers may struggle

• what they need to know or do differently

You’ll need to ask thoughtful questions, listen carefully, follow up on what you hear and gather enough information to decide what learning is actually needed.

You’ll then turn that information into clear, practical digital learning.

This could include:

• Online courses and learning pathways

• Clear instructional copy

• Audio or video scripts

• Screenshots, screencasts and short videos

• Knowledge checks, quizzes and assessments

• Step-by-step guides and supporting materials

You’ll also keep content accurate as products change, use learner feedback and data to improve content, and contribute to shared standards across IRIS Academy.

The team is also exploring AI-assisted tools and workflows, so curiosity about new technology and smarter ways of working will be important.

🔎 What We’re Looking For

We’re looking for someone who combines customer focus, curiosity, clear communication and practical learning design skills.

You’ll be a good fit if you have:

• Experience creating digital learning, customer education, software training, enablement, instructional or support content.

• Experience explaining software, systems or technical processes in a simple and useful way.

• Experience working with customers, users, Product Owners, SMEs or technical experts to understand a subject before creating content.

• Confidence asking probing questions and following up on answers rather than simply working from a fixed brief.

• The ability to understand what problem a product or feature solves for the customer.

• A customer-focused mindset, with an understanding that learning should help users adopt products, use them confidently and get ongoing value from them.

• Strong written communication skills and the ability to make complex information clear.

• A proactive, curious approach to learning unfamiliar products and tools.

• Strong organisation skills and the ability to manage several pieces of content at once.

• Confidence building relationships with stakeholders across different teams.

• A willingness to receive feedback and improve your work.

Experience creating learning for external software/SaaS customers would be particularly relevant.

This role may suit someone from a background in digital learning design, customer education, software/product training, enablement, SaaS customer success, software support, professional services, implementation or instructional design.

Experience with tools such as Articulate Rise, Storyline, Camtasia, Learning Management Systems, video tools or AI-assisted content creation would be helpful, but is not essential.

🚀 Why Join Us?

This is an opportunity to join a growing team that is shaping how customers learn across IRIS.

You’ll build deep knowledge of our products, work closely with experts across the business and create learning that helps customers succeed with the software they use.

You’ll also continue developing your own skills across customer education, digital learning design, instructional design, video content, authoring tools and AI-assisted content creation.

If you enjoy understanding how software works, asking questions, making complicated things simple and helping customers succeed, we’d love to hear from you.

📝 What Can You Expect From Our Application Process?

Our process will usually include an online application, an initial conversation with Talent Acquisition, relevant online assessments and a final interview with the hiring team.

The final stage may include a practical role-play based around a fictional software product or feature.

During the process, we’ll want to understand:

• how you learn about an unfamiliar product

• how you work with Product Owners and SMEs

• how you ask questions and gather information

• how you identify what customers need to learn

• how you turn complex product information into useful customer learning

If you’re curious, customer-focused and enjoy turning complex software into simple learning that helps people succeed, we’d love to hear from you.

Why You’ll Love Working Here

• Impact: Your work will influence millions globally.

• Growth: Continuous learning and career development opportunities.

• Belonging: A culture that celebrates diversity and empowers every individual.
  

Ready to Apply?

Click Apply - we’re excited to learn about your unique perspective and experience. If you need adjustments during the process, let us know. We’re committed to making this opportunity accessible to everyone.

What to expect from our hiring process

Our process is designed to be fair, transparent and straightforward. Stages vary depending on the role — more senior positions may involve additional steps, and some areas include role-specific assessments such as a technical test or case study — but typically you can expect:

1. Application review — we assess your experience and potential

2. Initial call — a short conversation to learn about you and share more about the role

3. Skills assessment — tailored to the position, e.g. case study, coding challenge or portfolio review

4. Final interview — meet the team and explore how you'll make an IMPACT at IRIS

We'll always walk you through the specific stages at the start of the process so you can prepare with confidence.

If you need any adjustments or accommodations during the process, let us know, we’re committed to making this experience accessible for everyone.