Knights College is investing in the systematic development of asynchronous learning content to support its growing programme portfolio. At the centre of this initiative is Athena, the College's AI-powered learning environment, through which students engage with structured content independently, guided by Socrates, an AI tutoring layer designed to answer questions, surface conceptual connections, and support self-directed learning.

This is not a traditional academic role. The Academic Content Architect is responsible for building the content infrastructure that makes asynchronous learning work at institutional scale. The role sits at the intersection of curriculum knowledge, instructional design, and digital pedagogy, and requires someone who is as comfortable conducting a structured knowledge-extraction interview with a subject tutor as they are building a complete module unit from scratch within a content management environment.

The post-holder will become the institutional engine behind Knights College's transition to blended and asynchronous delivery, ensuring that every student who engages with Athena benefits from content that is pedagogically sound, clearly structured, and responsive to how students actually learn independently.

Content Development and Architecture

• Conduct structured knowledge-extraction interviews with subject tutors across all active programmes to identify core learning priorities and common student difficulties.
• Translate subject-matter expertise into well-structured, self-contained asynchronous learning units aligned to module learning outcomes.
• Build content explicitly forAI-mediated delivery, with a clear understanding of how Socrates navigates material and how students interact with it independently.
• Maintain and refresh content on an annual cycle, incorporating tutor feedback, student performance data, and programme curriculum changes.

Instructional Design

• Apply online pedagogy principles to ensure content is appropriately sequenced, clearly explained, and designed for a student working alone without live support.
• Identify the right format for each content type: explanatory text, worked examples, self-assessment activities, case studies, or guided reflection.
• Ensure every unit meets the structural and quality standards required for Athena ingestion and Socrates navigation.

Quality and Consistency

• Establish and maintain a content style guide and template framework ensuring consistency across modules and programmes.
• Act as internal content revieweras the academic team scales its asynchronous offering.
• Work with academic leadership to align content standards with MFHEA accreditation requirements and programme learning outcomes.

Teaching Contribution (Secondary)

• Depending on timetabling requirements, contribute a defined portion of teaching time to sixth form or undergraduate provision aligned with the post holder's academic background.
• This teaching contribution is designed to be complementary, not competing, with the primary content development function.

Essential

• A degree-level qualification in business management, or in a relevant academic discipline, ideally at postgraduate level.
• Demonstrable experience in curriculum design, instructional design, or online learning development.
• Strong understanding of online pedagogy and asynchronous learning methodology, or genuine willingness to undertake intensive training in this area.
• Ability to conduct structured interviews, extract expert knowledge, and convert it into clear, learner-centred content.
• Excellent written communication skills with attention to precision, structure, and register.
• Ability to work independently and manage a content development pipeline across multiple modules simultaneously.
• Familiarity with AI-assisted learning environments, or genuine intellectual curiosity about how they work.

Desirable

• Experience working within a higher or further education institution.
• Academic background in business, management, health and social care, education, or another discipline represented in the Knights College programme portfolio.
• Prior use of content management or learning management systems.
• Experience acting as an internal verifier or quality reviewer in an academic context.

Important notes for applicants

This is not primarily a teaching position. The majority of the working year will be spent in content development, review, and iteration. Candidates who are primarily motivated by classroom contact, and who would find independent, structured content work unfulfilling, should consider carefully before applying.

A note on training

Where the appointed candidate does not hold a formal background in online pedagogy or instructional design, Knights College will invest in structured, intensive training as a condition of appointment. This is not a gap that disqualifies a strong candidate, it is a gap the College is prepared to close. What cannot be trained is the intellectual rigour, communication discipline, and self-directed work ethic the role demands.