Subject Matter Expert | Graphic Media Designer

The role

The Subject Matter Expert is responsible for reviewing, validating, and quality assuring course content and assessments for occupational qualifications delivered by the Academy of Technology and Industry, a division of Valenture Institute, in partnership with UCT Online High School.

The role brings occupational expertise into the content development process by reviewing the Learning Design Plan from an occupational lens and then reviewing, refining, and approving course content generated through internal systems. The purpose of the role is to ensure that the final course material is accurate, complete, aligned to qualification requirements, and fit for delivery in a fully online course environment, where learners engage with content, activities, and assessments digitally rather than in a face-to-face classroom setting.

The role is not primarily responsible for designing the pedagogical framework of the course, but for ensuring that the qualification content generated within that framework is accurate, complete, and aligned to occupational requirements. 

Key responsibilities

Learning Design Plan review and sign-off

• Review the draft Learning Design Plan for the occupational qualification from an occupational and qualification-alignment perspective.
• Validate that the proposed concentrations, modules, module learning outcomes, and exit level outcomes accurately reflect the requirements of the qualification.
• Identify and correct any inaccuracies, omissions, or misalignment in the schema and Learning Design Plan before course development begins.
• Review and sign off the final schema and Learning Design Plan as the approved source input for course development.

Content review and quality assurance

• Review course content for each learning concentration.
• Identify and correct factual inaccuracies, content gaps, misleading explanations, and misalignment with qualification requirements or intended outcomes.
• Improve content where an explanation is unclear, confusing, or likely to be misunderstood by a learner.
• Check that the content is fit for a fully online delivery format, meaning that explanations, activities, and assessments make sense in a digital learning environment rather than relying on in-person classroom practices.
• Approve content for release once it meets agreed quality standards and sufficiently prepares learners for external assessment.

Assessment development

• Review one assessment for each learning concentration within the course.
• Validate that each assessment aligns to the Learning Design Plan, qualification requirements, and intended concentration outcomes.
• Correct, refine, and approve assessments so that they are clear, fit for purpose, and ready for implementation in the online course.

Key deliverables

• Approved schema for each assigned qualification or course.
• Approved Learning Design Plan for each assigned qualification or course.
• Approved course content for each learning concentration.
• Approved assessment for each learning concentration.
• Subject matter review and sign-off completed within agreed timelines.

Skills and experience required

Essential knowledge and experience

• A relevant qualification and/or 5 years hands-on experience, with enough practical expertise to verify whether content is accurate, current, and fit for purpose.
• Strong written communication skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to identify inaccuracies, gaps, weak explanations, or misalignment in content, and correct these effectively.
• Ability to recognise when an explanation is unclear, misleading, or likely to confuse a learner, and improve it.
• Ability to work independently and manage assigned deliverables with limited supervision.
• Ability to adapt quickly to new systems, platforms, and digital tools, including AI-enabled workflows.
• Ability to meet agreed timelines and raise risks, delays, or blockers early and clearly. 

Desirable knowledge and experience

• Experience in teaching, training, or facilitation.
• Familiarity with instructional design and learning science principles.
• Experience in reviewing, developing, or quality assuring learning content.
• Familiarity with occupational qualifications, outcomes-based assessment, or curriculum documentation.

Key attributes

• Reliable and professional in managing commitments.
• Proactive communicator who raises questions, risks, or delays early.
• Detail-oriented and quality-conscious.
• Comfortable working independently within a structured process.
• Organised, responsive, and able to follow agreed ways of working.

What success looks like

• The SME can quickly understand the qualification structure and review the schema and Learning Design Plan from an occupational lens.
• The SME can spot when content is wrong, incomplete, misleading, or too weak to support learner readiness for external assessment.
• The SME improves content in ways that add clear value, rather than simply rereading or lightly editing what has been developed.
• The SME works reliably to deadline, communicates clearly, and flags risks early.
• The SME can work confidently within the agreed digital workflow and adapt to the tools used in the content development process.
• The SME ensures that content is not only accurate but also well-structured and visually clear, with high-quality multimedia that meaningfully enhances understanding and supports an engaging online learning experience.