Instructional Designer

Be part of a growing, successful company in an exciting and challenging field. Border States is 100% employee-owned, which means you’re empowered to make decisions, find solutions and receive rewards for your hard work.

This position will be located in: Fargo, ND

Application Deadline: Posted Until Filled

Please note that the position may be filled before or after the listed application deadline. Applications will only be accepted while the posting remains active.

Job Summary

The Instructional Designer role partners with the Learning Readiness Manager and subject matter experts (SMEs) to design, develop, and assess effective learning solutions that meet the evolving needs of Border States employee-owners. This role analyzes performance gaps, recommends the most effective learning strategies and modalities, and determines whether learning solutions should be built internally or sourced through third‑party vendors. The instructional Designer applies instructional design methodologies such as ADDIE or similar frameworks while remaining flexible and adaptive to organizational change, learning needs, and business priorities.

Responsibilities

Essential Functions

• Applies instructional design methodologies (e.g., ADDIE) to analyze, design, develop, implement, and evaluate learning solutions.
• Recommends the most effective learning modality (eLearning, instructor‑led, blended, performance support, etc.) based on skill, audience, and business need.
• Assesses scope of organizational change and design learning that supports adoption and performance.
• Designs and develops engaging learning materials including eLearning, ILT, assessments, and job aids.
• Partners with business stakeholders to determine whether learning solutions should be built internally or purchased.
• Clearly communicates trade‑offs, including development time and cost.
• Supports vendor selection and evaluate third‑party content quality.
• Builds and maintains strong working relationships with SMEs and stakeholders.
• Ensures learner centered design meets measurable skill outcomes.
• Manages multiple learning projects simultaneously.
• Follows and contributes to instructional design standards and processes.
• Incorporates feedback and data to improve learning solutions.
  
  

Non-Essential Functions

• Remains current with issues related to accessibility, compatibility, and emerging technologies, ensuring all methods are compliant, consulting with instructors as needed.
• Facilitates train the trainer programs, as needed.
• Performs other duties as assigned by supervisor or designate.
  
  

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with focus in instructional design, business, education, adult learning, or related field, or equivalent work experience required.
• 3 years of corporate or organizational learning experience preferred.
• Understanding of adult learning principles and theories.
• Experience in designing and developing engaging learning experiences across various formats (online, blended, face-to-face).
• Passion for leading teams by mentoring and fostering the professional growth of others.
  
  

Skills And Abilities

• Manages complexity by synthesizing large amounts of SME input, technical details, and business requirements into clear learning solutions.
• Balances stakeholders by integrating SME, business, and learner needs while maintaining instructional quality.
• Demonstrates resourcefulness by finding creative ways to address content gaps and shifting priorities.
• Builds strong networks by forming trust based relationships with SMEs, partners, and vendors.
• Influences for impact by clearly explaining instructional recommendations and trade offs to guide decisions.
• Instills trust by delivering high quality work and maintaining transparency throughout the design process.
• Communicates effectively by tailoring messaging, simplifying complex concepts, and facilitating productive discovery sessions.
• Demonstrates digital fluency by leveraging learning technologies, authoring tools, and platforms to create engaging, accessible content.
• Adapts plans as conditions change by incorporating feedback and adjusting timelines as business needs evolve.
  
  

Physical Requirements

Frequency at which you would carry/lift in a typical day:

Occasionally 0 – 33% Frequently 34 – 66% Continuously: 67 – 100%

Lift from Waist:

< than 10 lbs. - Not at all

10 to 25 lbs. - Not at all

26 to 50 lbs. - Not at all

51 to 75 lbs. - Not at all

75 to 100 lbs. - Not at all

100 lbs. - Not at all

Lift from Floor:

< than 10 lbs. - Frequently

10 to 25 lbs. - Frequently

26 to 50 lbs. - Occasionally

51 to 75 lbs. - Not at all

75 to 100 lbs. - Not at all

100 lbs. - Not at all

Carried for Distance:

< than 10 lbs. - Not at all

10 to 25 lbs. - Not at all

26 to 50 lbs. - Not at all

51 to 75 lbs. - Not at all

75 to 100 lbs. - Not at all

100 lbs. - Not at all

Physical Activity

Frequency at which you would do the following in a typical day:

• Sitting (a continuous period of being seated) - Continuously
• Standing (for sustained periods of time) - Frequently
• Walking (moving about on foot to accomplish tasks) - Frequently
• Bending/stooping (downward and forward) - Occasionally
• Crawling (moving about on hands and knees or hands and feet) - Not at all
• Climbing/Walking Stairs (ascending or descending) - Frequently
• Reaching (extending arms in any direction) - Frequently
• Crouching/squatting (bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine) - Occasionally
• Kneeling (bending legs at knee to come to rest on knee(s)) - Occasionally
• Balancing (maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling) - Occasionally
• Repetitive motion (substantial movement (motions) or the wrists, hands, and/or fingers) - Continuously
• Pivoting (movement in any direction with one foot, keeping the other in contact with the floor) - Occasionally
• Pushing/Pulling (using upper extremities to press against or draw or tug) - Occasionally
• Grasping (Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm) - Continuously
• Fingering (picking, pinching, typing; working with primarily fingers and not whole hand) - Continuously
• Talking (expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word) - Frequently
• Driving (the control and operation of a motor vehicle) - Occasionally
• Desk work (work usually performed at a desk) - Continuously
• Use of a computer - Continuously
• Use of a telephone - Frequently
• Hearing (Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels) - Continuously
• Exposure (to adverse weather & temperature conditions) - Not at all
• Travel (travel needed to perform job duties) - Frequently
  
  

Additional Information

This job description is a summary of the job duties and responsibilities and is not intended to cover all possible job duties and is subject to change at the employer’s discretion. Employees must be able to perform the essential job duties and satisfy job requirements either with or without a reasonable accommodation.

Our History

Border States is a leader in the electrical supply distribution industry with approximately 130 locations in 31 states. Our employee-owners are second to none in delivering top-notch customer service and in demonstrating extra-ordinary people skills. We are one of the largest independent electrical distributors in the United States providing products and services to the construction, industrial and utility industries. Border States has a competitive benefit package and is a 100 percent employee-owned company. Employee-ownership is a significant part of our culture and our success stems from the dedication of our employee-owners. We practice open-book management and our employee-owners are empowered with clearly defined levels of authority to be innovative and decisive, allowing us to respond quickly to the needs of customers. Employee-owners understand their roles in the success of the company and care about customers’ needs, which drives our focus on adding value to everything we do. We recognize that not all customers are the same and each has specific requirements. Our employee-owners understand these diverse needs and have the commitment, resourcefulness and flexibility to outperform all others.

Values

As a Border States employee-owner, you’re responsible for living our mission, service philosophy and service standards.

Our Purpose

We believe unstoppable businesses shouldn't go it alone. We are owners - of relationships, of outcomes, of every moment these unstoppable businesses need to deliver.

Service Philosophy

We earn customer loyalty and confidence by caring about their needs and adding value to everything we do.

Service Standards

Border States employee-owners are competent, accurate, responsive, and engaged .

Your career

Join an experienced team at one of the largest electrical distributors in the United States. What are you waiting for?

Border States has a competitive benefits package which includes but is not limited to:

Health, Dental and Vision Benefits

Accident, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity

FSA & HSA

Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)

Disability Benefits

401(k) Retirement Plan

Life Insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Paid Holidays

Paid Volunteer Time

Personal Leave time and more!

Border States provides bonuses to their employee-owners upon the achievement of branch and company goals.

Equal Opportunity For All

It’s not just the law. It’s something we’ve believed in since our founding. We value the diversity of all of our employee-owners and will always be an equal opportunity employer.

Drug Free/Smoke Free workplace

Employment may be contingent on the offered candidate successfully passing one or more of the following pre-employment screenings:

• Criminal background check (required for all positions)
• Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) check (required for positions involving driving)
• Drug testing
  
  

The MVR check and drug testing vary by role and will be communicated to the offered candidate during the onboarding process and as applicable.