Director, Operational Learning & Development
Department: Corporate
Reports To: Chief Operating Officer
Campus Location: Can be based at any one of our six campuses: Springfield, IL; Peoria, IL; Moline, IL; Springfield, MO; Horn Lake, MS; Ridgeland, MS with partial remote work.
FLSA Status: Exempt
Position Type: Full Time
Job Summary:
The Director, Operational Learning & Development will build our Learning & Development function from the ground up. As our first dedicated L&D professional, you will bridge the gap between high-level strategy and frontline execution by diagnosing immediate training gaps, building our learning infrastructure and design programs that directly drive business growth. This dual role requires a rare blend of visionary planning and grassroots execution. You must be equally comfortable designing a multi-year roadmap with executives and personally facilitating hands-on workshops with staff.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Leadership & Infrastructure Building
- Build from scratch – establish the organizations foundational L&D strategy, frameworks and core training processes by partnering with campus and corporate leaders and stakeholders.
- Align with business goals – partner with executive leadership to translate business objectives into measurable training initiatives.
- Tech Stack Ownership – design and implement learning tools on the company’s Learning Management Systems and other internal technology such as SharePoint.
- Data & ROI Tracking – partner with department leaders to define Key Performance Indicators to measure training effectiveness, operational impact and business ROI.
Instructional Design & Content Creation
- Needs Analysis – conduct gap analysis across operational departments to identify immediate training priorities.
- Curriculum Development – design, build and maintain scalable learning materials, manuals, e-learning modules, and quick-reference guides.
- Onboarding Excellence – overhaul and standardize the company-wide onboarding experience to reduce time-to-productivity for new hires.
Delivery & Facilitation
- Hands-On Delivery – personally facilitate live, virtual and hands-on training sessions for operational and frontline teams.
- Train-the-Trainer – Equip department leads and subject matter experts with coaching skills to scale peer-to-peer training.
- Continuous Learning – establish reoccurring workshops for leadership development, compliance and core operational skills.
All employees are expected to consistently exhibit Midwest Technical Institute and Delta Technical College’s core values in their daily interactions and work performance. These values are central to our success and culture, and we expect every team member to embody them.
Qualifications:
Education & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Organizational Leadership, Organizational Development, Education, Operations Management, or a related field required; Master’s degree preferred.
- Ten (10) or more years of progressive experience in organizational learning, organizational effectiveness, operations, leadership development, training, program implementation, or a related business function.
- Demonstrated experience leading enterprise-wide or multi-location initiatives from strategy through implementation.
- Proven success developing organizational learning and leadership programs that improve business or operational performance.
- Experience partnering with executive and operational leadership to identify organizational needs and implement solutions.
- Demonstrated experience leading complex cross-functional projects involving multiple departments, locations, and stakeholders.
- Experience supporting the implementation and adoption of new systems, processes, technologies, or company initiatives.
- Experience developing scalable learning programs using instructor-led, virtual, blended, and digital learning methodologies.
- Multi-site or multi-location operational experience strongly preferred.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
- Strong understanding of organizational effectiveness, adult learning, instructional design, leadership development, and operational performance.
- Strong business and operational acumen with the ability to understand organizational challenges and translate them into practical solutions.
- Demonstrated ability to move effectively between strategy and hands-on execution.
- Strong project and program management skills with the ability to coordinate complex initiatives across multiple departments and locations.
- Ability to analyze operational needs, identify root causes, and develop scalable solutions.
- Strong facilitation, presentation, and executive communication skills.
- Ability to influence and build credibility with leaders at all levels without direct authority.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to use data and business results to evaluate effectiveness.
- Excellent relationship-building and cross-functional collaboration skills.
- Ability to manage multiple initiatives, priorities, and deadlines in a fast-paced, growing organization.
- Proficiency with learning management systems, eLearning platforms, Microsoft 365 applications, and related learning technologies.
Working Conditions:
- Standard office environment.
- Ability to travel to other campuses, as needed, to support organizational initiatives, leadership collaboration, training, and operational priorities (up to 30% travel).
- May require periodic evening or weekend participation in leadership development programs, training sessions, or organizational events.
Compensation & Benefits:
- Salary – $115,000 - $135,000
- Benefits – Health Insurance, Dental, Vision, Retirement Plans, Paid Time Off, etc.
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