Director, Learning & Development

About Us

The National Democratic Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness, and accountability in government.  Help support democracy worldwide by joining our team! 

About the Role

As the Director, Learning and Development, the responsibilities include designing, developing, and implementing the learning and development (L&D) strategy for the Institute. Through collaboration with stakeholders, this person will play a strategic role in shaping the educational and professional development landscape at the Institute. This position will oversee the creation, implementation, and continuous improvement of global training programs with a focus on DEI, career development, and compliance.  

Your Purpose and Impact: 

• Lead the assessment of organizational needs and the design, implementation, and evaluation of programs that facilitate continuous learning and professional development.
• Collaborate with key stakeholders to identify training needs and create learning programs that address these needs.
• Develop and facilitate high-impact in-person and virtual training sessions for employees at all levels of the organization.
• Design and develop training materials, including e-learning courses, videos, and other multimedia content.
• Maintain a network of external training and development providers to ensure access to the latest learning resources and methodologies for global organizations.
• Develop and lead DEI strategies and programs across performance management, leadership development, employee engagement, and retention. Partner with leaders across the organization to embed a DEI culture into all teams.
• Innovate and implement unique learning initiatives such as mentorship programs and cross-functional training to enhance experiential learning opportunities.
• Establish and manage the learning management system (LMS) to ensure efficient delivery, tracking and reporting of all training activities.
• Maintain a network of external training and development providers to ensure access to the latest learning resources and methodologies for global organizations.
• Oversee the budget for L&D, ensuring resources are allocated effectively to support strategic initiatives and maximize the return on investment (ROI).

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in HR, education, or a related field.
• 10 years plus of experience in Learning and Development, with at least 4 years in a leadership role.
• Strong instructional design, coaching, facilitation, and training skills with evidence of effective application across international contexts and culture.
• In-depth knowledge of DEI principles, policies, and best practices, with a focus on the unique challenges and opportunities within an organization. 
• Bring specific experience developing effective learning approaches across modalities for a distributed workforce. (in-person, virtual, e-learning)
• Experienced in determining and using metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of talent/learning programs.
• Proven track record of designing and delivering successful training programs that have a focus on DEIB and career development in a global environment.
• Strong knowledge of instructional design principles and adult learning theory.
• Experience with e-learning authoring tools and learning management systems.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Experience working in a global setting and innovating new ways to creatively deliver training programs to global employees.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Ability to work independently in a remote work environment.
• Proven track record of designing and delivering successful training programs.
• Have a proven track record influencing stakeholders across distinct functions, up through influencing C-suite leaders.
• Expertise in the following: learning strategy, needs analysis, program design, curriculum design, instructional design, learning evaluation, e-learning, facilitation and DEI.
• Ability to analyze data and metrics to drive decision-making and measure the impact of DEI initiatives
• Strong knowledge of instructional design principles and adult learning theory.
• Experience with e-learning authoring tools and learning management systems.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships across all levels of the organization.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.