Manager, Learning & Development

Description

Summary

Responsible for designing, developing, implementing, and evaluating training programs for Sunward and oversees Sunward’s Onboarding program. Uses data to drive innovative strategies and programs that support Sunward’s critical performance goals, a culture of employee engagement, and extraordinary member experiences. Develops and implements needs analyses and training plans for the Organization, coordinates and evaluates curriculum development, oversees the preparation and delivery of training, and may periodically serve as an instructor for courses. Oversees program development, budget monitoring and administrative aspects of training to include development, technical coordination, and management of internal and/or external professional training and development staff.

Essential Functions

• Hires, develops, and leads the Learning & Development staff, equipping them with the knowledge and resources necessary to deliver highly effective training services.
• Proactively and accurately identifies training needs and develops and delivers timely and relevant employee training solutions that deliver elevated member experiences.
• Regularly assesses and identifies the strategic and operational training/development needs of the organization.
• Partners with management to determine and prioritize needs and establish training and development strategies and plans.
• Supports the development, management, and delivery of employee education opportunities that support career pathing at the Credit Union.
• Regularly performs gap/needs analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of training and development programs and utilizes evaluation data to revise or recommend changes/additions to instructional objectives and methods.
• Oversees the development and delivery of individual and/or group training programs that support continuous improvement of employee knowledge and skills across a wide range of areas. 
• Develops or oversees the development of training curricula; formulates or reviews training outlines and determines appropriate instructional methodologies and formats, including in-person, remote, online, video, etc.
• Evaluates and recommends incorporation of vendor programs, as appropriate, to meet training goals and objectives.
• Serves as a resource to the organization in the identification and resolution of operational, service, process, and management training issues affecting the quality of service provided to both internal and external members.
• Oversees and coordinates the development of high-quality teaching and visual aids, instructional materials, computer tutorials, and reference materials appropriate to specific program objectives.
• Represents Learning & Development’s interests on departmental and cross-functional project teams to ensure that project rollouts are supported with thorough and timely training, and post rollout reinforcement.
• Develops and implements educational/staff development projects and programs to assist in accomplishment of established Credit Union goals.
• Maintains departmental reports and records; collects statistical data for administrative and/or quality improvement purposes.
• Promotes the service and sales culture by maintaining thorough knowledge of products and services and referring members to the appropriate person/department.

Requirements

Qualifications

Experience

• Minimum 6 years’ experience in training/adult learning, including experience developing and delivering management/supervisory and leadership programs.
• Minimum 3 years’ experience in a leadership role that required good decision-making, problem-solving, influencing others, and facilitation skills.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in adult learning, education, behavioral sciences, business or related field or equivalent combination of relevant education, training and experience may be substituted for a bachelor’s degree.

Leadership Competencies

Outcomes & Results

Own your deliverables and KPIs-meet or exceed them by giving outcomes and overcoming obstacles.

Commitments

Treat W3s as promises – execute early, follow through consistently and renegotiate transparently when priorities shift. Reliability builds trust.

Business Maturity

Know your business – manage financials, operations and experiences with discipline and in full alignment with Sunward’s key results.

Growth Mindset

Be a learner not a knower – stay curious, ask questions, adapt quickly and embrace daily learning.

Preparation and Presence

Respect others by being early, prepared, and fully tuned in – never distracted or multitasking.

Feedback

Fuel growth by inviting, giving and acting on feedback – always candid, respectful and forward-focused.

Talent & Culture

Build culture through people – hire top talent, coach relentlessly, celebrate wins and manage performance though our Culture of Accountability. Model the culture and values of Sunward.

Experience and Craftsmanship

Set the bar at “the best” – deliver experiences that stand apart and never compromise on quality.

Knowledge

• Knowledge and understanding of adult learning theory and principles, and a wide range of training methods, techniques and formats.
• Knowledge of curriculum development and preparation procedures.
• Knowledge of Credit Union products and services, features, and benefits preferred.
• Knowledge of contemporary principles of human resource management preferred.
• Knowledge of change management principles and methods preferred.
• High proficiency in use of MS Office and Learning Management Systems (LMS) preferred.

Skills/Abilities

• Possesses strong interpersonal skills. Demonstrates daily the Credit Union’s commitment to maintaining a close and caring touch with its members.
• Able to foster a cooperative work environment.
• Able to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community.
• Able to formulate creative solutions that strengthen the Credit Union's relationship with members and business partners.
• A collaborative leader who:
• Thinks holistically (from a systems perspective) as they pursue improvements so as to regularly consider the impacts of their work on other departments and the membership
• Has a respectful adult-to-adult style of interacting with employees at all levels
• Demonstrates an overall posture that is gracious and humble in its approach to collaboration while also being courageous, objective/data-driven, and action/results oriented
• Seeks to establish/fix process first, then people
• Works to establish long-term trusting, mutually beneficial and enjoyable relationships with internal stakeholders, vendors, and resources from other credit unions/trade associations
• Advanced verbal and written communication skills,
• Exceptional presentation skills; able to comfortably and accurately present material of varying levels of complexity to a wide range of audiences.
• Ability to think in innovative and strategic ways that arrive at win-win solutions when dealing with complex or difficult situations.
• Able to effectively serve as a strategic educational consultant for the Credit Union’s business unit leaders to identify root cause issues and collaboratively develop holistic solutions that include training and other ongoing reinforcement solutions.
• Able to supervise and train employees, to include organizing, prioritizing and scheduling work assignments.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement strategic, training and development plans and programs.
• Able to design, develop, implement and evaluate training plans, curricula and methodology.
• Able to identify and interpret strategic and operational training/development needs.
• Able to gather and analyze relevant statistical data (via reports and other mechanisms) and practically apply that data to improvement opportunities.
• Skill in organizing resources and establishing priorities; able to organize, prioritize and schedule/delegate work assignments to staff.
• Skill in examining and re-engineering operations and procedures, formulating policy, and developing and implementing new strategies and procedures.
• Able to develop, plan and implement short and long-range goals.
• Demonstrated records maintenance skills; able to develop and maintain recordkeeping systems and procedures.
• Understands and applies team and department "best practices" and continually works for process and service improvements.

Physical Requirements/Work Environment

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer, with regular movement throughout office or training facilities 
• Ability to stand for extended periods while facilitating in-person or virtual training sessions 
• Frequent interaction and communication with individuals and groups at all organizational levels, both in person and virtually 
• Occasional lifting and carrying of training materials or equipment (typically up to 20 lbs) 
• Primarily office-based with work taking place in training rooms, conference spaces, and virtual environments 
• Fast-paced, deadline-driven setting with multiple priorities and evolving business needs 
• Use of standard office equipment and training technologies (e.g., LMS platforms, video conferencing tools) 
• Collaborative, team-oriented environment with cross-functional engagement 
• May require travel to various locations, including corporate offices and field sites, with occasional overnight stays 
• Flexibility to work non-standard hours as needed to support training schedules across locations or time zones