Director, Learning & Development

The Director of Learning & Development is a full-time, salaried position, grade 13 with an expected hiring range of $154,932 $ 170,600annually. Please see Compensation and Benefits Summary section below the job description information. The Director of Learning & Development contributes to the success of Brookfield Zoo Chicago ("BZC") by partnering with BZC staff, business unit leaders, Subject Matter Experts, and P&C staff to facilitate organizational development and increase workforce performance and employee engagement by designing, administering, coordinating, and evaluating high-quality training experiences.

Related terms:
Director of Professional Development, Talent Development, Director of Learning, Professional Development Director, Director of Training, Talent Development Director, Organizational Development, Instructional Design, Leadership DevelopmentPRIMARY JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (Essential Functions):

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions of the position.
* Needs Assessment and Strategy:

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions of the position.
* Needs Assessment and Strategy:

Partner with stakeholders to identify skills gaps and training needs across departments to align learning initiatives with operational needs and organizational priorities.

Build scalable learning frameworks that align with company goals and support employees at every level, from frontline staff to leadership.

Design, create, and implement comprehensive training programs (in-person workshops, e-learning, onboarding, leadership development)
Spearhead change management, culture transformation, and leadership development that supports institutional growth. Collaboratively develop talent strategies that solve critical workforce challenges.

Embed DEAI principles in every facet of learning and development practices.

Ensure training initiatives strengthen regulatory compliance, mitigate risk, and support operational readiness.

Deliver dynamic training sessions, facilitate interactive workshops, and lead engaging new hire orientation.

Drive leadership continuity by fostering a culture of internal talent cultivation; coach and advise senior leaders on succession planning and development strategies.

Position learning as a driver of operational performance, safety culture, and employee engagement.

Define and implement strategic L&D KPI's that connect workforce training to measurable performance, engagement, and retention outcomes.

Deliver executive-level insights on workforce capability and ROI, utilizing analytics to drive strategic, data-informed talent decisions. Oversee LMS strategy and digital learning technologies to ensure scalable, compliant, and high-quality user-centric experiences.

Manage vendor relations, content licensing, and training resources.

Manage the learning budget in partnership with P&C leadership.

Other:

* Denotes essential job functions

High school diploma or educational equivalent (e.g., GED.) required. Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Development, Human Resources, Instructional Design, Business Administration or related field, or eight years of equivalent experience required. Five years’ experience in learning & development, instructional design, and/or organizational development that includes supporting senior leaders and cross-functional stakeholders.

Expertise in designing and delivering engaging, learner-centered educational experiences that drive performance.

Skilled in virtual and in-person facilitation that encourages active participation, peer-to-peer learning, and high engagement.

Experience in full-lifecycle training portfolio from onboarding to leadership development across multiple functional areas of a complex organization.

Demonstrated capability in instructional design utilizing learning theory and e-learning…