Learning Architect - Project Management

Paychex is reimagining how businesses manage their workforce by bringing payroll, HR, benefits, and advisory services together into a single connected HCM platform. As Paychex and Paycor come together, we're combining innovative technology, data-driven insights, AI, and human expertise to help organizations work smarter, support their people, and achieve better business outcomes.

This is an exciting time to join our team as we continue to invest in innovation, simplify client experiences, and shape the future of work. At Paychex, you'll have the opportunity to grow your career, make a meaningful impact, and be part of something bigger as One Paychex.

The Learning Architect (LA) is responsible for strategically designing and developing impactful learning solutions that drive measurable performance improvements. Collaborating closely with stakeholders, the Learning Architect leads the design planning of advanced learning experiences and ensures outcomes are relevant and measurable. Additionally, the Learning Architect may contribute to the development of complex learning assets, such as advanced simulations, ensuring that learning experiences are engaging, effective, and pedagogically sound.

A key responsibility of the Learning Architect is the evaluation of learning programs. This includes implementing industry-standard evaluation frameworks to assess the effectiveness of learning solutions toward creating business impacts and enabling learners' on-the-job performance. The Learning Architect uses data-driven insights to continuously refine programs, ensuring alignment to the company's objectives and key results. This role requires a balance of effective instructional design, stakeholder collaboration, and a commitment to driving continuous improvement through well-aligned assessment and feedback mechanisms.

The role also includes core project management responsibilities such as intake review, needs analysis, SME coordination, milestone tracking, quality assurance, and delivery coordination to ensure learning solutions are executed effectively from discovery through launch. This role works in close coordination with a Program Manager, who provides strategic consultation before work begins, orchestrates cross-functional stakeholder alignment, confirms solution direction, supports prioritization and readiness, and maintains program-level oversight across a portfolio of initiatives tied to business strategy.

• Conduct thorough needs assessment with stakeholders and SMEs to identify gaps in knowledge, skill, and performance and align learning solutions with business goals and KPIs. This includes reviewing intake requests, conducting fact-finding to clarify expectations and roles, identifying key stakeholders and SMEs, validating the business need, confirming training is the appropriate solution, gathering requirements, and reviewing existing content to support sound recommendations and prevent scope creep.
• Lead the design of comprehensive learning solutions by creating detailed, clear storyboards and design plans that adhere to adult learning principles, maximize learner engagement and retention, and ensure a smooth handoff to Instructional Designers for development. Collaborate with subject matter experts (SMEs) across multiple discovery sessions to uncover and bring expert knowledge into each project, with SMEs serving as active contributors throughout development rather than only final reviewers.
• Manage relationships with key business stakeholders, ensuring learning solutions aligned with strategic objectives and expectations are properly managed throughout an assigned project. Manage project milestones, risks, dependencies, and resources throughout the project lifecycle, while coordinating appropriately with the Program Manager on broader prioritization, readiness, and cross-functional alignment.
• Design and implement evaluation strategies (e.g. Kirkpatrick Levels 1-4) to measure the effectiveness of learning initiatives and provide data-driven insights for continuous improvement. Support delivery follow-through by coordinating completion reports, surveys, and learner…