Head of Learning & Development

Since 1863, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has worked to preserve human dignity and relieve suffering caused by war and armed violence.

In collaboration with our Red Cross and Red Crescent partners around the world, we do everything we can to deliver life‑saving aid, reconnect families and locate missing people – helping those who need it most, regardless of who they are and what side of the front line they are on.

We engage with authorities and armed forces on all sides, often confidentially, pressing for access to detainees to improve their living conditions and urging compliance with international humanitarian law to protect non‑combatants, including from digital threats.

The Head of Learning and Development provides strategic leadership for the ICRC’s Learning and Development function, ensuring that the organization builds the capabilities required to deliver its mission today and in the future. The position reports directly to the Chief People Officer and will manage the Learning and Development Unit within the People division.

As part of the People function, the role translates the ICRC’s strategic and operational priorities into a coherent learning and capability agenda, enabling people and teams to perform, adapt and grow in an increasingly complex, digital and rapidly changing environment.

The role contributes to the ICRC’s ambition to build a fit‑for‑purpose, reliable People function that enables the organization to achieve its mission by recruiting, developing and deploying the talent it requires today and tomorrow, while caring for the people who make the mission possible.

The Head of Learning and Development leads the L&D team, shapes the organization learning strategy and ecosystem, and acts as a strategic advisor to senior leaders on capability development.

• Define and implement a Learning and Development vision and strategy, aligned with the ICRC’s Institutional Strategy, Staffing model, operational realities and future capability needs.
• Translate organizational priorities into clear capability priorities, learning solutions and development pathways for today and the future.
• Lead the Learning and Development team across the organization namely 65 staff across 6 locations, manage X team members. The Head of LnD chair and lead and facilitate the Learning Council, ensuring strong alignment between organizational priorities, learning investments and operational needs. Accountable for all aspects of learning that is defined within the Learning Council Workplan, advocates for a global standard learning culture across the institution and an environment conducive to learning.
• Build a balanced learning ecosystem aligned with our operational realities, combining formal learning, experiential learning, coaching, peer learning, knowledge sharing and on-the-job development,the “70, 20, 10” model.
• Is Responsible for the quality, impact and value of the learning portfolio by using data, learner insights and clear measures of effectiveness to continuously improve solutions, prioritize investments and resources, maintain consistent quality standards, and leverage internal and external expertise strategically.
• Act as a trusted advisor to the Directorate, senior leaders and key stakeholders on learning, capability and organizational development matters.

• Lead, inspire and develop the Learning and Development team, in line with the People Management standards, creating a high-performing, collaborative and learning-oriented culture.
• Set clear priorities, accountabilities and standards while…