Manager of Learning & Development

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership
• Develops and executes the L&D roadmap, strategies and frameworks that directly support strategic business objectives and talent needs.
• Identifies emerging skill requirements and leads upskilling and reskilling initiatives to ensure workforce agility.
• Manages and optimizes UKG Learning and other L&D technologies, maximizing automation and user engagement.
• PARTNERS WITH LEGAL, HR AND OTHER INTERNAL TEAMS TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE TRAINING NEEDS ARE IDENTIFIED, INTEGRATED AND EFFECTIVELY DELIVERED.
• Develops and delivers foundational education on change management principles and tools to help leaders support change effectively.
• Partners with Enterprise Program Management to integrate change management principles into the execution of enterprise projects and initiatives.
• Design & Content Innovation
• Translates technical expertise from subject matter experts into intuitive, performance-based learning pathways.
• Develops high-quality content using a blended learning ecosystem approach including internally developed content, technology-enabled modules in UKG Pro Learning and other platforms, AI-assisted content creation, virtual workshops, and self-paced modules.
• Sources and manages external training partners to provide best-in-class resources that complement internal offerings.
• Ensures training materials are accessible, engaging, and resonate with a diverse workforce.
• Career Growth & Talent Mobility
• Partners with HR and business leaders to understand capability needs and talent priorities and build role-specific frameworks and pathways.
• Develops career development resources that enable employee growth and internal mobility.
• Organizational Excellence & Coaching
• Facilitates high-impact coaching and leadership labs to strengthen bench strength and enhance leadership development initiatives.
• Conducts rigorous assessments and analysis to ensure L&D investments address critical business needs and drive performance.
• L&D Operations & Culture
• Establishes and reports on KPIs (such as skill proficiency gains, ROI, and employee retention impact) to demonstrate business value.
• Manages the L&D budget and vendor lifecycle to ensure cost-effectiveness and high service levels.
• Champions a continuous learning mindset that aligns with Johnson Outdoors’ core values and innovation-driven culture.
• Artificial Intelligence
• Appropriately uses enterprise-approved AI tools to improve efficiency, quality, analysis, and execution within the scope of the role.
• Applies sound professional judgment and maintains appropriate human oversight when using AI-generated outputs.
• Incorporates AI-enabled insights into workflows, decision making, and communication where it adds value.
• Ensures AI usage aligns with company standards for security, privacy, and ethical use.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in human resources, organizational development, education, business management, or equivalent.
• TYPICALLY REQUIRES A MINIMUM OF 7 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING INDEPENDENTLY DESIGNING, BUILDING, AND SCALING NEW L&D PROGRAMS, FACILITATING ADULT LEARNING FOR A DIVERSE GLOBAL WORKFORCE, LEADING LMS EXECUTION AND OPTIMIZATION, AND MANAGING EXTERNAL VENDOR PARTNERSHIP.
• Mastery of adult learning principles, instructional design models, and human-centered design to ensure solutions are intuitive and learner-focused.
• Ability to design for multiple modalities—virtual, in-person, micro-learning, and social learning.
• Strong consulting skills with the ability to translate complex business needs into performance-based learning pathways.
• Resilience and agility to lead others through organizational evolution in a fast-paced environment.
• Proven ability to build credibility and influence for L&D investments and cultural shifts.
• Digital fluency with advanced knowledge of LMS/HCM platforms, and content authoring tools.
• Proficiency in leveraging AI tools to accelerate content development, personalize learning experiences, and automate administrative L&D tasks.
• Sharp organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple high-priority initiatives simultaneously.
• Strong negotiation and contract management skills to ensure high-quality, cost-effective external solutions.
• Understanding of responsible AI principles, including data privacy, security, and bias awareness.
• Ability to review, validate, and appropriately apply AI-generated outputs.
• Comfort learning and adapting as AI tools and capabilities evolve.