Director - Learning & Development

Raising The Village; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a strategic leader for the Director of Applied Learning role. This position is crucial for embedding continuous learning and quality improvement across programs aimed at eradicating ultra-poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa. The ideal candidate will integrate data analytics and adaptive learning systems to enhance program performance. You will craft a long-term vision, manage knowledge systems, and drive capacity-building initiatives while representing the organization as a thought leader. If you are passionate about making a significant impact through innovative learning and development strategies, this opportunity could be your next career milestone.

Qualifications

• 10+ years experience in research, strategy development, and learning systems.
• Proven ability to build a department and translate vision into systems.

Responsibilities

• Drive the design and implementation of a dynamic learning ecosystem.
• Lead capacity-building initiatives and represent RTV at industry events.

Skills

Technical communication skills

Non-technical communication skills

Problem-solving

Project management

Data-informed decision-making

Capacity building

Education

Degree in International Development

Degree in Program Quality

Degree in Learning & Development

Tools

Data analytics tools

Knowledge management systems

Job description

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About Raising The Village (RTV)
Raising The Village (RTV) is an international development organization dedicated to addressing ultra-poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa. By integrating direct program implementation with advanced data analytics, RTV drives sustainable impact in last-mile communities. Our Applied Learning Unit is pivotal to this mission—ensuring that learning, adaptive strategies, and program quality are continuously enhanced at the organizational, team, and community levels.

Location: Toronto
Reports To: Managing Director
Terms: Full-time

RTV’s Venn department, predominantly based in Uganda, is the data and technology backbone of our organization, connecting advanced analytics and custom software tools with field implementation to ensure data-informed decision-making at every level. This role will work closely with the Venn team, Implementation team, and the Senior Leadership Team to shape the future of the Applied Learning Unit at RTV.

Role Summary
The Director of Applied Learning is a strategic leader responsible for embedding continuous learning and quality improvement across RTV’s programs. This role transcends traditional learning and training functions by integrating data analytics, adaptive learning systems, and real-time feedback to elevate program performance at the organizational, team, and community levels. You will drive the design, implementation, and evolution of a dynamic learning ecosystem that transforms complex data into actionable insights, informs evidence-based decision-making, and accelerates our mission to end ultra-poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa.

In this role, you will:

• Craft and execute a long-term vision and roadmap for applied learning that aligns with RTV’s strategic priorities
• Serve as the connective tissue between Venn (data analytics and software development) and Program Implementation to advance our learning and innovation agenda for program methodology in a multi-country setup
• Build and manage robust knowledge management systems, ensuring that best practices, program methodologies, and field insights are effectively captured and disseminated
• Lead capacity-building initiatives across multiple levels
• Represent RTV as a thought leader at industry conferences, donor engagements, and research collaborations, driving sector-wide dialogue on effective, sustainable poverty reduction models

Key Responsibilities

1. Organizational Learning and Knowledge Management
2. Program Quality and Impact
3. User Learning & Capacity Building
4. Stakeholder Collaboration

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Alignment with RTV values of being performance-driven, adaptive, curious, bold, and inclusive
• Key competencies include robust technical and non-technical communication skills, the ability to integrate diverse perspectives into cohesive strategies, effective problem-solving, and advanced project management
• Proven ability to build a department from the ground up and translate a broad vision into concrete systems, tools, and processes
• Experience leading multi-disciplinary teams across training, data insights, and program design
• Strong ability to translate complex data insights into actionable, field-friendly learning
• Experience embedding technology and data-informed decision-making into program execution
• Ability to drive cultural shifts in how staff perceive and use learning & data tools
• Experience working in high-growth, dynamic organizations with a fast-paced, iterative approach
• Experience in international development, ultra-poverty reduction, and agricultural livelihoods will be an advantage

Qualifications

• A Degree in International Development, Program Quality, Learning & Development, or a related field is preferred
• 10+ years experience in research, strategy development, and learning systems in an applied program setting
• Experience managing cross-functional teams
• Experience working in Sub-Saharan Africa preferred

Work Arrangements

• This is a full-time role, that may be based out of Toronto
• Hybrid work environment (3 days in office/2 days remote), with our head office based in downtown Toronto, across from Union Station
• Travel Requirement: Up to 20% in a year to countries of operations