Senior Manager, Learning & Development

Jobtailor; Toronto; On-site; CAD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobtailor in Toronto, Ontario seeks an experienced leader to establish and head the firm's learning and development function. You will design the enterprise learning strategy, align it with business priorities, and build capability across lawyers and professionals.

The role emphasizes leadership development, digital fluency, coaching, and high-potential programs. You will partner with AI, Technology, and PD teams, manage budgets and vendors, and report to the Chief People Officer.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressive experience in learning and development, organizational development, talent development, or a related field.
• Experience designing and implementing enterprise-wide learning strategies.
• Facilitation experience with leadership, professional services, or corporate audiences.
• Experience building learning programs from the ground up.
• Ability to influence senior leaders and drive change in complex environments.
• Experience managing learning technologies and external providers.

Responsibilities

• Establish and lead the firm's learning and development function.
• Develop and execute a firm-wide learning strategy aligned with business goals.
• Identify capability requirements across lawyers and business services.
• Build multi-year learning roadmap for career progression and leadership development.
• Design and oversee leadership development initiatives for leaders and high-potential staff.
• Partner with AI, Technology and PD teams on digital fluency and AI capability.
• Manage budgets, vendors, and learning platforms; report to Chief People Officer.

Skills

L&D Strategy

Curriculum Design

Leadership Development

Project Management

Stakeholder Management

Coaching

Mentoring

Strategic Thinking

Hands-on Execution

Tools

Learning Technologies

Performance Development Tools

Budget Management Software

Job description

• Establish and lead the firm's learning and development function
• Develop and execute a firm-wide learning and development strategy aligned with business and talent objectives
• Identify current and future capability requirements across lawyers and business services professionals
• Establish a multi-year learning roadmap supporting career progression, leadership development, digital capability, and business performance
• Develop learning frameworks, standards, and governance
• Advise leadership on development priorities and learning investments
• Design structured, staged development frameworks and tailored learning pathways from onboarding through senior leadership
• Build development experiences combining formal learning, coaching, mentoring, stretch experiences, and on-the-job development
• Design and oversee leadership development initiatives for practice group chairs, people leaders, and emerging leaders
• Support coaching, mentoring, succession planning, and high‑potential development initiatives
• Partner with the AI committee, AI facilitator, Technology, and Professional Development teams on digital fluency and AI capability development
• Personally design, develop, and facilitate selected high‑impact learning programs
• Engage and manage external facilitators, coaches, and learning partners
• Build and maintain a network of internal subject matter experts
• Partner with Professional Development, Legal Talent, and HR teams on development planning and career growth
• Support onboarding, performance development, succession planning, mentorship, and talent acceleration
• Establish learning metrics, success measures, and reporting frameworks
• Evaluate program effectiveness and continuously improve offerings
• Track participation, engagement, capability growth, and business impact
• Manage learning budgets, vendors, and technology platforms
• Provide leadership, coaching, and direction to learning resources, including the Training Coordinator, internal subject matter experts, and external learning partners
• Report to the Chief People Officer and collaborate with firm leadership, practice group leaders, People & Culture, Marketing, Technology, and subject matter experts

Requirements

• 8+ years of progressive experience in learning and development, organizational development, talent development, leadership development, or a related field
• Demonstrated experience designing and implementing enterprise-wide learning strategies
• Demonstrated facilitation experience with leadership, professional services, or corporate audiences
• Experience building learning programs from the ground up rather than operating within a mature learning function
• Experience leading and developing employees, project teams, or cross‑functional stakeholder groups
• Strong curriculum design, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with hands‑on execution
• Experience influencing senior leaders and driving change across complex professional environments
• Strong project management and program evaluation capabilities
• Experience within a professional services, legal, accounting, consulting, or knowledge‑based organization
• Experience leading leadership development and high‑potential programs
• Familiarity with digital capability development, AI adoption, and workforce transformation initiatives
• Experience managing learning technologies and external learning providers
• Ability to work from the office a minimum of 3 days per week
• Resume and cover letter required for application

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in developing and executing comprehensive learning and development strategies that align with business objectives, while effectively managing learning technologies and external providers. Proven ability to lead leadership development initiatives and evaluate program effectiveness to drive organizational growth.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Learning And Development Strategy
• Curriculum Design
• Leadership Development
• Project Management
• Stakeholder Management

ATS Optimization Keywords

Hard Skills

• Learning Frameworks
• Program Evaluation
• Digital Capability Development
• AI Adoption
• Talent Development

Soft Skills

• Coaching
• Mentoring
• Influencing Senior Leaders
• Strategic Thinking
• Hands‑On Execution

Industry Keywords

• Professional Services
• Organizational Development
• Knowledge‑Based Organization
• Corporate Audiences
• Succession Planning

Tools & Technologies

• Learning Technologies
• Performance Development Tools
• Budget Management Software