Chief People Development Officer

NextGenEnergyJobs; Atlanta, Northern (GA, KY); Hybrid; USD 160,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Aprio is seeking a seasoned Head of Learning and Development to shape enterprise-wide talent strategy in a regulated professional services firm. You will design and oversee AI-enabled learning, leadership development, and curriculum across technical, leadership, and professional tracks.

You will partner with HRBPs and executives to map capabilities, measure impact with OKRs, and build an internal pipeline from campus hires to partners, aligning programs with business outcomes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; master's preferred in Education, Organizational Development, or Business.
• 12+ years in learning, talent development, or workforce strategy with enterprise scope.
• Proven experience designing learning strategy in professional services or regulated environments.
• Experience with AI learning programs and digital learning platforms.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead the firm-wide learning strategy aligning with business goals.
• Advise on workforce composition, onshore/offshore mix, and new roles.
• Develop metrics and OKRs to measure impact on performance and retention.
• Build leadership development programs from early leaders to partners.
• Own learning technology stack and OPEX/ROI for L&D initiatives.
• Ensure programs meet regulatory standards (AICPA, PCAOB) and compliance.

Skills

Learning Strategy

Leadership Development

AI in Learning

Learning Technology

Budget Management

Talent Development

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's in Education

Master's in Organizational Development

Master's in Business

Tools

AI learning platforms

Digital learning tools

Job description

Work with a Top 20 CPA and advisory firm that Accounts for Anything.

Key Responsibilities

• Define the capability model Aprio needs to execute its business strategy — today and over a three-to-five year horizon — accounting for the impact of AI, automation, and evolving client expectations on the profession.
• Advise and inform the CPO's workforce composition decisions — bringing a skills and capability lens to questions of onshore/offshore mix, technology displacement, and new role creation, and translating those decisions into learning and development architecture.
• Serve as an internal subject matter authority on skills, capability gaps, and readiness for strategic initiatives including M&A integration, new service line development, and market expansion.
• Develop and implement a firm-wide AI learning strategy that builds employee fluency, confidence, and practical capability to work alongside AI tools — not as a one-time initiative, but as an ongoing and evolving program tied to adoption and business outcomes.
• Design reskilling and upskilling pathways that address the real displacement and role-evolution risks facing staff at all levels as the profession transforms.
• Ensure learning programs keep pace with the rate of change in the business — adaptive, modular, and measurable rather than episodic. Stay connected to the business to develop proactive development solutions driven by their business transformations.
• Design and execute a comprehensive, differentiated learning strategy that addresses the needs of diverse talent segments: campus hires developing foundational skills, experienced staff deepening technical expertise, and senior leaders navigating strategic complexity.
• Build and oversee curriculum across technical, leadership, and professional development domains — ensuring content is relevant to Aprio's specific practices, segments, and client context, not generic.
• Experiment with and establish new modes of learning to account for changes in the historical apprenticeship model.
• Establish rigorous learning measurement: move beyond completion rates to demonstrable impact on performance, retention, and business outcomes using OKR methodology and defined KPIs.
• Build and sustain leadership development programs that create a robust internal pipeline — from emerging leaders through partner-track candidates — reflecting Aprio's growth trajectory and succession needs.
• Partner with HRBPs and business leaders on individual development planning for high-potential and key talent, ensuring development is connected to real career paths and not siloed from talent review processes.
• Design compelling career development frameworks that serve as a retention lever — giving employees visible, credible pathways to growth within the firm.
• Own the learning technology stack — selecting, implementing, and evolving platforms that expand accessibility, personalization, and scale of learning delivery.
• Manage the L&D P&L, including annual budgeting, resource allocation, and ROI measurement. Make the investment case for initiatives in business terms.
• Ensure all programs meet relevant regulatory and compliance requirements (AICPA, PCAOB, and other applicable standards), integrated efficiently rather than treated as a standalone workstream.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's in Education, Organizational Development, Business, or a related field preferred.
• 12+ years of progressive experience in learning, talent development, or workforce strategy, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role with enterprise-wide scope.
• Proven experience designing and implementing learning strategy in a professional services, regulated industry, or high-growth environment.
• Demonstrated experience with AI learning programs, digital learning platforms, and emerging instructional design methodologies.
• Strong financial acumen — budget ownership, ROI modeling, and the ability to make resource trade-off decisions with confidence.
• Experience supporting or leading the learning dimension of M&A integration is a meaningful differentiator.