Director, Learning & Development

FIRST; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 159,000 - 183,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental & Vision

401(k)

Flexible Spending Accounts

Employee Assistance Program

Life, Disability & Pet Coverages

Wellness Stipend

Headspace/Teladoc/Maven

Aura Identity Protection

Discretionary Bonus

Global Opportunities

Job summary

FIRST is seeking a Director of Learning & Development to lead the global learning strategy, partnering with senior leaders to identify capability gaps and implement scalable solutions. The role focuses on leadership development, onboarding, compliance, and enterprise talent management.

The position requires 10+ years in L&D and 5+ years leading teams, with a preference for a Bachelor’s degree. Hybrid in NY area with travel 10-20% and a comprehensive benefits package.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred and 10+ years in Learning & Development.
• Experience designing enterprise learning strategies in global orgs.
• Proven ability to partner with senior leaders to identify capability gaps.

Responsibilities

• Lead the execution and evolution of FIRST's global L&D strategy, aligning with business priorities.
• Develop and maintain a global learning roadmap for leadership, onboarding, compliance, and capability.
• Oversee annual L&D budget and allocate resources effectively.
• Establish metrics to evaluate learning impact and drive continuous improvement.
• Partner with leaders to strengthen talent pipelines through leadership development and succession planning.
• Ensure scalable, inclusive learning programs across global regions.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Executive communication

Stakeholder management

Data-driven decision making

Budget management

Vendor management

Learning strategy

Change management

People development

Organizational development

Education

Bachelor’s Degree preferred

Tools

Learning platforms

Job description

FIRST is a leading global brand experience agency providing Content, Creative, Digital Technology, Management & Delivery, and Data & Insights services. For 30 years, we have utilized three flexible delivery models: Embedded teams, Corporate Campus operations, and a Full-Service Agency.

Managing over 37,000 events & projects annually across 110 countries, FIRST serves 130+ brands, specializing in Fortune 500 companies within the Financial Services, Technology, Healthcare, Media, and Professional Services sectors. FIRST is part of the broader Encore family of companies. Encore is a global leader in event production and technology.

Consistently recognized for excellence, recent honors include 2026 Chief Marketer Agency of the Year, the Ad Net Zero Award for sustainability, and more.

Location: New York. This is a hybrid role, must live in the NY tri state area and be able to go into office.

The Director, Learning & Development leads the execution of FIRST's global learning strategy by designing and delivering programs that build organizational capability, strengthen leadership effectiveness, and support employee growth. The role partners closely with business leaders and People & Culture to identify development needs, implement scalable learning solutions, and foster a culture of continuous learning. In addition, the role supports enterprise talent management initiatives by contributing to career development, succession planning, and leadership pipeline readiness to ensure the organization is equipped with the capabilities required for future success.

Your Contributions

Direction

• Lead the execution and continuous evolution of FIRST's global Learning & Development strategy, ensuring alignment with business priorities and People & Culture objectives
• Partner with business leaders and People Business Partners to identify capability gaps and develop learning solutions that support organizational performance and employee growth
• Develop and maintain a global learning roadmap that supports leadership development, professional development, onboarding, compliance, and commercial capability
• Support enterprise talent management by advancing career development, succession planning, leadership readiness, and internal mobility
• Champion a culture of continuous learning by promoting development opportunities that strengthen employee engagement, performance, and career growth
• Evaluate emerging learning methodologies, technologies, and industry best practices to continuously improve the employee learning experience
• Ensure learning programs are scalable, inclusive, and adaptable across global regions while maintaining consistency with FIRST's culture and values

Results

• Lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of enterprise learning programs that support strategic business objectives
• Oversee the annual Learning & Development budget, ensuring effective allocation of resources and responsible financial management
• Establish metrics to evaluate learning effectiveness and use data and business outcomes to drive continuous improvement
• Monitor organizational capability needs and proactively develop learning initiatives that address current and future business requirements
• Partner with leaders to strengthen talent pipelines through leadership development, succession planning, and career development initiatives
• Ensure leadership development, onboarding, and employee development programs are delivered effectively and consistently across the organization
• Manage the learning technology ecosystem and external vendor relationships to maximize program quality and operational efficiency
• Support organizational change initiatives by developing learning and enablement solutions that facilitate successful adoption

People

• Lead, coach, and develop the global Learning & Development team, fostering a collaborative, high-performing, and customer-focused environment
• Build strong partnerships with leaders across the business to understand development priorities and deliver practical, business-focused learning solutions
• Collaborate with Talent Acquisition, People Business Partners, and business leaders to support talent development, succession planning, and internal mobility
• Ensure learning experiences accommodate diverse learning styles, cultures, and regional requirements across FIRST's global workforce
• Manage relationships with external learning providers, facilitators, and consultants to deliver high-quality development programs
• Provide guidance and subject matter expertise to leaders on learning, leadership development, and employee capability building

What We Are Looking For

• Bachelor’s Degree preferred
• Position requires 10+ years of progressive Learning & Development experience.
• Position requires 5+ years leading Learning & Development teams.
• Experience designing and implementing enterprise learning strategies in a global organization.
• Experience partnering with senior business leaders to identify capability gaps and deliver business-focused learning solutions.
• Experience managing learning technologies, vendors, and budgets.
• Experience leading leadership development and organizational capability initiatives.
• Strategic thinking with strong execution capability
• Leadership and people development
• Organizational development and change management
• Stakeholder management and influencing skills
• Executive communication and presentation skills
• Learning strategy, instructional design, and adult learning principles
• Data-driven decision making and program evaluation
• Budget and vendor management
• Learning technology and digital learning platforms
• Commercial awareness and business acumen
• Ability to lead through change in a fast-paced global environment

Travel Required: 10-20%

At FIRST, we believe that our success is driven by the passion, creativity, and commitment of our teams. That's why we offer a range of benefits and perks to support your personal and professional growth

• Medical, Dental & Vision, which includes the option of a high deductible health plan (HDHP) with a health savings account (HSA)
• 401 (k)
• Five Flexible Spending Accounts Options
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Life, Disability & Pet Coverages
• Wellness Stipend
• Complimentary access to Headspace, Teladoc, Maven, Rocket Lawyer, Mobilo & more
• Aura Identity Theft Protection
• Discretionary Bonus Structure
• Global Opportunities: With a presence in 7 countries worldwide, including headquarters in London, New York, and Singapore, you may have the opportunity to work on exciting projects across different locations.

United States Residents: The base pay for this position ranges from $158,922.00 - $182,760.00. This role is also eligible for an annual discretionary bonus.

#LI-hybrid #LI-MV2

FIRST is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. FIRST is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, past or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. We stand firm: FIRST will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics. If any candidate feels that they are unable to meet the requirements of the role, please get in touch to discuss adjustments or other suitable roles.