Director, Talent & Executive Development

The J.M. Smucker Co.; United States; Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

The J.M. Smucker Co. is seeking a Director of Talent & Executive Development in Orrville, OH. This pivotal role leads enterprise talent strategy, leadership development, succession planning, and learning initiatives to strengthen the organization’s leadership bench.

The position partners with senior leaders and OBPs to design programs, deploy tools, and measure outcomes. A strong track record in executive recruiting, analytics, and inclusive practices is essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Business Administration, Psychology, Education, or a related field.
• 12+ years of progressive experience in Talent Management, Leadership Development, Organizational Development, Learning & Development, or related disciplines.
• 5+ years of leadership experience managing enterprise talent or organizational development functions.
• Demonstrated success developing and executing enterprise-wide talent strategies and cadence of annual talent practices within a large organization.
• Experience leading executive recruiting for senior leadership roles and/or partnering with executive search firms.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute enterprise talent strategies aligned with business objectives and workforce priorities.
• Partner with senior leaders to strengthen leadership capability and succession readiness across functions.
• Lead design and implementation of enterprise talent programs, including talent reviews, high-potential development, succession planning, and rotation programs.
• Drive consistent talent practices enterprise-wide in partnership with OBPs.
• Monitor external trends and implement innovative talent solutions balancing short- and long-term needs.
• Design and oversee enterprise leadership development strategies for leaders at all levels.
• Engage with senior leaders to identify capability gaps and implement targeted development solutions; act as a bold thinker.
• Oversee executive coaching, mentoring, and leadership effectiveness initiatives.
• Measure leadership development outcomes and continuously improve programs.
• Develop enterprise succession planning strategies and tools for talent reviews with leadership teams.
• Develop readiness assessment methods and ensure continued organizational growth.
• Establish strategic direction for enterprise learning and capability-building programs.
• Oversee leadership, professional, functional, and enterprise learning initiatives.
• Drive adoption of modern learning strategies and digital learning solutions.
• Evaluate learning effectiveness through outcomes, feedback, and metrics.
• Guide workplace inclusion strategies and champion equitable practices; leverage data to improve outcomes.
• Lead executive search strategies for Officer-level roles and collaborate with external search firms.
• Build a three-person learning and development team and foster collaboration across HR.

Skills

Leadership Development

Talent Strategy

Succession Planning

Executive Recruiting

Learning & Development

Organizational Development

Stakeholder Management

HR Analytics

Executive Coaching

Change Management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in HR/OD/Business

Tools

HRIS

Talent Management System

Job description

Your Opportunity at the Director, Talent & Executive Development

Location: Orrville, OH

Work Arrangements: 35% in office expectation

In this role you will:

Enterprise Talent Strategy

• Develop and execute enterprise talent strategies aligned with business objectives and workforce priorities; translate strategy into practical action plans and supporting materials, in close collaboration with partners across HR and the business

• Partner with senior leaders and Organization Business Partners to strengthen leadership capability, succession readiness, and deepen our talent bench across all functions

• Lead the design and implementation of enterprise talent programs and the supporting methodology and tools that strengthen organizational effectiveness and leadership capability; this includes regular talent reviews, the identification of high growth talent and corresponding development plans, succession planning, functional talent rotation programs, etc.

• In partnership with OBPs, drive consistent talent practices across the enterprise while balancing business-specific needs.

• Monitor external trends and implement innovative talent solutions; balance short-term objectives with long-term needs

Leadership Development

• Design and oversee enterprise leadership development strategies for leaders at all levels of the organization

• In collaboration with OBPs, engage with senior leaders to identify critical capability gaps and implement targeted development solutions; serve as a “bold thinker” and thought partner to the business and HR

• Oversee executive coaching, mentoring, and leadership effectiveness initiatives

• Measure leadership development outcomes and continuously improve program effectiveness

Succession Planning & Talent Management

• Develop enterprise succession planning strategies and processes that Organization Business Partners will leverage to ensure employee readiness for key leadership and critical business roles

• Develop talent assessment tools and processes that Organization Business Partners can use to facilitate talent review discussions with leadership teams

• Develop methodologies for assessing potential, performance, readiness, and leadership capability

• Ensure talent and succession practices support long‑term business continuity and organizational growth

Learning & Development

• Establish the strategic direction for enterprise learning, development, and capability‑building programs

• Oversee leadership, professional, functional, and enterprise learning initiatives across the organization

• In collaboration with Organization Business Partners, engage business leaders to identify workforce capability requirements and development priorities

• Drive adoption of modern learning strategies, technologies, and digital learning solutions

• Evaluate learning effectiveness through business outcomes, employee feedback, and workforce capability metrics

Workplace Inclusion

• Guide workplace inclusion strategies that support a culture where all employees can contribute, grow, and succeed through oversight of our Thriving Together framework and Company ERGs

• Ensure talent processes, development programs, and succession decisions incorporate inclusive and equitable practices

• Champion initiatives that foster employee engagement, belonging, and leadership accountability

• Leverage workforce and talent data to measure progress and identify opportunities for improvement

Executive Recruiting & Development

• Lead executive search and recruiting strategies for Officer‑level and critical senior leadership roles, as necessary

• Partner with executives and external search firms to identify, secure and develop top talent

• Establish effective executive assessment, selection, and pipeline management processes

People Leadership

• Lead and develop a team of three learning and development professionals

• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement

• Build organizational capability within the Talent Center of Excellence and across the broader HR function

• Act as an ambassador and role model for the Company’s culture, values, and leadership principles across the organization

What we are looking for:

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Business Administration, Psychology, Education, or a related field

• 12+ years of progressive experience in Talent Management, Leadership Development, Organizational Development, Learning & Development, or related disciplines

• 5+ years of leadership experience managing enterprise talent or organizational development functions

• Demonstrated success developing and executing enterprise‑wide talent strategies and cadence of annual talent practices (e.g., talent reviews, succession planning, etc.) within a large, complex organization

• Demonstrated success designing and implementing leadership development and high‑potential talent programs and implementing through others (e.g., OBPs)

• Strong track record of influencing senior stakeholders and driving enterprise‑wide adoption of talent strategies

• Experience leading executive recruiting for senior leadership roles and/or partnering with executive search and development firms

• Experience utilizing talent analytics, workforce data, and HR technology platforms to drive decisions and measure outcomes

• Strong business acumen with the ability to align talent strategies to organizational objectives; balanced strategist and practical, results‑oriented executor

• Strong working knowledge of best‑in‑class talent methodologies and tools with a stronger bias for action, practicality, and the realities of the business; unique ability to lead past the academically right answer, with demonstrated success in implementing practical solutions that “take the first step” and meet the business where they are, progressively building toward more mature talent systems over time

• Ability to think enterprise‑wide and balance short‑term functional “wants” with long‑term enterprise talent needs; proven examples of efficient and effective implementation across the total Company

• Ability to build credibility and effectively influence outcomes through others (e.g. OBPs), without requiring more senior leaders to intervene to achieve balanced decisions

• Strong executive presence with exceptional relationship‑building and collaboration skills

• Knowledge of contemporary learning and development practices, adult learning principles, leadership capability‑building approaches, workplace inclusion, and employee engagement

• Expert communication, facilitation, and presentation abilities with proven ability to “rise above the noise” and synthesize disparate ideas and opinions into a succinct summary of action items that progressively advance the work

• Ability to translate complex organization‑level people data into compelling business insights and influence decisions

• High level of subjective judgment, professional maturity, and emotional intelligence; ability to converge across varying viewpoints, devoid of self‑interest, and independently decide on the next logical course of action, appropriately balancing when there’s a need to solicit additional input and when it’s time to make a decision and keep moving

• Strong organization savvy; keen ability to confidently navigate ambiguity, competing priorities, and organizational complexity

Additional skills and experience that we think would make someone successful in this role (not required):

• Master’s degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Business Administration, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Leadership Studies, or a related discipline

• Certifications in talent management, executive coaching, leadership development, succession planning, organizational effectiveness, or learning and development

TheRight Placefor You

We are bold, kind, strive to do the right thing, we play to win, and we believe in a strong community that thrives together. Our culture is rooted in our Basic Beliefs, and we believe in supporting every employee by meeting their physical, emotional, and financial needs.

Stay connected with uson LinkedIn

We’re an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, age, national origin, disability status or protected veteran status.