Leadership Academy Program Manager

Flow Control Group; Charlotte (NC); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Flow Control Group seeks a Leadership Academy Program Manager to design, build, and measure enterprise leadership pathways across five tiers—from Emerging Leaders to Executives. The role aligns leadership readiness with succession, development plans, and performance outcomes.

This role partners with Instructional Design, Curriculum Development, HR, and executives to deliver scalable, high-impact programs across a distributed organization, blending formal learning with real-world development

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in HR, organizational development, industrial and organizational psychology, business, or a related field
• 3+ years designing and running leadership programs in multi-site or decentralized orgs
• Proven ability to connect leadership programs to succession planning, talent review and IDPs
• Strong facilitation skills across levels from front-line to executives
• Experience managing budgets, vendors, and multi-cohort logistics
• Experience with measurement of readiness, promotion, and retention outcomes

Responsibilities

• Design five-tier leadership architecture and corresponding readiness indicators
• Build and connect leadership pathways across Emerging Leaders to Executives
• Deliver and manage cohort-based leadership programs at scale
• Coordinate with HR & executives to align readiness standards and succession planning
• Own budget, vendors, and measurement for the Leadership Academy

Skills

Leadership development

Talent management

Organizational development

Leadership program design

Facilitation skills

Program management

Data literacy

Education

Bachelor's degree in HR/OD/IO psychology/business

Master's degree (preferred)

Tools

LMS platforms

HRIS platforms (Dayforce)

AI-enabled learning tools

Job description

About Us

Flow Control Group (FCG) is a leading provider of fluid handling, process, and industrial automation solutions across North America. We are a 100% employee-owned organization made up of over 3,000 team members and 115+ entrepreneurial brands, each empowered to think big, move fast, and bring innovative ideas to life.

At FCG, we believe in the power of partnership and entrepreneurship. We work collaboratively across our brands to drive growth, unlock new opportunities, and deliver real impact for our customers, combining local expertise with national strength.

Visit our Website: flowcontrolgroup.com

Responsibilities & Qualifications

The Leadership Academy Program Manager owns the design, build, delivery, and measurement of the FCG Leadership Academy: the enterprise development architecture for every tier of leader at Flow Control Group, from Emerging Leaders and Frontline Managers through Mid-Level Leaders, Senior Leaders, and Executives. This role is central to FCG's enterprise talent strategy and to building a strong internal leadership bench. The output within the first 12 months is leadership pathways identified at all five levels, implemented for the first three, and connected to performance management, individual development plans, and succession so that program participation translates into validated leadership readiness.

Position Overview

FCG expects roughly half of its value creation over the strategy horizon to come from organic growth, and that growth depends on leaders who can run larger businesses, develop their people, and execute across brands. With more than 100 operating companies and roughly 700 hiring managers, leadership capability today varies widely by business.

Valuable leadership programs already exist, but they are not yet connected into one progression. This role builds that progression and expands the current programs into a robust and comprehensive leadership growth pathway: a common leadership core, clear expectations at each tier, and development experiences that prepare people for the next role before they are in it.

This is not a training catalog role. Success is measured in readiness, internal fill, promotion, and retention of leaders, not course counts. Content design is executed in partnership with the Instructional Designer & Curriculum Developer and the Manager, Learning & Development; this role owns leadership architecture, readiness standards, program delivery, facilitator and vendor management, and measurement. The Academy sets enterprise standards while respecting FCG's entrepreneurial, brand-led culture: what must be consistent is consistent, and what should be local stays local.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership Architecture & Pathway Design

• Design and maintain the five-tier leadership architecture (Emerging Leaders, Frontline Managers, Mid-Level Leaders, Senior Leaders, Executives), defining for each tier the audience, entry criteria, expected behaviors and competencies, core experiences, and readiness indicators for the next level
• Build an FCG leadership success profile that reflects company values, the Everyone is an Owner mindset, and the capabilities the strategy requires
• Sequence implementation to plan: Emerging Leader, Frontline Manager, and Mid-Level Leader pathways implemented within six months, Senior Leader and Executive pathways within twelve months.
• Design each pathway around a blend of formal learning, on-the-job experiences (stretch assignments, rotations, action learning), and relationships (coaching, mentoring, sponsorship).
• Define the manager fundamentals baseline required of every people leader: performance management, coaching and feedback, hiring and selection, employee relations basics in partnership with HRBPs, business and executive leaders.
• Build a first-time manager transition program for the first 90 days in a people leadership role, including technicians and sellers stepping into leadership

Program Delivery & Cohort Management

• Launch and operate cohort-based programs for each tier, with nominations drawn from Talent Review and succession outputs rather than self-selection alone
• Facilitate selected sessions directly; recruit and prepare internal facilitators and executive faculty; manage external facilitators where they add value
• Evolve the Brand Leadership Accelerator into a multi-year development cadence within the Academy architecture
• Coordinate with the Sales Training Program Manager on the Sales Leadership Accelerator: the Leadership Academy owns the leadership core, and Sales Training owns sales-specific content
• Build action learning projects around real FCG strategic business priorities, so participants develop while producing visible business value
• Deliver at scale across a distributed footprint through virtual, regional, and blended formats, using FCG University as the platform

Succession, Readiness & Talent Ascension Integration

• Partner with the VP, Workforce Development and the FCG Executive team to define behavioral and experience-based readiness standards and the evidence required for a Ready Now designation in leadership roles
• Ensure every designated successor and high-potential leader has an active individual development plan connected to Academy experiences, supporting the 85% IDP completion target
• Provide program evidence (assessments, 360 feedback, completion, project outcomes) into Talent Review calibration so Ready Now counts reflect validated readiness, not names in boxes
• Support quarterly succession reviews by tracking leader movement, readiness gaps, and development actions by Operating Group
• Design mentoring and sponsorship programs for high-potential leaders and partner with HRBPs to monitor high-potential retention risk

Measurement & Reporting

• Evaluate programs at four levels: participant reaction, learning, on-the-job behavior change, and business results
• Track and report: participation and completion by tier, IDP completion, behavior change from 360 or pulse feedback, promotion rate of program participants, internal fill rate for leadership roles, contribution to validated Ready Now coverage, high-potential retention, and Manager Engagement Mean Index trend as a contributing signal
• Report progress to executive leadership on a regular cadence, including quarterly talent and workforce intelligence reviews
• Build the business case for scaling the Academy using staged investment gates: expand only the programs that show adoption, stronger readiness, and increased internal movement

Stakeholder, Vendor & Budget Management

• Partner with Operating Group and Technology Group leaders, HRBPs, and the executive sponsor to secure nominations, leader time, and accountability for development actions
• Evaluate build versus buy for each tier; select and manage leadership development, assessment, and coaching providers against clear quality and cost standards
• Own the Academy budget, including cost per participant and return on investment
• Lead change management and communications so leaders understand what is expected at each tier and how the Academy connects to their career
• Coordinate with the Service Technician Academy and Sales Training Program Managers so technical and commercial career paths connect cleanly into the Emerging Leader tier

Qualifications

Required

• 7+ years in leadership development, talent management, or organizational development, including at least 3 years designing and running multi-level leadership programs in a multi-site or decentralized organization
• Track record of building a leadership program from a partial foundation, with measured outcomes in readiness, promotion, or retention rather than completion alone
• Experience integrating leadership development with succession planning, talent review and nine box calibration, and individual development plans
• Strong facilitation skills with audiences ranging from new frontline supervisors to senior executives
• Program management discipline across budgets, vendors, and multi-cohort logistics
• Data literacy: able to build program measures and present outcomes to HR and executive leadership
• Bachelor's degree in HR, organizational development, industrial and organizational psychology, business, or a related field

Preferred

• Master's degree in organizational development, I/O psychology, HR, or an MBA
• Certification in leadership assessment and 360 tools (Hogan, DiSC, EQ-i 2.0, CliftonStrengths, or comparable)
• Experience with established leadership frameworks and providers (DDI, Center for Creative Leadership, Korn Ferry, FranklinCovey, or comparable) and the judgment to decide when to build versus buy
• Experience in industrial distribution, manufacturing, field service, or an acquisitive, multi-brand environment, including integrating leaders from acquired companies
• Coaching credential (ICF ACC or PCC)
• Experience with LMS and HRIS platforms (Dayforce or comparable) and AI-enabled learning tools

Core Competencies

• Architect's mindset: Designs leadership development as a connected system across five tiers, not a collection of courses, and runs multiple cohorts, vendors, and budgets with discipline
• Credibility with leaders: Earns the respect of frontline managers and executives alike through business understanding, candor, and practical relevance
• Outcome ownership: Measures success in readiness, internal fill, and retention, and adjusts programs based on evidence
• Influence without authority: Secures leader time, nominations, and follow-through across Operating Groups without relying on positional power
• Entrepreneurial respect: Balances enterprise standards with brand-level ownership; knows what must be consistent and what should stay local

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Why Build a Career with Us?

Everyone’s an Owner of the CompanyBecause every team member contributes to Flow Control Group’s success, employees share in that success through a broad-based ownership program available across our portfolio companies.

Competitive Benefits Enjoy a comprehensive benefits package that includes Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage, competitive 401(k) matching, paid time off, holidays, parental leave, wellness resources, and employee referral programs.

The Climb Financial ProgramYour financial wellbeing matters. Through Flow Control Group’s Climb Financial Program, employees have access to tools and resources designed to support both immediate needs and long-term goals. Programs may include emergency assistance funds, earned wage access, financial coaching, low-cost loan options, retirement planning resources, and opportunities to build long-term wealth through employee ownership.

Training & DevelopmentFCG University is available to all employees, offering access to more than 80,000 learning courses to help you build new skills and advance your career.

Career Growth OpportunitiesWith a growing network of brands across North America, Flow Control Group provides opportunities for advancement, cross-functional experience, mentorship, and professional development in a supportive environment where your contributions make an impact.

Equal Opportunity EmployerFlow Control Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or any other legally protected status.