Senior Specialist, Training and Employee Development

Portland State University, College of Urban and Public Affairs; Portland (OR); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package

95% premium paid healthcare

Employer-funded retirement plans

70% tuition discount

Job summary

Portland State University invites applications for a Senior Specialist, Training and Employee Development in Portland, OR. This role will design and deliver equity-focused HR training for managers and staff, reporting to the Training & Employee Development Manager in Human Resources.

A major emphasis will be piloting an ID authoring tool with expert facilitation in LMS administration and adult learning. The position is permanent full-time in an innovative, collaborative team, offering

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and minimum 4 years in training development, employee relations, HR generalist, or related experience.
• Ability to persuade and tailor communication to all organizational levels.
• Excellent writing, concise communication, and strong analytical skills.
• Proven project and people management experience in large teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement HR training programs with an equity-centered approach.
• Collaborate on selecting and rolling out a new instructional design tool.
• Design, deliver, and evaluate high-impact employee development initiatives.

Skills

Communication

Writing

Critical thinking

Time management

Conflict resolution

Project management

People management

Emotional intelligence

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

4+ years experience in training development/HR

Tools

LMS management

Instructional design tools

Authoring tool experience

Job description

Position Announcement

Position Details

Proposed Start Date 11/16/2026 Classification Title Human Resources & Organizational Development Rank N - No Rank Working Title Senior Specialist, Training and Employee Development Department 600300 - HRC Human Resource Center Position Number D96759 Representation UU - Unclassified Unrepresented Renewable Renewable End date, if applicable Position FTE 1 Tenure Status F - Fixed Term

Position Summary

Brief Description of PSU/School/Dept

Portland State University is Oregon’s most affordable public research university, located in the heart of one of America’s most dynamic cities. Our mission to “let knowledge serve the city” reflects our dedication to turning ideas into action — in Portland and around the world. The city is our campus, giving students unmatched access to career connections, a vibrant cultural scene and hands‑on learning experiences with hundreds of community partners.

More than 20,000 students from all backgrounds bring diverse perspectives to our classrooms and campus life, from the tree‑lined Park Blocks to the bustling Urban Plaza and state‑of‑the‑art science labs. We are proud of our world‑class faculty, groundbreaking research and international reputation for excellence in sustainability, community engagement and innovation.

Position Summary

The Senior Specialist in Training and Employee Development will ensure an equity- and justice-centered approach to all training and communication programs while developing and implementing HR training for managers and employees. This position will report to the Training & Employee Development Manager in Human Resources.

This position will also collaborate with the selection, and campus‑wide rollout of a new instructional design (ID) authoring tool, leveraging expert facilitation in authoring software, LMS administration, and adult learning principles to design and deliver high‑impact employee development programs.

This is a permanent full‑time position within an innovative team‑oriented environment located in downtown Portland, and includes a comprehensive benefits package with paid time off including paid sick time, paid holidays and paid vacation days, 95% employer‑funded premium healthcare, employer‑funded retirement plans and 70% off of tuition for the employee, dependent children, and your spouse or domestic partner.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree plus a minimum of 4 years training development, employee relations, HR generalist, or a combination of other relevant experience, which could include supervisory experience.
• Ability to persuade others and to adjust communication style to suit the audience to effectively communicate with people in all levels of an organization.
• Excellent writing skills, including conveying all necessary points concisely.
• Excellent critical thinking, judgement and decision‑making ability, including the ability to weigh short and long‑term costs and benefits of a potential action.
• Effective at managing own time and time of others with high volume workloads.
• Ability to work well under pressure and to handle conflict with the highest professionalism.
• Strong project management skills.
• Strong people management skills, preferably gained through managing and developing teams.
• High level of emotional intelligence and excellent interpersonal skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a large, complex organization.
• Experience in an environment with a unionized workforce.
• Experience in higher education and public sector.
• Experience in successfully building and leading a team.
• Expert‑level LMS management and instruction design authoring tool skills

Key Cultural Competencies

• Create an environment that acknowledges, encourages, and celebrates differences.
• Function and communicate effectively and respectfully within the context of varying beliefs, behaviors, orientations, identities, and cultural backgrounds.
• Seek opportunities to gain experience working and collaborating in diverse, multicultural, and inclusive settings with a willingness to change for continual improvement.
• Adhere to all of PSU’s policies including the policies on Prohibited Discrimination & Harassment and the Professional Standards of Conduct.

Environmental Stewardship

Contributes to a culture of environmental stewardship, practices resource conservation, and actively works toward achieving long‑term sustainability goals.

Work Days/Hours

Monday‑Friday, 8am‑5pm, Up to one day remote, after training period and with the approval of the supervisor.

Total Compensation Range & Benefits Statement

The starting annual salary for this position will be $65,100-$80,000 and may be negotiated within this range.

An excellent benefits package includes 95% premium paid healthcare; a generous retirement and vacation package; and reduced tuition rates for employee, spouse or dependent at any of the Oregon University System schools. Please visit our total compensation calculator to see the full value of our benefits package.

Search Details

Posting Close Date 10/06/2026 Projected Close Date for Posting Open Until Finalists Identified Application screening begins.

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

• Resume
• Cover Letter
• Professional References