Global Director of Learning, Development & Culture

Job Posting Organization:
The World Resources Institute (WRI) is an independent research organization founded to improve people's lives, protect and restore nature, and stabilize the climate. Established with a mission to influence policy and catalyze change across various systems, WRI operates in over a dozen focus countries and collaborates with partners in more than 50 nations. With a workforce of over 2,000 staff, WRI is dedicated to advancing gender and social equity, ensuring that its mission aligns with the needs and aspirations of current and future generations. The organization values independence, integrity, impact, partnership, and care, fostering a culture that emphasizes diversity and inclusion.

Job Overview:
The Global Director of Learning, Development & Culture at WRI is a strategic and people-focused leadership role aimed at enhancing the organization's global people strategy. This position involves leading a broad team within the Centre of Excellence and collaborating closely with HR teams across various regional and country offices, including Africa, Brazil, China, Colombia, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and the US. The role is pivotal in shaping how WRI supports, grows, and engages its employees, ensuring that every staff member has a positive experience and can contribute effectively to the organization's mission. The director will be responsible for designing and implementing strategies that promote continuous learning, impactful career development, and a healthy organizational culture, all while ensuring inclusivity and relevance across different regions. This position offers a unique opportunity to build meaningful initiatives that align with WRI's goals and values.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Global Director of Learning, Development & Culture will undertake a variety of responsibilities, including:

• Career Development: Collaborate with the Chief People Officer to shape WRI's global people strategy, develop career paths, succession plans, and talent pipelines for future leaders. Lead performance and engagement strategies to foster staff growth and connection, develop retention strategies, and support workforce planning and organizational design.
• Learning & Development: Create a culture of learning by designing a global learning strategy, delivering inclusive and impactful training, and leading leadership development programs. Partner with experts to scale learning initiatives and ensure they are evidence-based and relevant.
• Culture & Wellbeing: Champion WRI's values and lead a global culture strategy that promotes equity and inclusion. Define a healthy workplace culture, lead wellbeing initiatives, and ensure cultural efforts are locally relevant while maintaining global consistency.
• Overall, the director will be responsible for embedding equity, inclusion, and psychological safety into all people initiatives, with clear metrics and accountability.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a background in occupational, organizational, or work psychology, with demonstrated success as a senior People leader. They should have extensive experience in large, matrixed, mission-driven organizations, with the ability to navigate cultural contexts and deliver resonant strategies. Strategic skills are essential for designing and executing talent, learning, and culture strategies, along with experience in developing a strategic approach to career and learning development. Proven ability to lead organization-wide change initiatives and influence diverse teams is crucial, as is experience in using analytics and workforce data to inform decisions and improve policies. Candidates should also have a strong commitment to embedding equity, inclusion, and wellbeing into organizational practices.

Educational Background:
A relevant educational background is essential, particularly in fields related to occupational or organizational psychology. Advanced degrees in these areas or related fields are preferred, as they provide the theoretical foundation necessary for understanding and applying psychological principles to learning and development.

Experience:
Candidates should have significant experience in global HR, learning, leadership development, and organizational development. They must demonstrate a proven track record of managing and developing senior-level professionals and leading large, complex teams. Experience in navigating cultural contexts and delivering strategies that resonate across diverse regions is also required.

Languages:
Verbal and written proficiency in English is mandatory for this position. Additional language skills may be beneficial but are not explicitly required.

Additional Notes:
This is a hybrid position requiring 8 days per month in the office, either in London or The Hague. Existing work authorization is required at the time of application submission, as WRI is unable to sponsor any visa work authorization for this position. The potential salary range for this role is GBP 108,000 to 135,000 if based in the UK, and €107,000 to 134,000 if based in the Netherlands. WRI offers a comprehensive benefits package, including generous leave days, a pension plan, health insurance contributions, and opportunities for professional development.