PROGRAM MANAGER, ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING & DEVELOP

McMaster University is ranked among the top 80 universities globally and is recognized as Canada’s Most Research Intense University. We serve our community and society by nurturing and supporting the fulfillment of human potential: inspiring creativity and critical thinking, promoting an enduring love of learning and the habit of inquiry, and undertaking innovative research that extends the boundaries and enhances the efficacy of knowledge. We are focused on advancing human and societal health and well-being, working across disciplines to find creative solutions to complex problems, helping to improve people’s lives and build a brighter future for all.  As a result, we are consistently recognized as one of the top employers in the Hamilton/Niagara region and have been recognized as one of Canada’s Top Diversity employers in each of 2019, 2020 and 2021.

About Human Resources

As value-added service partners, we cultivate human potential and champion an inclusive culture by: Enabling University strategy; Collaborating with our community; Delivering service excellence; and Empowering learning & growth. McMaster University is multi-faceted with multiple locations and constituencies. As a result, Human Resources support and services at McMaster have developed over time to meet a spectrum of stakeholder needs. The Human Resources Services team consists of functional units such as HR Operations (Payroll and Data Management, HR Client Advisory Services, HR Systems Strategy, Reporting and Analytics), Talent, Equity & Development; Health, Safety Well-being & Labour Relations; Compensation, Benefits & Retrement Programs and our Strategic Implementation team who enable the delivery of comprehensive Human Resources programs and services in collaboration with leaders, HR area offices and HR practitioners across our community.

About Talent, Equity and Development

The Talent, Equity and Development Centre of Expertise champions 4 critical people and culture strategic areas of focus including Employment Equity and Workplace Experience; Talent Acquisition and Onboarding; Organizational Learning and Development; and Organizational Design and Effectiveness through which we enable critical initiatives and programming focused on interpersonal and group process approaches, organizational transformation and inclusive culture change; leadership and employee development; techno-structural initiatives related to work and the workplace; employee engagement, and progressive talent management practice. McMaster University seeks to align the human resources systems, policies, practices and programs to build for the future, enhance McMaster’s employment brand, enrich the candidate experience and promote a culture of talent, all while fully integrating the principles of employment equity, accessibility, diversity and inclusion. This CoE also operates as an internal professional consulting practice and team members work closely with university leaders and HR partners to advance portfolio strategies and ensure sustained performance.

About the Position

The Program Manager, Organizational Learning & Development will assess institution-wide developmental needs to drive learning initiatives and identify, develop and implement suitable learning and training solutions for staff and faculty. This position actively searches, creatively designs and implements effective methods to educate, enhance performance and recognize performance, while building required organizational capability for the future. In addition, this position evaluates effectiveness through performance metrics, ensures alignment with strategic objectives and maintains high quality standards in instructional design and development for all methods of program delivery. Reporting to the Associate Director, Talent, Equity and Development and working alongside the HR Strategic Partners and organizational leaders, the Program Manager will develop a learning strategy and support the operational success of all learning management programs across McMaster which includes strategy development and planning, change management, and execution of new and existing initiatives. The Program Manager is responsible for designing, implementing and delivering a wide range of best practice learning programs and services to support strategic and operational excellence as well as positively impact the employee experience and growth mindset. Within a Centre of Expertise, the Program Manager works collaboratively and proactively to support University leaders and teams through change and transformation. The Program Manager will work closely with key stakeholders to plan, develop and implement learning and strategic initiatives using innovative tools and modalities, including advancing e-learning, which are aligned with the organization’s strategic plan and best practice people strategies, promoting a culture of learning and continuous improvement. This role will also support advancing inclusive excellence across the organization.

Core Areas of Accountability

1. Learning & Development Program Management

• Act as a lead contributor to university-wide learning and development activities
• Liaise with other campus learning partners (i.e. MCE, DeGroote Executive Education etc.) to identify and source the best instructors, develop learning and performance improvement solutions across traditional and virtual classroom environments, and consult with other areas of the organization to ensure our curricula and initiatives support the institutional strategy

• Lead program management activities such as communicating with resource managers, team leads, etc. to track project milestones and keep the focus on delivering project commitments.

2. Operational Excellence and Continuous Improvement Strategy

• Lead the development and continuous improvement of a comprehensive training strategy ensuring strategic alignment of training and development with organizational goals.
• Deliver, promote and manage a range of L&D solutions, products and courses working with internal communications, internal stakeholders, subject-matter experts and the wider HR team.
• Identify, liaise and work with third party providers on the preferred supplier list for delivery of L&D products.
• Work with key leaders in the areas of organizational analysis and design to recognize, identify and resolve organizational structure, alignment, culture, and process issues across the university.
• Provides expert guidance to senior leaders in the redesign of organizational structures, recommending functional realignments, changes to job functions, and staffing re-alignments.
• Provide senior guidance in developing transition and training plans for work units to enable employees to successfully integrate into their new roles to align processes, define procedures and build successful work teams.

3. Measurement & Assessment

• Assist in monitoring system and outcome performance of learning strategies on a continuing basis, assess requirements and make recommendations for such procedural changes, as may be required to improve efficiency and performance.
• Conduct assessments and analyses to define performance, skill and knowledge gaps and recommend training and development to drive individual and organizational-wide capability and performance improvement.
• Measure and evaluate all L&D initiatives and proactively assess value and recommendations for continuous improvement, and to ensure effectiveness and efficiency

4. Relationship Management

• Participate in cross-functional working groups to solve complex organizational and talent learning and develop solutions
• Builds and maintains strong relationships with key partners to understand organizational learning and development needs and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Builds cohesion between diverse teams to achieve optimal outcomes.

5. Leadership

• Function as organizational sponsor, program manager and facilitator of Talent, Equity and Development or cross functional teams (as may be required) to achieve maximum outputs.
• Leads through positive influence; encourages thoughtful consideration and dialogue on new and more efficient ways of operating and improved service delivery.
• Prioritize projects and activities and appropriately delegate, and/or coordinating resources/schedules with partner areas, to ensure project completion.  
• Recommend changes in organizational design, structure or staffing to senior leaders within HR or other areas to achieve maximum effectiveness and efficiency in process transformation.

Are you the right candidate?

This role requires a Human Resources Professional with a minimum of 7 years of experience in a leadership role within a related Learning and Development, Change Management and/or Strategic Communication field, preferably in a large, unionized environment. The successful candidate will possess expert knowledge of change management and learning principles, methodologies, tools and techniques, preferable with course work specializing in this field in a complex and diverse environment. Additionally, the successful incumbent will have a proven track record of championing and influencing process enhancements and demonstrated agility in service delivery of learning and development programs, recognized for building & maintaining impactful relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
 

Other qualifications

• University degree or the equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Masters Degree with Education, Adult Learning, Organizational Development or Leadership preferred
• Previous experience scoping, planning, implementing, and managing large, complex organizational design and change programs in a constantly transforming environment.
• Strong skills in Project Management methods or proven strength in following all aspects of best practices relative to managing the project life cycle and stakeholder relations.
• Strong emotional intelligence, with an ability to work well in a team or independently at all levels in an organization.
• Savvy influencing and collaboration skills with an ability to manage multiple stakeholders and conflict in a highly matrixed environment.
• Demonstrated track record of success in process consulting, facilitation, and presentation skills.
• Effective motivator and leader with strong influencing abilities and conflict management skills.
• Ability to balance high level strategies with the details necessary for successful implantation.
• Well-developed prioritization, time management and multi-tasking skills.
• Ability to build collaborative working relationships with Human Resources Services to develop integrated communication plans.
• Ability to build and foster strong working relationships with internal and external partners, and project team members
• Possesses a broad understanding of all aspects of HR, with a particular focus on HR business fundamentals: employment legislation, recruitment, compensation, labour relations (including collective agreement administration), benefits, health & wellness, training, and learning and development.
• Holds a general understanding of the legislative, compliance and regulatory requirements expected of HR.
• Effectively applies methodology, analytics, and tools to understand, analyze and create solutions to complex organizational problems.
• Demonstrated ability to set priorities and deadlines to ensure multiple projects and objectives are achieved in a timely manner.
• Able to navigate in a complex decentralized organization, with flexibility and a tolerance for ambiguity.
• Capable of setting performance standards, exhibiting mature judgment and managing a team toward meeting and exceeding objectives.
• Strong relationship management skills and ability to foster internal relationships with leaders across the university.

• Demonstrates ability to make recommendations to senior management and influence business decisions based on thorough analysis. Capable of providing senior management with honest, forthright, and objective advice in a collegial manner.
• Strong interpersonal, group process, facilitation, organizational and team-oriented skills