Learning and Development Specialist in Toronto

Duration: 13+ Months (possibility of extension/conversion)

Location: Toronto, ON (Hybrid – 4 days onsite)

The Learning Solutions Architect is responsible for the development of innovative learning solutions and leads the end to end creation, execution and documentation (including communication, reporting and socialization) of long term/multi-year learning strategies and roadmaps based on business needs and enterprise strategy. This position manages relationships and deliverables across multiple phases and waves. It requires critical strategic thinking, as well as a good balance between understanding of the operating model and the Program structure and governance; combined with a solid knowledge of performance consulting practices, strong strategy planning, change management, collaboration, stakeholder management, project management and communication skills.

Key Accountabilities

• Acts as the primary point of contact and strategic partner to business leaders, HRBP and Talent and Learning COE leads, like Project Delivery, Learning Technology, Learning Operations, on any day-to-day inquiries, BAU, or Branch Banking Academy transformation needs.
• Lead performance consulting and conduct needs analysis to diagnose gaps and develops effective solutions to address capability development needs.
• Negotiate, influence, and build strong relationships with business leaders, subject matter experts, and HR partners to understand business strategy and evolving learning needs.
• Provide learning advisory and thought leadership to key stakeholders, including but not limited to new and innovative learning solutions, capabilities and limitations of learning options and modalities, and recommended solutions and rollout plans.
• Develop and execute the long-term learning strategy & plan and associated roadmaps for the assigned portfolio and capabilities, ensuring they align with the skills needed to support the broader business vision and delivers a great learner experience.
• Build the business case for learning development and define the rollout plan in collaboration with the business senior management and other partners.
• Partners with L&D stakeholders to ensure L&D workstream is appropriately staffed and resourced to support the initiative.
• Inventory and identify learning assets that map to new or existing capabilities to support business outcomes.
• Interact, collaborate and help influence peers and other LSAs to ensure alignment to the long-term learning plan and associated roadmaps of the capabilities assigned.
• Proactively align learning strategies to the capabilities needed to address evolving business needs.
• Act as intermediary between learning COE leads and business leads to ensure the learning strategy is effectively executed and to manage the ongoing sustainment model for the learning plans.
• Manage issues or escalations in relation to the learning strategy within the portfolio.
• Develop and leverage relationships with external learning partners on best-in-class learning services.
• Align to enterprise frameworks or methodologies that relate to business architecture activities within the business area.
• Attend and participate in internal and external industry committees and/or conferences for learning professionals.
• Identify and implement process improvements that reduce costs or create capacity within learning development and delivery.
• Provide updates and report on the development of learning assets and materials as well as progress of the overall learning strategy to support the business needs.
• Actively seek feedback from users and support areas including the various COE leads.
• Keep abreast of emerging issues, trends, and evolving business requirements and assess potential impacts.
• Act as a learning expert/lead, integrating cross-function understanding within their own field of specialty.

Department Overview

The Learning Solutions Architect is responsible for partnering with the Branch Banking Colleague Capabilities Team to execute on the Branch Banking Learning Plan. The candidate will report directly into the Senior Manager, Learning Solutions Architect for Branch Banking. The position requires critical thinking, strategic planning, project management, change management, collaboration, stakeholder relationship management, and advanced verbal/written communication skills.

Job Requirements

• Ability to perform a detailed needs assessment at the organizational, team and project level.
• Ability to scan the market and provide best-practice research and insights on a broad range of topics.
• Enjoy working on complex issues and generating business-oriented, creative solutions.
• Strong planning and project management skills, with the ability to work in a fast paced environment and manage multiple deadlines and priorities while maintaining accuracy through attention to detail.
• Ability to build and deliver executive-level presentations based on research and analysis.
• Understand performance consulting methodologies and adult learning best practices.
• Ability to build and maintain relationships with diverse stakeholders including executives, program support, external partners and vendors.
• Experience in Branch Banking and/or training, learning, or colleague development is considered an asset.

MUST-HAVE Hard Skills

• Familiar with the L&D space.
• Ability to build strong relationships.
• Onboarding experience.
• Compliance experience.
• MS Office Suite experience, office 360, teams, Word intermediate Excel experience – pivot tables, chart, some formulas.
• Knowledge and experience utilizing AI tools, Copilot.

Soft Skills

• Strong stakeholders and communication.
• Influence and negotiate.

Nice To Have

• Banking experience.

Education

• University degree required.
• Relevant Learning & Development / Adult Education certifications would be a definite asset.
• Demonstrated commitment to continuous learning.