Director, Talent Development & Strategy

PRIMARY ROLE OR FUNCTION:

The Director, Talent Development & Strategy will serve as a strategic and operational leader responsible for advancing WME's assistant-to-agent development ecosystem across the agency, including Music and all core business verticals.

This role will drive the design, integration, and execution of early-career development programs, ensuring a cohesive and scalable approach to onboarding, training, performance management, and career progression. The Director will play a critical role in shaping the next generation of WME agents by aligning development initiatives with broader business, talent, and operational priorities.

Working cross-functionally with HR, Business Operations, Recruitment, Inclusion, and senior leadership, this role will help define and implement a best-in-class agent development infrastructure that supports both individual growth and long-term business success.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Agent Development & Program Leadership
  • Lead the design and execution of a comprehensive agent development strategy across all business areas, including Music.
  • Oversee and evolve core development programs, including:
    • Assistant onboarding and training
    • Farmhouse and Trainee program integration
    • Early-career agent development initiatives
  • Ensure programming aligns with agency priorities, performance expectations, and long-term talent strategy.
  • Identify gaps in development offerings and implement scalable, high-impact solutions.
• Performance Management Design & Execution
  • Lead the build-out, standardization, and execution of performance management frameworks in partnership with HR and Business Operations.
  • Define and operationalize:
    • Clear performance expectations and success metrics
    • Feedback cadence and evaluation processes
    • Documentation and escalation pathways (e.g., coaching plans, performance improvement processes)
  • Ensure alignment across departments on performance standards, accountability, and evaluation consistency.
  • Partner with HRBPs and leadership to support managers in delivering effective, actionable feedback.
  • Integrate performance management into broader development programming to ensure a clear link between performance, progression, and promotion readiness.
  • Build out and utilize the Workday platform to administer performance management processes, including goal setting, review cycles, and performance documentation, ensuring consistency and data integrity across the organization.
• Cross-Functional Sprints Leadership & Execution
  • Serve as a key leader within the HR / Inclusion / Operations Sprints initiative , partnering across HRBPs, Business Operations, Recruitment, Inclusion, and development teams.
  • Drive progress across critical workstreams, including:
    • Performance management frameworks for early-career agents
    • Standardized training curriculum (assistant through agent levels)
    • Career progression pathways and promotion criteria
    • Onboarding and orientation optimization
  • Translate sprint outputs into practical, scalable tools and programming implemented across the agency.
  • Ensure alignment across stakeholders and maintain momentum on cross-functional initiatives.
• Onboarding & Orientation Strategy
  • Oversee the agency-wide onboarding and orientation experience for assistants and agents.
  • Partner closely with HR and on-the-ground team members to ensure:
    • Consistency across departments
    • Strong in-person and virtual delivery
    • Alignment with WME culture and expectations
  • Continuously refine onboarding experiences using feedback, data, and evolving business needs.
• Program Integration & Pipeline Alignment
  • Ensure alignment across all early-career programs, including:
    • Assistant training
    • Trainee Program
    • Farmhouse
    • Additional development initiatives
  • Create a connected and clearly defined development journey from entry-level roles through early agent years.
  • Partner with leadership to ensure programs are integrated into broader talent and business strategies.
• Stakeholder Management & Agency Collaboration
  • Act as a central point of coordination across:
    • Human Resources
    • Business Operations
    • Recruitment
    • Inclusion
    • Department and office leadership
  • Build strong relationships across all offices (Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, London) to ensure consistency and adoption of programming.
  • Present updates, insights, and recommendations to senior leadership.

ACCOUNTABILITY & EXPECTATIONS:

• Demonstrate ownership over agency-wide agent development initiatives and outcomes.
• Drive alignment across multiple stakeholders and departments.
• Deliver high-quality programming that supports both employee development and business performance.
• Maintain consistency, scalability, and operational excellence across all programs.
• Serve as a trusted partner to HR and senior leadership in shaping talent strategy.

ESSENTIAL JOB KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, & CHARACTERISTICS:

Professional Knowledge & Experience

• 5-7+ years of experience in talent development, organizational development, or related fields.

#J-18808-Ljbffr