Professional Development Program Manager

Description

At Mountain America, the Professional Development Program Manager is responsible for leading the strategy, delivery, and continuous improvement of Mountain America’s employee and leadership development programs. This role partners closely with other Professional Development team members, Instructional Design, HR Business Partners, business stakeholders, and Internal Communications to identify organizational learning needs and deliver solutions that build team member and leadership capability, support career growth, and align with Mountain America’s Talent Philosophy, values, leadership framework and skills strategy. The Program Manager oversees the professional development catalog, coordinates learning delivery, and measures program effectiveness through meaningful KPIs and follow-up evaluation. This role requires strong program management, collaboration, communication, and data analysis skills to ensure development initiatives are relevant, engaging, and aligned to business priorities.

To be effective, an individual must be able to perform each job duty successfully.

Strategy and Program Leadership

• Leads the strategy, planning, and execution of team member and/or leadership development programs that strengthen organizational capability and support business priorities.
• Manages team member development initiatives from concept through implementation, ensuring clear ownership, effective execution, and measurable outcomes, including talent identification, development, coaching, and successful placement into progressive leadership roles.
• Integrates Mountain America’s skills strategy into the team member development framework, with a focus on skill proficiency, growth, and long-term capability building.
• Aligns team member and/or leadership development programs with Mountain America’s leadership framework and broader talent philosophy.
• Serves as the subject matter expert for learning effectiveness and skill proficiency data within the assigned development track.
• Partner with business and Talent Development leaders to identify emerging AI-related skill requirements and incorporate them into development pathways, assessments, and learning experiences
• Continuously evolve and enhance leadership assessments, development pathways, and program resources to strengthen participant growth, leadership readiness, and overall program impact.
• Lead recurring coaching and development conversations that strengthen leadership growth, accountability, business acumen, communication skills, confidence, and operational ownership.

Learning Needs Assessment and Curriculum Development

• Partners with HR Business Partners, business stakeholders, other Professional Development team members, and Instructional Design to translate business needs into learning priorities.
• Partners with the Content/Instructional Design team to create, update, and deliver learning solutions through the most effective channels.
• Identifies innovative and engaging methods to support adult learning and improve the learner experience.
• Stays current on industry best practices, adapting relevant approaches to meet organizational needs.
• Evaluate and leverage AI-enabled learning technologies to improve personalization, learner engagement, content development efficiency, and skills assessment capabilities.
• Collaborate with Instructional Design and business stakeholders to incorporate AI tools and use cases into learning solutions that improve on-the-job effectiveness and productivity.

Measurement and Continuous Improvement

• Defines and monitors learning effectiveness KPI measurements for development programs.
• Conducts follow-up studies of completed learning and development programs to evaluate and measure results through surveys, assessments, and performance metrics and adjusts as necessary.
• Assess participant readiness using competency frameworks, operational performance indicators, stakeholder feedback, and coaching observations.
• Reports program effectiveness results in quarterly business operations meetings.
• Utilize AI-assisted analytics and learning data to identify trends, measure skill growth, evaluate program effectiveness, and provide actionable recommendations for continuous improvement.
• Monitor emerging AI trends, tools, and workforce development practices and recommend opportunities that support organizational goals and team member development.

Program Delivery and Facilitation

• Coordinates, schedules, and facilitates instructor-led development sessions and related learning experiences.
• Provides coaching and support to program participants where needed.
• Exemplifies the desired culture and philosophies of the organization.

Stakeholder Partnership and Communication

• Provides regular program and initiative updates to stakeholders.
• Partners with the Internal Communications team to ensure team members are aware of learning and development events and resources.
• Works effectively as a team member with other areas of Talent Development and the organization.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, and ABILITIES

The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

Education and Experience

• Typically requires minimum of 5 years experience in professional or leadership development role.
• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Instructional Design, or a closely related field or four additional years experience in employee development, talent development, or a closely related function.
• Program and Project Management experience required
• Experience working in a team-oriented, collaborative environment required

Knowledge & Skills

• Ability to work both autonomously and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment while managing multiple projects, stakeholders, timelines, and priorities.
• Adaptable, self-motivated, and learning-oriented, with strong organizational, time management, and project management skills.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to take initiative, identify process improvements, and recommend practical solutions.
• Strong interpersonal, coaching, facilitation, communication, and relationship-management skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders and support participant growth through feedback, accountability, and structured development experiences.
• Thorough knowledge of adult learning theory, learning needs analysis, curriculum development, instructional design, and facilitation methods.
• Experience facilitating leadership workshops, onboarding experiences, professional development programs, or operational training initiatives.
• Experience assessing leadership readiness using competency frameworks, stakeholder feedback, coaching observations, operational performance indicators, and development metrics.
• Strong data analysis and validation skills, with the ability to analyze participant trends, readiness indicators, assessment outcomes, and learning effectiveness data.
• Strong operational mindset with the ability to connect leadership development initiatives to business needs, operational expectations, and organizational growth goals.
• Experience building scalable processes, development resources, reporting structures, or program frameworks in a growing and evolving environment.
• Working knowledge of generative AI technologies and their application to learning, leadership development, talent management, and workforce capability building.
• Ability to evaluate AI tools and solutions while promoting responsible, ethical, and compliant use.
• Experience using AI-enabled tools to improve productivity, content creation, data analysis, facilitation preparation, or learning program management.
• Ability to coach leaders and team members on effective AI adoption and human-centered application of AI technologies.

Leadership and Organization Development

• Collaborates with peers to deliver results and build organizational capacity
• Strong contribution to team effectiveness
• Develops multifunctional base level skills

Scope and Strategic Impact

• Applies knowledge to implement programs
• Analyzes data to summarize
• Supports program delivery through the practical application of basic discipline knowledge with limited guidance
• Applies subject matter knowledge to solve common business issues within established guidelines
• Evaluates unique circumstances and assists in making recommendations
• Develops practical knowledge of applications within business environment

Analytical Thinking & Problem Solving

• Works on problems / projects of diverse complexity and scope
• Exercises independent judgment within generally defined procedures and practices to identify a solution
• Seeks advice in order to make decisions on complex business issues

Other Skills and Abilities

• Proficient in Microsoft Office, including Teams, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
• Experience using Learning Management Systems.
• Ability to create clear instructional content, learning materials, and program communications.
• Ability to work both autonomously and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to analyze learning data and translate insights into reports, recommendations, and stakeholder-ready presentations.
• Strong interpersonal, diplomacy, and influence skills, with the ability to build effective relationships across internal and external partners.

PHYSICAL ABILITIES / WORKING CONDITIONS

Physical Demands

Ability to sit, talk and hear consistently

Vision Requirements

Close vision (clear vision at 20 inches or less)

Distance vision (clear vision at 20 feet or more)

Color vision (ability to identify and distinguish colors)

Weight Lifted or Force Exerted

Ability to lift up to 10 pounds frequently and up to 25 pounds occasionally

Environmental

There are no unusual environmental factors (such as a typical office)

Noise Environment

Moderate noise (business office with computers and printers, light traffic)

***This Job is not eligible to be performed in Colorado or Connecticut, either remotely or in-person.***