Senior Learning and Development Specialist

Job Summary

The Senior Learning and Development Specialist is responsible for supporting the design, implementation, and evaluation of organizational development, learning, employee engagement, and performance management initiatives that strengthen organizational effectiveness and support IFPRI's strategic objectives.

Working closely with the Human Resources team in Washington, DC, and managers across the Institute, the
incumbent will identify development needs, coordinate learning programs, support employee engagement
and talent development initiatives, administer performance management processes, and contribute to HR
projects and policy development. The role promotes a culture of continuous learning, employee growth, and
high performance within a diverse and globally distributed workforce.

This is a one-year renewable position based in IFPRI's New Delhi, India office. Given the close
collaboration required with colleagues globally, the position requires flexibility in working hours and
maintaining regular overlap with U.S. business hours to support meetings, projects, and service delivery
across time zones.

Essential Duties

Duties include but are not limited to:

Learning and Development

• Identify organizational, team, and individual development needs through assessments, performance data, stakeholder consultation, and workforce analysis. Design and implement targeted learning solutions to address capability gaps, enhance leadership effectiveness, and strengthen workforce readiness.
• Develop an annual Learning and Development Plan aligned with organizational priorities and workforce capability requirements
• Manages professional development benefits, including reviewing employee requests, providing guidance, and monitoring the allocated budget.
• Partner with vendors, consultants, and CGIAR centers, to develop and deliver high-quality learning interventions.
• Design and develop learning materials including facilitator guides, participant workbooks, job aids, presentations, and digital learning content.
• Manages the Institute’s learning platform, produces LMS reports and analyze learning data to support evidence-based decision making and workforce development planning.
• Review and update the career path program to strengthen career development and growth.
• Deliver onboarding sessions on L& D platforms to support successful integration into the organization.

Employee Engagement and Organizational Development

• Develops, implements and coordinates employee engagement initiatives, programs and change interventions aimed at improving employee engagement and organizational effectiveness.
• Serves as a PoC for the CG employee engagement survey, analyzes patterns, shapes engagement initiatives/action plans and evaluates success.
• Analyze offboarding data to identify trends and inform organizational development and learning priorities.

Performance Management

• Manages the annual performance review process including process setup, timelines, communications, and system administration.
• Provides training and guidance to employees and managers on performance management processes, tools, and practices.
• Drives initiatives that strengthen a continuous performance culture, including mid-year reviews, 90-day check-ins, and system enhancements.
• Contributes to the ongoing improvement of the performance management program.
• Analyzes performance trends and recommends improvements to strengthen employee effectiveness and organizational performance.
• Supports the Compensation team through key activities in the merit process cycle.

Human Resource Management

• Oversees or participates in the development and delivery of human resources projects to improve processes efficiency and effectiveness.
• Contributes to the development and execution of the human resources strategy.
• Prepares and revises policies for the Headquarters policy manual.
• Designs and facilitates human resources staff surveys.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree Human Resources, Organizational Development, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Adult Learning, Business Administration, Education, or a related field, plus seven years of relevant professional experience; or Master’s in one of the above disciplines plus 5 years of relevant experience.
• Demonstrated experience conducting learning needs assessments and translating findings into learning strategies and programs.
• Experience designing blended learning solutions, including instructor-led, virtual, hybrid, and self-paced learning
• Experience facilitating learning programs and workshops for diverse audiences.
• Knowledge of performance management strategies and approaches.
• Experience compiling, analyzing, and interpreting workforce and HR data to identify trends and support decision-making.
• Ability to communicate clearly with employees – providing HR-related information and assisting employees with questions and issues.
• Proactive approach to HR delivery, with a strong on service-orientation.
• Ability to work as an active and participatory member of an HR team; willingness to cross-train in order to back-up other HR functional team members.
• Ability to be resourceful; excellent attention to detail and ability to follow through to closure.
• Ability to work independently and multitask under tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent interpersonal skills; demonstrated ability to work within a team in a multi-cultural environment.

• Strong organizational skills; ability to handle multiple tasks and prioritize work with minimal supervision.

Required Computer Knowledge

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and Excel (including common formulas, various Lookup functions, and Pivot Tables)
• Experience with HRIS, learning management systems, performance management systems, and survey platforms.

Physical Demand & Work environment:

• Employee will seat in an upright position for a long period of time with little opportunity to move/stretch
• Employee will lift between 0-10 pounds in the course of normal duties.
• Employee is required to have close visual acuity to perform activity such as preparing and analyzing data and figures, viewing computer terminal, and extensive reading.