Director, Learning & Development
Reports To
VP HR International
Location
San Jose, CA (Hybrid, ∼30% travel to other North America offices and occasionally internationally)
Scope
Global — all functions and regions
Direct Reports
None
About our Client
Our client is an award-winning market leader in smart home IoT, combining expertise in product design, wireless connectivity, cloud infrastructure, and advanced AI to deliver a seamless, personalized security experience. Their globally scaled, highly secure cloud platform—powered by AI and computer vision—enables real-time visibility, insight, and protection through intuitive, app-controlled devices. Driven by a world class team of innovators, they are transforming how people protect and stay connected to what matters most—across home, business, and personal environments—while maintaining a deep commitment to privacy and data security.
Role Purpose
This is a high-impact, visible leadership role at the intersection of people development and business transformation. The Director of Learning & Development will architect and own the company’s global capability strategy — with a particular mandate to build the AI fluency, workflow-level skills, and accountability structures that underpin the company’s Operating Model.
This is not a traditional L&D role. The successful candidate will act as both a strategic partner to function leaders and a programme builder who can move fast, measure everything, and connect learning outcomes directly to business performance.
The Opportunity
AI is not a technology initiative — it is a leadership and capability challenge. This role is central to how the company will compete in 2026 and beyond.
It’s the kind of mandate that comes along once — a rare chance to build something that directly shapes how a company competes.
The company is embedding AI into how every function operates — not as an IT project, but as a business performance transformation. Five pillars anchor this operating model: function-level AI targets (AI-KRs) , AI-first leadership expectations, an AI Champion Network and scaled capability building across all levels.
This role owns the learning and capability layer across all five pillars
Key Responsibilities
L&D Strategy & Roadmap
• Develop and implement a global L&D strategy in line with the company’s strategic objectives for 2026 and beyond
• Create and maintain an L&D framework and roadmap with customised learning solutions that address both near-term business priorities and longer-horizon capability gaps
• Conduct regular learning needs assessments in partnership with function leaders, HR Business Partners, and senior stakeholders
• Use data and analytics to continuously evaluate, iterate, and improve learning offerings across the business
Leadership Development & Talent
· Design and deliver leadership development programmes that build a high-performance culture grounded in growth mindset, continuous improvement, bias to action, accountability, ownership, and strong commercial acumen across Arlo’s management population
· Embed leadership capability into how the business operates—integrating it into ways of working, performance management, and talent assessment so development is owned and driven by the business
· Strengthen succession and leadership pipelines through structured, measurable development pathways for high-potential talent
· Own and deliver new leader assimilation and coaching solutions, accelerating effectiveness through structured onboarding, targeted coaching, and the intentional building of strong, aligned relationships across the leadership team
· Partner across HR and the business to drive culture, engagement, and organizational effectiveness, ensuring leadership capability is aligned to the company’s strategic priorities
AI Capability Strategy & Operating Model Enablement
• Own the company’s AI capability building strategy, aligned to the company’s AI Operating Model and five-pillar framework
• Design and deliver differentiated learning tracks: AI fluency for all employees, workflow redesign for managers, and advanced build capability for specialists
• Partner with function leaders to develop and refine their AI-KRs (AI-driven Key Results), ensuring learning infrastructure enables meaningful measurement
• Build and scale the AI Champion Network — defining the champion role, onboarding, ongoing capability support, and community infrastructure
• Drive the AI program end-to-end: design, delivery, cross-functional participation, and use-case pipeline generation
• Ensure AI capability outcomes are reported to the board alongside business performance metrics — not as HR activity, but as business results
Stakeholder & External Partner Management
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders across all functions and geographies to ensure learning initiatives are business-led
• Identify, evaluate, and manage external training providers, content partners, and learning vendors
• Champion learning and development throughout the organization — building appetite, communicating value, and making it easy to participate
Learning Technology & Operations
• Own and optimize the company’s learning technology stack and administration management of same with Workday and Linkedin Learning
• Leverage AI-powered learning tools to expand the reach, personalization, and impact of learning globally
• Ensure blended learning approaches are utilised effectively across all programme types
• Track and report on learning transfer — ensuring capability development translates to on-the-job behaviour change and measurable business outcomes
• Manage all L&D budgets, vendors, and programme logistics to high quality, on time and within scope
What You’ll Bring
Strategic & Commercial Acumen
• Ability to connect learning strategy directly to business performance — you think in outcomes, not programmes
• Experience working in or alongside fast-moving, commercially driven organisations; comfortable with ambiguity and speed
• Strong data literacy — you build measurement frameworks and hold yourself accountable to them
AI & Technology Fluency
• Genuine curiosity and working knowledge of AI tools, learning science, and technology-driven capability building
• Experience designing or deploying AI-enhanced or AI-focused learning programs.
• Comfortable evaluating and adopting new learning technologies, including AI-powered authoring, coaching, and analytics platforms
Leadership & Influence
• Demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders and function leaders without formal authority
• Strong facilitation, coaching, and consulting skills — able to lead workshops, design thinking sessions, and leadership forums
• Experience building and managing external provider relationships and cross-functional networks
Design & Delivery Excellence
• Strong instructional design skills across a range of modalities: digital, facilitated, on-the-job, and blended
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to craft content that is clear, compelling, and business-facing
• Attention to detail, high quality bar, and genuine pride in the finished product
Qualifications & Experience
• 8+ years in Learning & Development, Organizational Development, or a closely related field, with at least 3 years at a leadership or senior manager level
• Demonstrable experience building L&D capability from the ground up or significantly transforming an existing function
• Experience embedding AI or digital transformation capability into a workforce is a strong advantage
• Bachelor’s degree in Learning & Development, Organizational Psychology, Human Resource Management, or a related field; Master’s degree an advantage
• Professional membership of professional L&D or HR Body preferred
• Proficient with Microsoft 365 and modern learning technology platforms; experience with AI tools an advantage
• Ability to travel ∼30% for collaboration with key stakeholders across office sites
