Description

ROLE: Senior Learning & Development Specialist

REPORTS TO: Sr. Director, HRBP & Talent

LOCATION: Hybrid / Corporate Office in Houston, Texas

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Senior Learning & Development Specialist plays a key role in designing, developing, and delivering learning experiences that build capability across Venterra. This role blends instructional design expertise, engaging facilitation, and end-to-end program management to create impactful development experiences that support business priorities, strengthen leadership, and enhance the employee experience.

Partnering closely with leaders, HR Business Partners, and subject matter experts, the Senior Learning & Development Specialist translates business needs into scalable learning solutions. The role is responsible for managing learning programs from concept through execution, facilitating both virtual and in-person training, developing high-quality instructional content, and measuring program effectiveness to drive continuous improvement.

Success in this role requires a balance of creativity and execution-someone who enjoys designing innovative learning experiences, confidently facilitating engaging sessions, and managing multiple complex initiatives simultaneously. The ideal candidate is highly collaborative, customer-focused, organized, and passionate about helping employees and leaders grow while advancing Venterra's culture and business objectives.

**Please note, this position includes up to 25% travelling, including overnight

KEY JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Learning Strategy & Needs Analysis

• Partner with business leaders to diagnose performance gaps, define learning objectives, and recommend solutions (not just courses).
• Align programs to competency models, compliance needs, and career pathways.

Design & Development

• Build end-to-end solutions using ADDIE/SAM: ILT/VILT, microlearning, eLearning, videos, toolkits, and job aids.
• Apply adult learning theory (e.g., Bloom's, Kirkpatrick, Kolb) and accessibility best practices (WCAG).
• Integrate simulations, role plays, and scenarios that mirror real work. Traditional classroom chops welcome; modern interactivity expected.

Facilitation & Enablement

• Facilitate high-impact workshops and VILTs; coach leaders/trainers to deliver consistently.
• Create facilitator guides, participant guides, and practice activities that reinforce skill transfer.

Measurement & Continuous Improvement

• Establish success metrics and evaluation plans (Levels 1-4); analyze data to improve content and delivery.
• Track adoption, completion, time-to-competence, and business impact with dashboards.

Program & Stakeholder Management

• Run projects end-to-end-scope, timelines, budgets, and vendor coordination.
• Influence cross-functional partners (HR, Operations, Compliance) and communicate clearly from kickoff to rollout.

Technology & Systems

• Administer content in the LMS/LXP; manage catalogs, enrollments, and reporting.
• Use authoring tools (Articulate 360, Rise/Storyline; Captivate/Camtasia), survey tools (Qualtrics/Forms), and collaboration platforms (Teams/Zoom).
• Experiment thoughtfully with AI for content drafts, knowledge retrieval, and practice-keeping data governance in mind.

CANDIDATE PROFILE

• 5-7+ years in L&D, instructional design, and live facilitation (enterprise or multi-site preferred).
• Portfolio showcasing blended programs and measurable outcomes.
• Mastery of ADDIE/SAM, adult learning principles, and facilitation techniques.
• Proficiency with LMS administration, authoring tools, and Excel/Sheets for analysis.
• Strong project management skills; comfortable juggling multiple priorities

Preferred

• Bachelor's in Education, I/O Psychology, HR, or related field (Master's a plus).
• Certifications: CPTM, CPLP/ATD, Kirkpatrick, Prosci ADKAR, or similar.
• Experience with performance consulting, change management, and enablement for customer-facing or operational roles.
• Basic data viz (Power BI/Tableau) and media scripting/storyboarding.