Role SummaryReporting to the Director, Talent Development & People Programs, the Manager, Talent Development & People Programs leads two critical areas: enterprise onboarding and learning experience design.
The role owns Rowan's end-to-end onboarding strategy, including overall process, program design and delivery, hiring manager enablement, and continuous improvement. Partnering closely with key stakeholders, this position creates a consistent, engaging, and impactful new hire experience that helps employees quickly connect, contribute, and thrive.
As the team's learning experience design lead, the Manager establishes standards, consults with stakeholders on business needs, and designs impactful development solutions across the TD&PP portfolio. The ideal candidate is a hands-on practitioner who combines expertise in learning design, performance consulting, program management, change management, learning management/experience systems, and AI-enabled solutions to create exceptional talent development experiences and measurable business outcomes.
The role includes significant opportunities for contribution and growth, including leading or partnering across leadership development, career development, mentoring, employee listening, engagement, culture, recognition, performance management and/or strategic ERG initiatives.
Travel: Ability to travel up to (20%) to company location or for meetings.
Location: Denver, CO (hybrid in-office role)
Compensation: $105k - $125k (Offers Bonus)
Essential ResponsibilitiesLearning Experience Design- Build and manage the pillar's intake process - applying a performance consulting lens to distinguish learning needs from other gaps before recommending solutions; track priorities, timelines, and solution delivery through closure
- Lead project plans to drive key initiatives from concept to implementation and evaluation; coordinate resources, suppliers, communications, and implementation activities to achieve desired outcomes
- Develop and curate high-quality, impactful content, experiences, and resources across the pillar's portfolio - includes virtual, in-person, digital, and blended experiences, resources, and performance support tools
- Apply adult learning, behavioral science and modern design principles to all solutions; consult with subject matter experts and stakeholders to address capability needs
- Leverage AI-enabled tools to accelerate development cycles, increase personalization, and maintain quality at scale; bring human judgment to ensure quality and Rowan's voice
- Act as a producer for in-person, online, and blended learning sessions; facilitate working sessions and learning experiences, manage pilots, and build stakeholder alignment
- Set design standards, templates, and quality criteria for all learning content produced by the team
Enterprise Onboarding Strategy, Program Management & Experience Design- Own and continuously improve Rowan's enterprise onboarding strategy and new employee experience roadmap; defining success metrics, governance, and standards
- Develop and manage a scalable, common onboarding framework through Day 90 that supports rapid growth across a distributed workforce, reinforcing Rowan's culture, Guiding Principles, and ways of working - balance consistency with appropriate flexibility for different roles and locations
- Lead onboarding projects from concept through implementation; develop standardized project plans, cross-functional workflows, and operating procedures
- Ensure onboarding strategy connects to the broader talent development lifecycle
- Build and maintain the full suite of onboarding program components - orientation, learning journeys, job aids, guides, check-ins, connection opportunities, etc.
- Design and facilitate Rowan's new hire Day 1 orientation
- Design and own the new hire feedback system
Team Onboarding / Hiring Manager Enablement- Build and maintain Rowan's hiring manager onboarding toolkit; design and deliver hiring manager enablement
- Partner with People Business Partners to identify patterns in hiring manager effectiveness and deploy targeted support
Across All Workstreams- Lead or partner in vendor selection and ongoing relationship management, as applicable
- Partner with the People Operations Analyst to develop dashboards and success measures. Create, track, and report on success metrics; use data, feedback, and business insights to evaluate effectiveness and continuously improve programs and processes
- Continuously scan internal and external trends, identify opportunities for innovation, and champion new approaches that improve development effectiveness, increase adoption, and strengthen organizational capability
LMS/LXP Content Strategy & People Ops Partnership- Serve as the pillar's primary liaison to People Operations for all LMS/LXP needs - translating learning design intent into clear system requirements and ensuring People Ops can effectively configure, administer, and support the platform
- Own LMS/LXP content governance - content standards and organization, naming conventions, metadata standards, and quality criteria; partner in LMS/LXP vendor selection and relationship management
- Use the LMS/LXP to enter and manage content and communications; partner with People Ops on enrollments, reporting, and analysis
Education, Skills, and Experience- Bachelor's degree in Learning & Development, Instructional/Learning Design, Organizational Development, Human Resources, or related field
- 5-8 years of progressive experience in learning and development, instructional design, or learning experience design
- Demonstrated experience designing end-to-end onboarding programs or significant employee lifecycle initiatives
- Experience facilitating engaging workshops/learning experiences virtually, blended, and in person
- Experience building and scaling programs, frameworks, or processes from the ground up in a high-growth or rapidly evolving hybrid or distributed environment
- Strong instructional design skills and content development expertise, including building digital and blended learning, facilitator guides, participant materials, job aids, and toolkits
- Demonstrated proficiency with content authoring, visual design, and learning technology tools
- Strong consulting and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to diagnose learning needs and determine when learning is part of the solution - and make recommendations for alternative solutions
- Strong project and change management skills, with the ability to manage cross-functional programs and multiple initiatives simultaneously
- Highly organized with the ability to execute with excellence in a fast-paced, high-growth environment
- Clear, direct communicator who can translate complex ideas into engaging, practical content for diverse audiences
- Demonstrated ability to partner across functions with a collaborative and influencing style that builds trust and drives alignment without direct authority
- Grounding in adult learning and behavior science principles, as they apply employee development, behavioral change, and performance improvement
- Ability to analyze data, identify trends, measure solution effectiveness, and translate insights into action using data across multiple sources
- Comfortable working independently, from strategy through execution in an environment where processes may need to be created or evolved
- Highly proficient with HR systems, learning technologies, LMS/LXP platforms, survey tools, and SharePoint
Preferred Experience and Skills- Demonstrated AI fluency and practical experience using AI-enabled tools to accelerate content development, improve workflows, personalize learning, or enhance program scalability
- Certification in instructional design, learning and development, or talent development
- Experience leading or supporting LMS/LXP selection and implementation
- Experience working in a COE model where learning design partners with multiple program owners and business SMEs to co-create solutions
Fueled by Excellence & CollaborationAt Rowan, we are a distributed team united by a common mission to transform data center delivery. Across our two offices, we offer a hybrid work environment supported by teamwork, technology, and in-office gathering time to help you be successful. We are headquartered in downtown Denver, Colorado and have an office in Seattle, Washington. Our team of talented and passionate individuals is spread out across the U.S.
Here to support youAt Rowan, we want to make sure you can do great work. We offer competitive benefits focused on helping you be and achieve your best.
- Hybrid working environment
- Team building and educational opportunities
- Generous benefits package including robust health benefits and a 401(k)-company contribution
- RTD ECO pass or parking reimbursement
- Competitive compensation, bonus, and an incentive plan
