Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Talent Development Specialist

🎯 Role Definition

The Talent Development Specialist designs, delivers and measures employee learning and leadership development programs that accelerate capability, engagement and performance across the business. Working closely with HR business partners and functional leaders, this role leads needs analysis, instructional design, onboarding and continuous learning initiatives, administers learning technologies (LMS), and uses data to demonstrate learning impact and return on investment (ROI). Ideal candidates combine adult-learning expertise, project management, facilitation skills and stakeholder influence to build scalable, high-quality learning experiences.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

HR Generalist with focus on training and employee development
Training Coordinator or Learning Specialist
Organizational Development Analyst or HR Business Partner with L&D exposure

Advancement To:

Senior Talent Development Specialist
Learning & Development Manager or Leadership Development Manager
Talent Development Lead, Senior Organizational Development Partner
Director of Learning & Development or Head of Talent Development

Lateral Moves:

Employee Experience Manager
HR Business Partner (with specialization in talent)
Talent Acquisition Specialist (learning-focused employer branding)
Organizational Effectiveness or Change Management roles

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Conduct comprehensive training needs analyses and capability gap assessments using surveys, interviews, performance data, competency models and stakeholder workshops to prioritize talent development initiatives aligned to business strategy.
Design end-to-end learning programs and curricula (leadership, management, technical, onboarding and compliance), applying adult learning principles and blended learning approaches (instructor-led training, e-learning, microlearning, on-the-job learning).
Develop high-quality learning content, course materials, facilitator guides, participant workbooks, online modules and job aids using instructional design methodologies (ADDIE, SAM) and authoring tools (Articulate, Captivate, Rise).
Facilitate live instructor-led and virtual training sessions, workshops and leadership cohorts; apply interactive facilitation techniques and manage participant engagement for groups of varying sizes and seniority.
Manage and administer the Learning Management System (LMS): course setup, user enrollment, reporting, integrations with HRIS, and content lifecycle management to ensure accurate learning records and compliance.
Build and deliver leadership development programs (first-line manager onboarding, emerging leader tracks, high-potential programs) that include assessments, coaching, experiential projects and stretch assignments.
Design and implement succession planning processes and talent review programs; support calibration sessions, identify critical roles, create development plans and track readiness metrics.
Implement evaluation frameworks (Kirkpatrick levels; learning transfer and behavior change metrics), collect learning data, prepare impact reports and present ROI and performance improvements to stakeholders and senior leaders.
Coach and mentor managers and individual contributors on performance improvement, career planning and development pathways using structured coaching techniques and career frameworks.
Partner with HR business partners and functional leaders to translate business priorities into targeted capability-building initiatives and learning roadmaps for teams and departments.
Curate and manage external vendor relationships for outsourced training, executive coaching and digital content; manage vendor selection, contracting, quality assurance and vendor performance.
Lead onboarding and new hire learning programs that accelerate time-to-productivity, cover role-specific training, culture, compliance and systems training across the employee lifecycle.
Develop competency frameworks and role profiles that define required skills, behaviors and proficiency levels; use frameworks to anchor performance reviews, learning plans and career ladders.
Create blended learning journeys incorporating assessments, simulations, e-learning, on-the-job assignments, mentorship and evaluation checkpoints to maximize learning transfer.
Run train-the-trainer programs to certify internal facilitators and subject matter experts, enabling scalable delivery and consistent messaging across global or distributed teams.
Partner with People Analytics to design and track learning metrics (completion rates, assessment scores, behavior change, performance improvement, retention) and use data-driven insights to iterate programs.
Manage learning budgets, resource allocation and program calendars; forecast demand for learning solutions and ensure cost-effective delivery.
Design inclusive learning content and accessibility-friendly materials; embed DEI topics into leadership development and everyday learning experiences.
Lead pilot programs and change initiatives to introduce new learning technologies (LXP, virtual classroom platforms) and modernize learning architecture.
Create and maintain a learning catalog and learning pathways for employees, ensuring content is discoverable, up-to-date and aligned to career development and succession needs.
Execute periodic program audits and continuous improvement cycles, collecting participant feedback and implementing enhancements to content, delivery and assessment.
Coordinate cross-functional projects that integrate learning initiatives with performance management, talent reviews, recruiting and organizational design to ensure holistic talent strategies.
Prepare and present executive-level briefings on talent development investments, program outcomes and strategic priorities for leadership forums and people committees.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc leadership assessments, 360° feedback programs and talent calibration exercises to inform development plans and succession decisions.
Maintain and update learning policies, training documentation and standard operating procedures to ensure compliance and consistency across regions.
Assist with employer branding and internal communications to promote learning offerings, career pathways and development success stories.
Provide project management support for large-scale L&D rollouts, onboarding of new HR technologies and global training initiatives.
Participate in cross-functional workstreams (change management, culture transformation, onboarding, performance cycles) to align learning activities with broader HR programs.
Serve as subject matter expert on adult learning best practices and provide guidance to managers on reinforcements, on-the-job coaching and learning transfer techniques.
Collect and synthesize market benchmarking data and best practices to keep the learning strategy competitive and relevant.
Contribute to community of practice and knowledge sharing across HR and L&D teams, documenting lessons learned and standard templates for reuse.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Learning Needs Analysis — proven ability to conduct gap analyses, competency assessments and translate findings into prioritized learning roadmaps.
Instructional Design — strong experience with ADDIE/SAM frameworks, storyboarding, learning objectives, assessments and blended learning design.
LMS Administration — experience configuring, managing and reporting from LMS platforms (Cornerstone, Workday Learning, SuccessFactors, Docebo, Moodle).
eLearning Authoring — hands-on use of Articulate Storyline, Rise, Captivate, or similar tools to develop interactive modules and microlearning.
Facilitation & Training Delivery — skilled in leading virtual and classroom sessions, leadership bootcamps, and interactive workshops using adult learning techniques.
Assessment & Evaluation — application of Kirkpatrick, Phillips ROI or other evaluation frameworks, pre/post testing, behavioral observations and metrics analysis.
Data Literacy & Reporting — ability to work with learning analytics, create dashboards, and extract insight from completion rates, assessment scores and performance indicators.
Coaching & Development Planning — certified or experienced in career coaching, manager coaching, development plan creation and follow-up.
Talent Processes — knowledge of succession planning, talent reviews, competency modeling and performance management linkages.
Content Curation & Curriculum Management — experience building learning catalogs, mapping learning journeys and managing content lifecycles.
Project Management — strong organizational skills to plan, prioritize and manage multiple L&D projects and vendor engagements simultaneously.
Technology Integration — familiarity with integrations between HRIS, LMS, video platforms, and modern learning experience platforms (LXPs).

Soft Skills

Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills; able to build credibility with senior leaders and cross-functional partners.
Strong verbal and written communication; clear presenter and persuasive storyteller of learning impact and ROI.
Facilitation and interpersonal skills to engage diverse audiences, manage group dynamics and foster psychological safety in learning environments.
Strategic mindset with an eye for aligning learning programs to business outcomes and organizational goals.
Collaboration and teamwork; experience working in matrixed organizations and partnering with HR, operations, and business leaders.
Problem-solving and analytical thinking; uses data to diagnose issues and continuously improve learning interventions.
Adaptability and resilience; comfortable managing ambiguity and leading change in fast-paced environments.
Empathy and learner-centric approach; designs inclusive programs that meet diverse needs and learning styles.
Time management and prioritization; able to deliver on tight schedules and manage competing priorities.
Initiative and ownership; proactive in identifying development needs and launching scalable solutions.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Education, Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Business, or related field.

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree in Organizational Development, Human Resources, Learning & Development, Adult Education, or Industrial-Organizational Psychology.
Certifications such as CPLP/ATD, SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP, Professional Coach Certification, or Instructional Design certificates.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Human Resources Management
Organizational Development / Developmental Psychology
Adult Education / Instructional Design
Business Administration / Management
Industrial-Organizational Psychology

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

3–7 years of progressive experience in learning & development, talent development, instructional design or organizational development roles.

Preferred:

5+ years delivering end-to-end learning programs, leading leadership development initiatives, administering LMS platforms, and partnering with senior leaders on talent strategies. Experience in a fast-growing, matrixed or global organization and demonstrated success measuring program impact and ROI is highly desirable.