Associate Director - Global Leadership Development Strategic Business Partner

Eli Lilly and Company • Us, IN

7d • Onsite

About The Position

The Global Leadership Development (GLD) Strategic Business Partner serves as a trusted advisor to senior business leaders, HR business partners, and leadership teams within a designated business area. The role connects business strategy with leadership development by diagnosing capability gaps, establishing development priorities, and aligning GLD’s work with business needs. The Strategic Business Partner develops a deep understanding of the business and works with the Portfolio Lead and broader GLD team to ensure appropriate development experiences reach the right leaders at the right time.

The role provides strategic consulting and business partnership, contributes selectively to high-stakes leadership development experiences, and shares business insights that inform development plans and portfolio decisions. It also builds relationships across HR, the Inclusion Office, and external partners; champions leadership development and coaching; and explores emerging approaches including digital learning and generative AI.

This is a flexible role based in Indianapolis, with onsite work the majority of the time. The role requires US working hours, with flexibility to meet global colleagues outside those hours, and up to 30% business travel. Lilly states an anticipated wage of $127,500–$187,000. Full-time equivalent employees are eligible for a company bonus, depending in part on company and individual performance. Eligible employees may also participate in a comprehensive benefits program.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree.
• At least 3 years of experience in leadership development, talent management, or organizational development, and at least 5 years of overall relevant experience.
• Authorization to work in the United States on a full-time basis; Lilly will not sponsor or support work authorization or visas for this role.
• Fluency in English.
• Ability to work US hours, with flexibility to meet global colleagues outside those hours.
• Availability for up to 30% business travel.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in Organizational Psychology, HR, or Business.
• Coaching certification.
• Experience as a strategic consultant to senior leaders, rather than primarily as a program facilitator or content developer.
• Consulting orientation that emphasizes diagnosis before solutions and asks incisive questions.
• Executive credibility and the ability to advise VPs and SVPs with insight, courage, and cultural fluency across geographies and levels.
• Business insight and understanding of the leadership capabilities required to meet business needs.
• Data fluency, including using data and storytelling to surface insights and influence decisions.
• Proficiency with modern development tools and platforms, including AI and digital learning.
• Systems thinking that connects individual development with team performance, succession health, and organizational capability over time.
• Strong facilitation skills for critical leadership moments without defaulting to facilitation as the primary contribution.
• Commitment to designing for equity in access, voice, and development opportunity.
• Additional languages, which are an asset in a global role.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary leadership development advisor to senior leaders and HR business partners, as an embedded partner and member of the HR team.
• Diagnose leadership capability gaps using an understanding of the business area’s strategy, performance challenges, talent profile, and people agenda.
• Translate business needs into clear, prioritized development requirements before solutions are developed.
• Inform succession planning, talent reviews, organizational efficiency, and mentor culture as a thought partner.
• Represent business needs to GLD and help ensure learning design and impact measurement address appropriate outcomes.
• Facilitate high-stakes leadership experiences when the facilitator relationship is part of the intervention, including lead-team conversations, transition support, and team-efficiency sessions.
• Partner with the Portfolio Lead to deliver nomination-based and transition programs.
• Use external partners and vendors where appropriate, reserving direct involvement for situations where an internal presence is irreplaceable.
• Contribute to GLD design and implementation, ensuring programs, tools, and platforms reflect leaders’ day-to-day realities.
• Provide HR and business leaders with regular insights on leadership pipeline health, readiness, and capability gaps.
• Use leadership assessments, including 360s, psychometrics, and readiness tools, to inform individual and cohort development plans.
• Identify business-area patterns and themes to inform GLD portfolio decisions, design priorities, and measurement focus.
• Build and maintain relationships with global and regional HR teams, the Inclusion Office, and external development partners.
• Champion leadership development and coaching as drivers of culture, performance, and business outcomes.
• Collaborate with the Portfolio Lead on program delivery, the Learning Architect on content needs, and the Learning Impact Strategist on measurement priorities.
• Stay current on leadership development trends, digital learning, and AI-enabled development, including practical applications of generative AI in learning design and delivery.
• Pilot and champion innovative solutions for the business area and contribute to GLD thought leadership and cross-team knowledge sharing.

Benefits

• Company bonus for eligible full-time equivalent employees, depending in part on company and individual performance.
• Company-sponsored 401(k) participation eligibility.
• Pension.
• Vacation benefits.
• Medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug benefits eligibility.
• Flexible benefits, such as healthcare and dependent day-care flexible spending accounts.
• Life insurance and death benefits.
• Certain time-off and leave-of-absence benefits.
• Well-being benefits, including an employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director