Director, Global Learning & Development

Sysco

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director, Global Learning & Development leads Sysco’s global Learning & Development strategy and ecosystem, translating enterprise and business capability priorities into scalable learning solutions. The role oversees enterprise learning solutions, global compliance and required learning, learning technologies and platforms, external learning partners, learning operations, and measurement. It brings deep Learning & Development expertise, learning science, technology, and external perspectives to evolve how learning is designed, accessed, and experienced across Sysco. Working in close partnership with Talent & Leadership, OD & Change, Human Resources, business and functional leaders, and embedded Learning & Development teams, the Director diagnoses capability and performance needs and determines where learning can have meaningful impact. The role connects learning activity across Sysco through governance, standards, and consistency, helping share expertise and solutions, reduce unnecessary duplication, and make more effective use of learning investment. The Director serves as Sysco’s enterprise Learning & Development expert. The position applies emerging thinking, learning science, technology, and innovative practice pragmatically to build capability and improve business and colleague outcomes. The role operates independently on professional learning decisions within agreed strategy and parameters, while significant strategic, investment, technology, compliance, and operating-model decisions require review or approval by relevant leaders and stakeholders. This is a hybrid position based at Sysco’s Global Support Center/Corporate Office in Houston, Texas, requiring on-site presence three to four days per week; on-site days may increase based on business needs. Travel is up to 25%. Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent relevant professional experience in Learning & Development, Human Resources, Organisational Psychology, Education, Business, or a related discipline.
At least 7 years of progressive experience in Learning & Development or related capability disciplines.
Experience designing and implementing learning solutions at scale within complex organisations.
Demonstrated ability to translate business and capability needs into effective learning solutions.
Experience partnering across organisational boundaries and managing multiple learning priorities, partners, and stakeholders.
Deep understanding of adult learning, capability building, and contemporary Learning & Development practice, with the ability to apply that expertise to practical performance-improving solutions.
Ability to understand business context and performance needs, diagnose capability and performance needs, ask incisive questions, challenge assumptions, and determine whether learning is an appropriate intervention.
Ability to design learning solutions and understand how content, experiences, technology, platforms, partners, and pathways connect within a broader learning ecosystem.
Strong understanding of learning technologies, digital learning, and emerging technology, including the opportunities artificial intelligence may create for learning and capability building.
Ability to build partnerships across businesses, functions, and geographies and influence without direct authority while balancing enterprise consistency with local and specialist requirements.
Ability to manage complex learning portfolios, investment, external partners, vendors, and delivery with commercial judgement and accountability for outcomes.
Ability to use data, evidence, and stakeholder insight to evaluate effectiveness, improve solutions, inform investment decisions, and demonstrate learning’s contribution to capability and performance.
Ability to translate strategic priorities into practical roadmaps and deliver outcomes in a complex, fast-moving organisation.
Ability to build team capability and create an environment of curiosity, experimentation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Travel of up to 25%; the position is hybrid and requires on-site presence three to four days per week, potentially increasing based on business needs.
Currently authorized to work in the United States.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree or relevant postgraduate qualification in Learning & Development, Human Resources, Organisational Psychology, Education, Business, or a related discipline.
Experience operating in global and matrixed organisations and working across multiple businesses, functions, or geographies.
Experience leading enterprise learning initiatives.
Experience managing learning technologies and external partners.
Experience applying emerging learning practices and technologies at scale.
Relevant professional accreditation or qualification in Learning & Development, adult learning, instructional design, coaching, or related disciplines.

Responsibilities

Translate enterprise strategy, capability priorities, and business needs into a global Learning & Development strategy and roadmap, and lead execution across Sysco.
Partner with Talent & Leadership, Human Resources, and business leaders to diagnose capability and performance needs and develop practical, contemporary, scalable learning solutions; assess when learning is not the appropriate intervention.
Design, integrate, and evolve the global learning ecosystem, including learning pathways, content, platforms, methodologies, and standards, while allowing appropriate flexibility across businesses, functions, markets, and geographies.
Lead the enterprise approach to global compliance and required learning, partnering with Legal, Risk & Compliance, Human Resources, and business stakeholders to govern, deliver, track, and improve required learning.
Lead the use and evolution of learning technologies, digital learning, and emerging approaches to capability building; assess developments in learning science, technology, artificial intelligence, and external practice for practical application.
Build partnerships with embedded Learning & Development teams and capability leaders, including Sales and Operations Learning & Development, to connect learning activity, share expertise and solutions, and reduce unnecessary duplication.
Manage global learning operations, investment, external partners and vendors, content and resources, and governance; develop an external partner ecosystem that provides specialist expertise and enables scalable solutions.
Define and apply approaches to evaluate learning effectiveness and capability impact, using data, colleague and business insight to improve solutions and inform learning priorities and investment.
Design and evolve global Learning & Development methodologies, standards, practices, and learning architecture within agreed enterprise strategy and priorities.
Prioritise the global learning portfolio and deploy Global Learning & Development team resources within agreed priorities, resources, and investment parameters.
Build high-performing teams, develop specialist expertise, and foster curiosity, experimentation, accountability, and continuous improvement.