Director of Learning Operations

New York Botanical Garden•Bronx, NY

About The Position

The Director of Learning Operations leads staff learning and professional development across the New York Botanical Garden, designing and delivering programs that build skills and knowledge across its diverse professions. The Director manages grant-supported workforce development, including training, cross-departmental learning, and departmental microgrants, overseeing planning, delivery, evaluation, reporting, and long-term use of learning resources. The role drives the integration of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies into learning operations where applicable, applying best practices to personalize learning pathways, optimize training delivery, and support data-informed decisions. In collaboration with senior management and the AI Governance Committee, the Director develops AI-enabled learning strategies and ensures AI is used ethically, transparently, and effectively in workforce development. Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Employee and Volunteer Engagement, the Director supervises part-time learning and development staff. The Director partners with the Manager for Employee and Volunteer Experience to align employee, volunteer, and internship programs with NYBG's learning and development strategy, and works with training providers and peer organizations to expand learning opportunities. The role also manages learning operations budgets and grant expenditures, oversees the learning management system, supports institutional learning-data reporting, and advances inclusive and accessible learning aligned with institutional priorities. The position's baseline schedule is Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with occasional evenings and weekends. It involves a variety of physical activities and work environments, including standing, walking, sitting, using hands for job-related tasks, and lifting or moving items weighing up to 25 pounds. Work may take place outdoors in varied weather conditions and in environments with noise ranging from low to loud. Reasonable accommodations may be made for individuals with disabilities.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Education, Organizational Development, Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
Five to seven years of managerial experience developing and implementing a learning and development framework.
Experience supervising staff, coordinating workloads, supporting employee development, and ensuring delivery of project commitments.
Experience managing grant-funded learning or workforce development projects, including work plans, budgets, documentation, evaluation, and reporting.
Ability to oversee accessible instructional design and LMS content delivery, and use qualitative and quantitative evidence to improve programs and produce clear reports.
Knowledge of AI applications, governance, ethics, and implementation in learning and development.
Commitment to ongoing professional learning and active participation in professional networks to stay current on learning and development practices, research, emerging technologies, and trends.
Ability to evaluate institution-wide learning from diverse perspectives to support IDEA initiatives and NYBG's mission.
Ability to work independently, collaborate with internal and external partners, and facilitate meetings, learning programs, and workshops in varied settings.
Excellent interpersonal, writing, and communication skills, with the ability to motivate others.
Excellent time management, project management, negotiation, and change management skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience designing or managing AI-enhanced learning systems, such as adaptive platforms, analytics tools, or digital learning ecosystems.
Knowledge of botanical garden, horticulture, botanical science, or other green industry professional development.
Experience facilitating mentorship programs.

Responsibilities

Supervise part-time Learning and Development team members, coach them, coordinate workloads, and ensure deliverables are completed.
Translate learning priorities established with the Associate Vice President into inclusive, scalable development programs across NYBG.
Work with department leaders, HR, and the Manager for Employee and Volunteer Experience to identify onboarding, foundational training, belonging, and management-development needs; align objectives, approved content, delivery, and evaluation.
Lead grant-funded workforce development projects within approved scope and budget, maintaining work plans, milestones, schedules, deliverables, and records; coordinate partners and address risks.
Prepare quarterly progress and impact summaries and required interim and final reports, coordinating program evidence and financial information with Development, Finance, and internal partners.
Document project outcomes, challenges, and lessons learned.
Lead learning design, delivery, and improvement; maintain the annual learning calendar with program owners.
Coordinate live and virtual training, recordings, accessible e-learning, job aides, and reusable resources using formal instruction, on-the-job training, and peer learning.
Oversee content review, pilots, quality assurance, LMS publishing, version control, and maintenance.
Coordinate outreach with departmental leads to support participation across roles, schedules, and digital skill levels; sustain learning through departmental champions and knowledge sharing.
Oversee the departmental microgrant program, including proposal guidance, application review, award records, project support, quarterly check-ins, and a final showcase.
Help managers turn successful projects into reusable training plans, toolkits, and resources.
Assess learning needs and evaluate programs through surveys, interviews, listening sessions, participation and completion data, competency assessments, and evidence of on-the-job application; use findings to improve programs, address access gaps, and document grant outcomes.
Drive the integration of AI and emerging technology into learning operations in line with approved priorities; partner with IT, HR, and the AI Governance Committee on learning strategies and responsible use.
Deliver AI literacy training, incorporate digital fluency into leadership and onboarding programs, oversee adaptive learning and analytics-based tools, assess new technologies, and support safe staff experimentation and cross-departmental learning.
Oversee the LMS for training delivery, tracking, and reporting; partner with IT, HR, and system and reporting owners to improve data collection, dashboards, and learning metrics.
Support institutional reporting with accurate learning data, following established definitions, reporting requirements, consent practices, and safeguards.
Advise managers and employees on development plans, goals, and career learning resources.
Partner with the Manager for Employee and Volunteer Experience on learning needs related to mentoring, job shadowing, cross-training, and stretch assignments.
Advance IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility) through inclusive, accessible learning and staff education aligned with institutional priorities.
Partner with the Manager for Employee and Volunteer Experience to align accessibility training with learning objectives and approved content.
Serve on the IDEA Senior Advisory Group and contribute learning expertise to implementation.
Manage the learning operations budget and grant expenditures with Finance and Development; monitor spending, document expenditures and grant-supported time, and assess cost-effectiveness and equitable resource use.
Pursue grants, sponsorships, and philanthropic funding with Development and internal partners; support proposals and reporting.
Maintain partnerships with training providers and peer organizations to expand learning methods, tools, and opportunities.
Raise risks, resource needs, lessons learned, and improvement opportunities requiring the Associate Vice President's attention.
Perform other related duties as needed.