Director of Talent

Lambda Legal•New York, NY

1d•$130,000 - $150,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Talent is a key leadership role responsible for developing and implementing strategies to attract, develop, engage, and retain talented employees at Lambda Legal. Reporting to the Chief of People & Culture, the Director leads the organization’s learning and development, career development, talent management, performance management, and talent acquisition strategies. The Director serves as a strategic advisor and thought partner to organizational leaders and managers, building capabilities, leadership pipelines, and talent practices that support Lambda Legal’s mission and strategic priorities. The Director owns the organization’s performance management framework and annual performance review cycle, including goal setting, performance conversations, reviews, calibration, and continuous improvement. The Director oversees talent acquisition strategy and supervises the Talent Acquisition Manager, who leads the day-to-day execution and development of the talent acquisition function. The Director provides strategic guidance, removes barriers, supports cross-functional alignment, and connects recruitment priorities with workforce planning and broader talent strategy. The Director partners closely with the Chief of People & Culture and Director of Human Resources on workforce planning, succession planning, employee engagement and retention, and other People & Culture priorities. The position is hybrid, with an ideal candidate located in one of Lambda Legal’s listed office regions: New York, Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago, Los Angeles, or Washington, D.C. The role involves up to 15% travel for conferences, team retreats, and in-person meetings. It is exempt and full-time, with an annual salary range of $130,000–$150,000; salary is determined by relevant experience and geographic region. Lambda Legal is a national advocacy organization working to achieve full recognition of the civil rights of the LGBTQ+ community and everyone living with HIV through impact litigation, education, and public policy. The organization emphasizes cultural competency, diversity, equity, inclusion, and addressing intersecting forms of discrimination. Successful candidates are expected to embrace and champion its organizational values and DEIB philosophy.

Requirements

At least 8 years of progressively responsible experience across talent development, learning and development, organizational development, performance management, talent acquisition, and/or related areas.
Demonstrated experience developing and implementing organization-wide learning, talent development, and talent management strategies.
Significant experience designing and leading leadership, manager, and professional development programs.
Experience with workforce planning, succession planning, talent reviews, organizational design, or organizational effectiveness.
Significant experience leading performance management programs and annual performance review cycles.
Experience developing and implementing recruitment and talent acquisition strategies.
Strong knowledge of adult learning, talent development, career development, performance management, and organizational effectiveness practices.
Demonstrated ability to advise and influence senior leaders, managers, and employees and build trusted relationships with them.
Ability to use talent data, metrics, and organizational insights to inform strategy and decision-making.
Strong project management, organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution in a dynamic, mission-driven environment.
Excellent facilitation, presentation, written, and verbal communication skills.
Demonstrated ability to build collaborative relationships across organizational functions and levels.
Experience supervising, coaching, or developing staff.
Commitment to fostering an inclusive, equitable, and supportive workplace and to embracing Lambda Legal’s organizational values and DEIB philosophy.

Nice To Haves

SHRM-CP, PHR, or equivalent HR certification.
Training or certification in coaching, talent assessment, instructional design, or related disciplines.
Experience working in a nonprofit, advocacy, legal, or other mission-driven organization.
Experience working with geographically distributed or multi-state workforces.
Experience advancing DEIB through learning and development, talent acquisition, performance management, and talent development practices.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement an organization-wide talent development strategy aligned with employee growth, organizational capability, leadership development, and strategic priorities.
Assess learning and development needs and design and oversee learning experiences, including workshops, online learning, peer learning, coaching, mentoring, and other development opportunities.
Lead leadership, manager, professional skills, and emerging talent development initiatives; partner with managers to strengthen team and individual effectiveness.
Develop career development and internal mobility strategies and support succession planning and development of emerging and high-potential talent.
Manage external learning vendors and development partners; oversee the learning management system where applicable; measure learning effectiveness and improve programs.
Develop accessible learning resources, manage the talent development budget, promote professional development opportunities, and foster a culture of continuous learning and feedback.
Partner with the Chief of People & Culture and Director of Human Resources on talent strategies and workforce planning, including assessing staffing needs, identifying talent gaps, and using talent data to inform recommendations.
Advise leaders and managers on talent strategy, organizational effectiveness, and development of high-performing teams.
Own and manage the organization’s performance management framework, system, and annual performance review cycle, including goal setting, reviews, ongoing feedback, performance conversations, calibration, and continuous improvement.
Develop performance management resources and guidance, communicate annual timelines and expectations, and monitor introductory, 30-day, 90-day, goal-setting, check-in, and annual review processes.
Advise and train managers and supervisors on goal setting, feedback, coaching, performance conversations, documentation, and performance concerns; support employees and managers in setting meaningful goals.
Participate in the annual labor-management performance review committee and collaborate with the Director of Human Resources on changes affecting bargaining-unit employees.
Analyze performance management data and trends and use findings to strengthen organizational performance and employee development.
Partner with the Talent Acquisition Manager to align recruitment priorities, workforce planning, pipelines, and hiring strategies with organizational goals; support the manager’s professional growth and leadership development.
Serve as a strategic advisor and escalation partner for complex or high-priority recruitment matters and support equitable, consistent, and inclusive recruitment and selection practices.
Partner on position design, job descriptions, classification, staffing structures, and onboarding; evaluate onboarding feedback and outcomes and recommend improvements.
Partner with the Chief of People & Culture and Director of Human Resources on employee engagement, retention, employee experience, succession planning, and talent reviews.
Lead employee listening strategies, analyze feedback and engagement data, and translate findings into organizational and talent strategies.
Advise leaders on engagement, retention, team effectiveness, and employee development; support organizational effectiveness initiatives involving organizational design, talent structures, and leadership effectiveness.
Coordinate Talent programs and services across the organization, advise leaders as a subject-matter expert, contribute to People & Culture strategy, promote fair and inclusive employment practices, and participate in relevant leadership meetings and committees.

Benefits

Medical benefits beginning on the start date.
Dental, vision, and life insurance effective 30 days from the start date.
Short- and long-term disability plans effective 30 days from the start date.
403(b) retirement plan with employer contribution and matching program beginning after 90 days of employment.
Paid vacation (15 days), sick leave (12 days), personal leave (3 days), religious observance leave (3 days), bereavement and bereavement anniversary leave, and one floating holiday.
12 paid holidays and five early office closures.
Flexible Spending Account and dependent care FSA, commuter benefits, and a Health Reimbursement Account.
Annual professional development funds.
$50 monthly mobile phone reimbursement.
Summer Fridays from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Premium subscription to the Calm App.
Paid sabbatical after seven years of service: four weeks for non-exempt positions and eight weeks for exempt positions.