Director - R&D Learning Business Partner, Global Development & Development Operations

Amgen • Thousand Oaks, CA

1d

About The Position

Part of Amgen’s R&D Strategy & Operations organization, the R&D Knowledge & Learning team is responsible for shaping how learning, knowledge, and capability development enable scientific excellence, regulatory rigor, and clinical impact across the enterprise. We are reimagining learning as a strategic, longitudinal capability system – integrated across roles, career stages, and transformations – rather than a set of isolated training activities. In this vital role you will be a senior learning leader accountable for translating Global Development and Global Development Operations business strategies and priorities into cohesive learning and capability building strategies that drive performance, innovation, and role readiness. You operate as a trusted advisor to VP-level and executive leaders, while leading and developing a team of learning professionals responsible for designing and delivering high-impact, standard-aligned learning solutions. This role is both strategic and operational: shaping direction, setting expectations for rigor and quality, making functional trade-offs, and ensuring measurable outcomes. You serve as a connective leader across Learning, Knowledge Management, Quality & Compliance, and business functions, ensuring learning is embedded in how Amgen implements, transforms, and grows.

Requirements

• Doctorate degree and 4 years of related experience
• Master’s degree and 8 years of related experience
• Bachelor’s degree and 10 years of related experience
• at least 4 years experience directly managing people and/or leadership experience leading teams, projects, programs, or directing the allocation or resources.

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated experience leading enterprise or function-wide learning strategies in a complex, matrixed organization
• People leadership capability, including developing managers and senior individual contributors
• Strong executive presence with experience consulting and influencing VP-level and above leaders
• Deep knowledge of adult learning theory, instructional design, and learning technologies
• Experience operating in regulated, quality-sensitive environments (biopharma preferred)
• Ability to integrate learning, knowledge, and change management to drive sustained performance
• Data-driven mentality with experience using learning metrics to inform strategy and decisions
• Exceptional communication, storytelling, and stakeholder management skills

Responsibilities

• Functional Learning Leadership & Strategy
• Serve as the primary learning leader and strategic partner to Global Development and Global Development Operations, partnering with VP- and Executive Director-level leaders to shape capability strategies aligned to business priorities
• Translate functional strategies into multi-year, longitudinal learning roadmaps focused on critical roles, transformation initiatives, and workforce readiness
• Establish clear learning priorities and make portfolio-level trade-offs to maximize business impact and resource effectiveness
• Team Leadership & Talent Development
• Lead, coach, and develop a team of learning professionals, setting clear expectations for strategic thinking, execution quality, and stakeholder partnership
• Build leadership capability within the team, fostering accountability, inclusion, and continuous improvement
• Allocate work, balance capacity, and ensure delivery excellence across a complex portfolio
• Learning Design, Delivery & Standards
• Oversee the end-to-end learning lifecycle – from needs assessment through design, delivery, and measurement – ensuring learning solutions are intentional, role-based, and outcome-driven
• Ensure consistent application of adult learning principles, instructional design rigor, and learning standards across modalities (live, virtual, blended, self-serve)
• Partner with Quality and GxP Learning to enable a modern, compliant learning ecosystem that goes beyond “read and certify,” demonstrating knowledge management and contextual learning approaches
• Drive continuous innovation and improvement to evolve learning capabilities, employing artificial intelligence, automation, and technology to accelerate learning outcomes
• Change Leadership & Business Impact
• Act as a change leader for functional transformations, ensuring learning accelerates adoption of new processes, systems, and behaviors
• Apply learning measurement frameworks to assess effectiveness, demonstrate value realization, and continuously improve solutions
• Integrate learning into broader business planning and decision-making processes through influence and insight
• Organizational Integration & Collaboration
• Serve as an integrator across the R&D Knowledge & Learning organization, orchestrating capabilities from learning, knowledge management, professional skills, and the Amgen Library
• Ensure alignment with enterprise learning strategies, platforms, and shared services
• Manage internal and external partners to deliver scalable, high-quality learning experiences

Benefits

• health and welfare plans for staff and eligible dependents, financial plans with opportunities to save towards retirement or other goals, work/life balance, and career development opportunities
• A comprehensive employee benefits package, including a Retirement and Savings Plan with generous company contributions, group medical, dental and vision coverage, life and disability insurance, and flexible spending accounts
• A discretionary annual bonus program, or for field sales representatives, a sales-based incentive plan
• Stock-based long-term incentives
• Award-winning time-off plans
• Flexible work models where possible.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees