Senior Manager, Talent Development

PetSmart • Phoenix, AZ

6d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Manager, Talent Development is responsible for leading the design, development, implementation, and continuous improvement of PetSmart's leadership and associate development experiences. This role translates enterprise talent development strategy into scalable learning solutions that build leadership capability, accelerate functional and technical growth, and strengthen organizational effectiveness across Stores, Distribution Centers, and Offices. Working closely with HR and business leaders, this leader oversees the experience portfolio—from onboarding and leadership development to high-potential and functional capability programs—ensuring learning experiences are practical, engaging, measurable, and aligned to business priorities. The Senior Manager leads a team of Talent Development Consultants while serving as the organization's primary expert on learning design, facilitation, adult learning, and development experiences.

Requirements

• Experience building and implementing talent development and team strategies including project management, content development, soft-skills development, and performance improvement.
• 7+ years experience in a leadership capacity.
• 7+ years of instructional design, learning and development, and/or retail leadership experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated knowledge of adult learning principles.
• Internal or external consulting experience in areas such as program/project management, assessments, performance management, career development.
• Experience developing measurement tools and strategies that focus on reaction to learning, knowledge transfer, application on the job and business impact.
• Ability to establish high level of credibility quickly; appropriate confidence to gain the trust and respect of key stakeholders, learners, and team members.
• Anticipate and adapt to the changing needs of the business.
• Excellent facilitation skills, presence, poise, and persuasiveness.
• Ability to focus on self-development and development of others.
• Ability to delegate as appropriate to direct reports or others as appropriate.
• Keen focus on talent development, team management, and communicativeness.
• Excellent communication skills, including written, verbal and presentation skills; comfortable and credible with both internal stakeholders and external audiences. Proven executive presence.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, and the ability to work collaboratively with all levels of employees.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities while balancing quality with on-time delivery.
• Highly effective in ambiguous environments, and able to produce results with little direction and guidance.
• Ability to create and deploy learning in a variety of formats (e.g., in-person, virtual, eLearnings).
• Highly organized with ability to execute innovative solutions.
• Excellent computer literacy and technical expertise with graphic design and eLearning authoring software. Experience with Adobe Creative Suite and Articulate Storyline preferred.
• In-depth experience with the Microsoft Office suite of products.
• Knowledge and experience developing eLearning courses, creative concepts, scripts and storyboards.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with Adobe Creative Suite and Articulate Storyline preferred.

Responsibilities

• Translate enterprise Talent Development strategy into learning experiences that build capability across all levels of the organization.
• Lead the design and evolution of leadership, functional, technical, and team development programs.
• Maintain and prioritize the experience roadmap for leadership onboarding, skill development, readiness, and acceleration programs.
• Continuously assess organizational capability gaps and recommend new or enhanced development experiences.
• Ensure all learning experiences reflect PetSmart's values, leadership expectations, and future capability needs.
• Establish standards for instructional design, facilitation, participant experience, and learning quality.
• Review learning content for effectiveness, clarity, inclusion, and consistency.
• Incorporate adult learning principles, modern instructional practices, and emerging learning technologies.
• Measure program effectiveness and continuously improve experiences using participant feedback, business outcomes, and learning analytics.
• Partner with HR Business Partners and business leaders to understand capability needs and recommend development solutions.
• Consult with functional experts to translate business knowledge into effective learning experiences.
• Build trusted partnerships across HR to ensure alignment with broader talent strategies.
• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Talent Development Consultants.
• Set priorities, provide coaching, and establish high standards for quality and execution.
• Foster innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement across the team.
• Build bench strength and support career development for team members.

Benefits

• Pet-friendly environment, bring your pets to work and enjoy the on-site dog park!
• On-Site Events & Adoptions, enjoy community-building opportunities, including pet adoption days, seasonal celebrations, family events, art events, & holiday festivals
• “Top Dog” gym with equipment, fitness classes, massage therapists, personal trainers, and wellness spaces
• “Sit & Stay” Café serving fresh breakfast and lunch options, snacks, & more
• “Lil Paws” NAEYC-accredited onsite childcare facility providing high-quality early education
• Paid Volunteer Opportunities to spend time doing good for causes close to heart
• Print Center and Business Services, Dry Cleaning, Mother's Rooms, Sustainable Infrastructure & more

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed