Learning & Development Specialist

Overview:

About Us

At Upbring, we are servants on a mission to break the cycle of child abuse. We are warriors, brave as the thousands of Texas Children and families we serve. We stand up for those who cannot speak for themselves. We are a family who values innovation, empathy, patience, understanding and trustworthiness.

What You'll Do

The Learning & Development Specialist strengthens Upbrings learning culture by organizing, designing, conducting and evaluating engaging and effective learning solutions for employees. This position collaborates closely with People and Culture team members and internal stakeholders in the areas of new employee orientation, onboarding, talent development, performance management, job skills training, employee engagement and culture initiatives and other People and Culture related priorities. The Learning and Development Specialist maintains the integrity of the Learning Management System (LMS) and tracks and evaluates the effectiveness of training initiatives. This position ensures the successful delivery of training programs that meet Agency and department goals and initiative and adapts training to accommodate different learning styles and needs.

This is a hybrid position and does require some in person work in Austin, Texas and requires residence in Texas.

Our Upbring staff members are servant-leaders on the pursuit of breaking the cycle of child abuse and empowering others to do the same through example while embodying our core values: We are Warriors. We are Servants. We are Family.

We Are Warriors | We Set the Standards for Child Welfare

Work Standards

• Manage the New Employee onboarding experience and its design end-to end including but not limited to New Employee Orientation (NEO) presentation and related communications; update as changes occur
• Manage the overall integrity and design of the Learning Management System (UKG Pro Learning); Develop and update standard procedures and training for new system users such as managers and Program Training staff
• Conduct periodic surveys and/or focus groups for the Learning and Development department; assist with skills gap analysis
• Analyze training and survey data and apprise Leadership Development Manager to address focus areas to improve employee experience
• Develop and facilitate curriculum for various employee training and development modules in alignment with Agency and department goals and objectives
• Design and deliver monthly and quarterly employee training opportunities to build employee knowledge and skills
• Develop and maintain a metrics dashboard to highlight and report the impact of L&D programs
• Documents Learning and Development processes and makes recommendations for changes and improvements
• Update and maintain organization wide Career Pathing program(s)
• Maintain Learning and Development Calendar with course additions and changes
• Coordination, planning and execution of annual Upbring Leader Summit
• Other duties as assigned

Communication

• Deliver professional, effective, and engaging live and virtual presentations, establishing connection and understanding with the audience through active listening, appropriate questioning and storytelling
• Partner with People and Culture team members to ensure Learning and Development offerings are effectively communicated and posted on Warrior Hub
• Build and develop effective communication channels with Upbring leaders and program training staff and headquarters department teams responsible for training
• Manage Learning and Development email inbox, addressing employee and leader questions and concerns timely
• Leverage available tools including the Aspire Learning Academy (LMS) to increase engagement and awareness of training opportunities and resources; implement gamification tools within the system

Fiscal Management

• Order and maintain inventory of necessary training and development supplies and resources
• Responsible for assigned third-party software vendor payments

We Are Servants | We Help Others

Teamwork

• Train and support People and Culture team members responsible for delivering New Employee Orientation and/or employee training: Support their development needs and provide resources to build skills such as public speaking, learning theory and technologies and instructional design
• Periodically lead team building sessions within and outside the People and Culture department
• Partner with People and Culture team members and other internal stakeholders to develop and onboarding and offboarding tools and checklists
• Assist the Leadership Development Manager with identification and definition of core competencies, leveraging validated assessments, identifying talent pools toward increasing the organizations bench strength for key roles in Succession Planning.
• Collaborate with People and Culture team members on performance improvement initiatives, toolkits, assessments, processes, and other organizational development initiatives as needed
• Work closely with the Leadership Development Manager and other team members to ensure Learning & Development, Talent, Benefits, and Employee Engagement meet the goals and objectives of the department and the organization

We Are Family | We Are Passionate & Compassionate

Building Relationships

• Develop and build rapport with Upbring leaders and Program Training staff; Facilitate communications between Program Trainers to promote consistency in use of training resources and training delivery to enhance the employee experience
• Partner with People and Culture, Headquarters and Program team members on employee engagement projects as assigned
• Actively participate in exhibiting cultural awareness and sensitivity when interacting with staff and the community
• Develop trust with all employees as a Learning and Development SME
• Coordinate with Head Start program training staff to enter and maintain Linked In Learning enrollments

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelors degree (Human Resources, Organization Development, Business Administration, Education or another related field) required and/or combination of education and relevant experience in lieu of degree
• 2 years of experience in Human Resources, Organizational Effectiveness, Talent Management or Employee Development
• 2 years relevant training experience
• 1 year experience using a Learning Management System
• Ability to travel based on business needs approximately 25%
• Working knowledge of the Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation (ADDIE) model
• Ability to motivate learners to take an active role in their learning
• Strong verbal communication and presentation skills with the ability to positively convey a message
• Ability to adapt training techniques and adult learning theory to various groups (different learning styles)
• Demonstrated ability to gather and analyze information and translate into empirical data (metrics, structured reporting, data driven analysis); ability to create scorecard and dashboards with relevant information to influence strategic planning, decision making
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work independently within a team environment and with a diverse group of people
• Clear and concise written and oral communication, professional presence and the ability to build strong working relationships with all levels of the organization
• Organizational and problem-solving skills and the ability to handle multiple priorities; meet deadlines while providing quality results
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite products including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook plus a variety of other word-processing, spreadsheet, database, e-mail, and presentation software

Preferred Qualifications

• UKG HRIS and/or LMS experience
• ATD or other training management certification
• Instructional Design experience
• SHRM or HRCI certification
• Knowledge of assessment tools and usage, individual and group assessment strategies, and action plan development

Perks at Upbring

• Competitive PTO & paid holidays
• Health, dental, vision insurance & more
• 403(b) Plan
• Employee Assistance Program
• 24/7 access to telemedicine and counseling services
• Discounted Gym Memberships

Physical Demands & Work Conditions

• This position requires sitting and looking and using a computer for long periods.
• Position may work in a child facility and have limited exposure to children.
• Lift, push, pull or move up to 50 lbs.

The physical requirements for this position with or without reasonable accommodation are representative of those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this position successfully. While performing this position the employee with or without reasonable accommodation should have the ability to walk, stand, sit, kneel, speak, and hear with aid, see, read, reach with arms and hands, lift and/or move up to specified weight, and use equipment that is essential to performing the job, such as a computer, copier, fax machine, telephone, and automobile, if applicable. Specific vision requirements of this position may include color vision, seeing things close up, and the ability to adjust focus.

Diversity. Equity. Inclusion. Belonging

We are a diverse and inclusive Organization that recognizes our strength is in the efforts of our selfless warriors. Honoring and recognizing the value and dignity of all individuals is the cornerstone of our agency. The more diverse the individuals, thought processes and lived experiences, the greater the opportunity is to combine unique perspectives to make a greater impact. Our trust, respect, and appreciation for one another is demonstrated through our communication, celebration of progress and relentless effort to be at our best TO FULFILL OUR MISSION OF BREAKING THE CYCLE OF CHILD ABUSE.

Upbring is an Equal Employment Opportunity/AA Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ancestry, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender expression, gender identity, pregnancy, marital status, national origin, genetic information, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status.