Director, Talent Development

Company Description

Indigo is a physical and digital place inspired by and filled with books, ideas, beautifully designed lifestyle products, and the creative people who help make it all happen. We believe in real books, living life fully and generously, being kind to each other and to the environment, and that stories — big and little — connect us. Indigo is our customer's happy place — for joyful moments of discovery and to connect with people who share their passion for reading, their belief in ideas, and their commitment to making the world a better and more beautiful place. 

OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES 

Our Mission is to inspire reading and enrich the lives of booklovers. As such, we believe in the power of people and their stories. We aim to attract top talent, nurture the potential of our employees, and create space for everyone to thrive. Our Guiding Principles are the few key ideas that are meant to influence everything we do, every day. 

• We Will Hire, Inspire, Promote and Retain the Best
• We Will Be Customer Centric
• We Will Be Entrepreneurial
• We Will Be Committed to Caring About Each Other, Our Communities, and Our Environment
• We Will Be Committed to True and Shared Value Creation
• We Will Be Systems Thinking, Data Driven and AI enabled 

Job Description

The Director, Talent Development leads Indigo’s enterprise approach to learning, engagement and leadership development. The role designs and oversees the processes and programs that build leadership capability, prepare future talent, meet Indigo’s succession needs and support strong performance across the business.

Working closely with HR and business leaders, the Director turns business priorities into practical, scalable and measurable talent development solutions. This role brings strong expertise in how adults learn and grow at work, and designs learning and career development that enable employees to actively shape their own careers.

KEY PERFORMANCE MEASURES

• Talent Process Effectiveness| Embedding, adoption, and continuous improvement of the following HR processes: Performance, Potential, Succession, Learning
• Learning Impact | Efficient delivery of enterprise learning and talent initiatives. Launch of Indigo-U, LMS/LXP integration with current HRIS, learning adoption and improvement in on-the-job performance as evidenced by manager input and KPI alignment
• Employee Survey Results | improved response to questions pertaining to development, growth, and leader effectiveness
• Leadership & Succession Readiness | deeper and more ready bench strength for critical roles; quality of succession slates and readiness movement over time

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Strategy

• Lead Indigo’s integrated Talent Development strategy, ensuring learning & development and talent management processes work together to build capability, drive performance, and support retention.
• Align learning and talent priorities to business strategy and future capability needs.
• Partner with HR and business leaders to identify future-critical skills and roles, informing workforce and succession planning.
• Contribute to annual planning, budgeting, and prioritization across the talent development portfolio.

Learning & Development

• Lead the evolution of Indigo‑U as a platform that supports enterprise capability-building priorities and employee‑driven learning and career exploration.
• Own the enterprise learning platform(s) (LXP/LMS), ensuring the technology is easy to use, relevant, and well‑supported.
• Lead the design of customized learning experiences and curricula grounded in adult learning principles, with clear goals, practice, and application on the job.
• Establish enterprise measurement practices for learning effectiveness and application, using data and feedback to demonstrate impact, insights and drive continuous improvement through talent and learning analytics.

Talent Management

• Lead the design and implementation of enterprise talent processes, including:
  • performance enablement and development planning
  • talent reviews and calibration
  • succession planning and critical role identification
  • leadership and high-potential development
  • career development frameworks and tools
• Ensure these processes help employees understand their strengths, development needs, and career options, and support leaders in meaningful development conversations.
• Lead change and adoption efforts when talent practices are introduced or updated.

Employee Engagement

• Develop enterprise engagement strategies that address identified needs and strengthen the employee experience. Shape and lead execution of initiatives linked to the engagement strategy, including surveys and action planning, onboarding and offboarding feedback, and ad hoc feedback.
• Use engagement and feedback data to understand where employees want clearer growth paths, stronger development opportunities, or greater career mobility.
• Analyze results, turn them into clear insights, and partner with HR and leaders to create action plans.
• Support leaders and HR Business Partners with tools and communications to share engagement results and drive meaningful action.

Leadership

• Lead and develop the Talent Development team with clear goals, accountability, and support.
• Coach and advise senior leaders on talent development, leadership effectiveness, and change.
• Partner closely with HR Business Partners to ensure talent processes support growth, retention, and readiness.
• Stay current on learning and talent trends and apply what is relevant to Indigo’s context.
• Partner with the business to ensure talent development programs are customer-centric.

Cultural

• Model Indigo’s Guiding Principles.
• Foster a culture of continuous learning and development.
• Keep the employee experience at the center of learning and talent programs.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

Reports to: Chief People Officer

Manager once Removed (MOR): CEO

Internal:

• HR Business Partners
• Business and functional leaders
• IT teams supporting learning systems and analytics
• Internal communications and change management

External:

• Learning and leadership development partners and vendors
• Professional Networks and Industry Associations

Qualifications

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive experience in learning, talent development, organizational development, or talent management.
• Deep understanding of adult learning principles, instructional design, and established learning models such as ADDIE, Kirkpatrick’s Four Levels of Evaluation, 70-20-10, experiential learning, blended learning, and competency-based learning.
• Experience building customized learning curricula for frontline, corporate, and leadership audiences, including facilitator-led programs, digital learning, self-directed learning, cohort-based learning, and curated learning pathways through platforms such as LinkedIn Learning.
• Experience leading enterprise-wide learning or talent programs in a multi-location or frontline-heavy environment preferred.
• Proven experience with performance and potential management, succession planning, leadership development, and talent reviews.
• University degree in Human Resources, Education, Organizational Development, or a related field.
• Coaching certification, formal leadership development training, or certification in instructional design or learning methodologies is an asset

Competencies / Skills / Attributes

• Strong ability to collaborate with senior leaders and translate business needs into practical solutions
• Expert program management: prioritization, governance, and delivery excellence
• Exceptional communication skills (written and verbal); strong facilitation and storytelling capability
• Data-driven mindset with ability to turn insights into action and drive measurable outcomes
• High standards for quality; attention to detail while keeping focus on scalable solutions
• Self-starter with demonstrated ability to drive results and bring others along
• Highly collaborative

Other (Availability, travel, Bilingual, etc.)

• French is an asset

Additional Information

This posting is for a current opportunity within Indigo.

Indigo uses artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist with certain aspects of the hiring process, such as screening and assessments. These tools support our team but do not replace human judgment. We are committed to using AI responsibly, fairly, and in compliance with applicable employment and anti-discrimination laws. We regularly review these tools to help prevent bias or discrimination.

At Indigo, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility are core to our values. We integrate these principles into our training, policies, and hiring practices and continuously evolve to reflect the needs of the communities we serve. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and lived experiences, including but not limited to individuals who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour), members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and persons with disabilities. If you require an accommodation during the recruitment process, please contact Human Resources at talent@indigo.ca.