Senior Manager | Communications and L&D

Strategy and Business Operations

This is a Hybrid Position, and requires you to be in our Durham, NC office 3 days a week.

Background

Pearson is the world’s learning company.  We help people of all ages acquire the knowledge and skills they need to be successful in their work and careers. We believe that everyone should be able to keep learning, every day and in every way, throughout their lives. Bringing together everything we know about the science of learning and the latest technology; we’re shaping the future of teaching and learning.  

We are seeking a dynamic leader with a passion for learning and development and the ability to lead our Digital and Technology communication plans to fuel our digital growth and enablement.

This role will be reporting into the Strategy and Business Operations team that leads the cross-functional alignment, M&A technology activities, processes, data insights, communications and learning and development function for the Digital and Technology organization. The Digital and Technology group supports Pearson’s business goals through providing thought leadership and technical capabilities to enable the product teams and customer facing functions, protect our customers and brand, provide the connecting technology to enable the One Pearson vision, provide enterprise applications and technology to run the business, and to serve our colleagues through reliable and modern employee experiences.

Lead (as a player/coach) a small team of dedicated resources to provide communications, training, and learning and development programs to support the visibility and advancement of the Digital and Technology initiatives, changes, and the technical skill development of the employee base.

The team responsibilities include:

Communications

Collaborate and support the creation of strategic and tactical technology content (papers, presentations, announcements, videos) for internal communications with a compelling narrative.

Work closely with key Digital and Technology functions to develop and implement communication plans aligned key initiatives supporting desktop services, ways of working, human resources, and ad hoc D&T requests.

Assist in the communication of adoption and change management announcements, descriptions, and instructions that align with business objectives through supporting service owners.

Plan and support D&T All-hands meetings and internal D&T management and HR communications including related engagement survey communications and actions.

Elevate the work and recognition of Pearson’s D&T capability through submitting applications for industry awards.

Provide communication support for the Women-in-Technology activities.

Training, Learning & Development

Identify areas for training and support to help users become proficient with new technologies and services

Deliver learning and development programs aligned with the organization’s strategic skill sets and needs.

In collaboration with HR, develop meaningful retention and training programs to enable a high performing, diverse technical organization through cultivating an inclusive culture.

Partner with our big tech vendors to procure learning to maximize value realization of our major technology investments, supporting adoption and usage of strategic technologies

Be aware of upcoming and future technology skills to ensure that the learning program develops the technology workforce

Ensure learning products meet quality standards, delivery expectations and are designed to deliver upskilling impact for our employees tied to the digital strategy of the business.

Gather feedback from key stakeholders, measuring efficacy and impact of learning programming to use data driven insights for evolution of technology learning solutions.

Minimum role requirements

Proven management experience with demonstrated success in fostering a high performing and engaged team.

Superior written and verbal communications. Excellent storyteller and ability to understand and articulate technical concepts to a non-technical audience.

Experience in strategic and tactical communications in a technical or management consulting industry.

Experience in change management and communications requiring employee engagement, adoption, and training.

Excellent stakeholder management & communication– being able to communicate simply, and with diverse global teams at all levels.

Experience in technical Learning and Development programs that align with short term skill needs, and longer term career framework goals.

Successful candidate profile

Evangelist, comfortable on both technology and business subjects, who can bring business insight to both a technical and non-technical community in a way that they find credible and useful.

Strong interpersonal, presentation and communication skills, both written and spoken.

Analytical skills and the ability to quickly get to the most relevant information.

Ability to explain complex technical issues to non-technical audience whilst also having the depth of knowledge to communicate effectively with technical experts.

Mediation and persuasion skills. Must be self-confident in his or her knowledge and experience, with a high degree of openness to others’ opinions and a good sense of diplomacy.

Strong leadership skills, ability to think creatively and strategically, excellent judgement and ability to work in a fast-changing and evolving environment.

Ability to work in parallel on a variety of complex issues with a short term, but also with a long term, horizon. "Can-do spirit" and problem-solving abilities.

Willingness to address and prioritize problems as they arise and to tackle them with the appropriate urgency.

What to expect from Pearson

Did you know Pearson is one of the 10 most innovative education companies of 2022?

At Pearson, we add life to a lifetime of learning so everyone can realize the life they imagine. We do this by creating vibrant and enriching learning experiences designed for real-life impact. We are on a journey to be 100 percent digital to meet the changing needs of the global population by developing a new strategy with ambitious targets. To deliver on our strategic vision, we have five business divisions that are the foundation for the long-term growth of the company: Assessment & Qualifications, Virtual Learning, English Language Learning, Workforce Skills and Higher Education. Alongside these, we have our corporate divisions: Digital & Technology, Finance, Global Corporate Marketing & Communications, Human Resources, Legal, Strategy and Direct to Consumer. Learn more at We are Pearson.

We value the power of an inclusive culture and also a strong sense of belonging. We promote a culture where differences are embraced, opportunities are accessible, consideration and respect are the norm and all individuals are supported in reaching their full potential. Through our talent, we believe that diversity, equity and inclusion make us a more innovative and vibrant place to work. People are at the center, and we are committed to building a workplace where talent can learn, grow and thrive.

Pearson is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer and a member of E-Verify. We want a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be. All employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit and business need. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status or any other group protected by law. We strive for a workforce that reflects the diversity of our communities.

To learn more about Pearson’s commitment to a diverse and inclusive workforce, navigate to: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Pearson.

If you are an individual with a disability and are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our career site as a result of your disability, you may request reasonable accommodations by emailing ppsmhr@pearson.com.

Note that the information you provide will stay confidential and will be stored securely. It will not be seen by those involved in making decisions as part of the recruitment process.

Job: HUMAN RESOURCES

Organization: Corporate Strategy & Technology

Schedule: FULL_TIME

Req ID: 13965