Director, Learning & Development

Job description

The Director, Learning & Development is responsible for defining and implementing Indigo’s learning philosophy, strategy, and execution roadmap—creating a culture of continuous learning that equips employees with the knowledge, skills, and capabilities required to drive business performance and career growth. This role owns the enterprise learning ecosystem and is accountable for the design, delivery, governance, and continuous improvement of the learning and development programs across Home Office, Retail, and Distribution Centre teams. The Director will be a key driver of Indigo’s evolution to an organization where employees have access to meaningful development opportunities, leaders are equipped to grow talent, and learning is embedded into everyday work. KEY PERFORMANCE METRICS On-time, on-budget delivery of Indigo U Learning participation and completion rates Quality, adoption, and usage of Indigo U and learning platforms “Clients” satisfaction score of Talent Team Team engagement score KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Participates as a senior HR leader in shaping Indigo’s people and capability strategy, ensuring learning investments directly support business performance, growth, and customer outcomes. Leads and launches Indigo U ensuring learning platforms, content, and experiences are scalable, engaging, data-informed, and aligned to business priorities. Partners with senior leaders to identify capability gaps, translating them into prioritized learning strategies and programs. Develops and delivers a multi-year learning roadmap with clear annual priorities covering leadership development, functional development, onboarding, compliance, digital learning, and career growth. Builds and leads a high-performing Learning & Development team, setting clear standards for delivery, accountability, and impact. Establishes clear success measures and uses learning analytics to assess effectiveness, learner engagement, knowledge transfer, and business impact. Maintains strong external awareness of emerging trends in learning, leadership development, technology-enabled learning, and capability building, ensuring Indigo remains innovative and competitive. Partners with HR and business leaders to identify future-critical skills and capabilities. Contributes to annual planning, budgeting, and prioritization across the learning portfolio. Leads the design of customized learning experiences and curricula grounded in adult learning principles, with clear goals, practice, reinforcement, and on-the-job application. Leads change and adoption efforts related to learning initiatives and capability programs. Creates scalable development pathways for frontline employees, leaders, and corporate teams. Reports to: Chief People Officer Manager once Removed (MOR): CEO KEY RELATIONSHIPS Internal: HR Business Partners Cross Functional Leaders IT teams supporting learning systems and analytics External: Learning vendors, content providers & suppliers Leading industry experts and colleagues 10-15 years of progressive experience in Learning & Development, leadership development, organizational development, or capability building at a Tier 1 organization University degree in Human Resources, Education, Organizational Development, Adult Learning, or related field Deep understanding of enterprise-wide adult learning, instructional design, leadership development, and capability-building strategies Experience building customized learning curricula for frontline, corporate, and leadership audiences Strong experience with learning technologies, LMS/LXP platforms, digital learning, and measurement of learning effectiveness Data-driven mindset with ability to turn insights into action and drive measurable outcomes Demonstrates creative thinking and resilience Full alignment with Indigo values as reflected in the Guiding Principles statements A passion for Indigo’s mission 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 2SLGBTQIA+ community, and persons with disabilities. If you require an accommodation during the recruitment process, please contact Human Resources at . We respect your privacy throughout the recruitment process. Our Candidate Privacy Notice explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information when you apply for a role with Indigo, and the choices available to you. This posting is for a current opportunity within Indigo. 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 – A’s Hire A’s We Will be Customer Centric We Will Be Data Driven – System Thinking – Entrepreneurial We are Committed to True and Shared Value Creation We Will be Human-Centered and AI Enabled We are Committed to Caring About Each Other, Our Communities, Our Environment