Director, Talent Development & Strategy

Job description

PRIMARY ROLE OR FUNCTION: The Director, Talent Development & Strategy will serve as a strategic and operational leader responsible for advancing WME’s assistant-to-agent development ecosystem across the agency, including Music and all core business verticals. This role will drive the design, integration, and execution of early-career development programs, ensuring a cohesive and scalable approach to onboarding, training, performance management, and career progression. The Director will play a critical role in shaping the next generation of WME agents by aligning development initiatives with broader business, talent, and operational priorities. Working cross-functionally with HR, Business Operations, Recruitment, Inclusion, and senior leadership, this role will help define and implement a best-in-class agent development infrastructure that supports both individual growth and long-term business success. RESPONSIBILITIES: Agent Development Strategy & Program Leadership Lead the design and execution of a comprehensive agent development strategy across all business areas, including Music. Oversee and evolve core development programs, including: Assistant onboarding and training Farmhouse and Trainee program integration Early-career agent development initiatives Ensure programming aligns with agency priorities, performance expectations, and long-term talent strategy. Identify gaps in development offerings and implement scalable, high-impact solutions. Performance Management Design & Execution Lead the build-out, standardization, and execution of performance management frameworks in partnership with HR and Business Operations. Define and operationalize: Clear performance expectations and success metrics Feedback cadence and evaluation processes Documentation and escalation pathways (e.g., coaching plans, performance improvement processes) Ensure alignment across departments on performance standards, accountability, and evaluation consistency. Partner with HRBPs and leadership to support managers in delivering effective, actionable feedback. Integrate performance management into broader development programming to ensure a clear link between performance, progression, and promotion readiness. Build out and utilize the Workday platform to administer performance management processes, including goal setting, review cycles, and performance documentation, ensuring consistency and data integrity across the organization. Cross-Functional Sprints Leadership & Execution Serve as a key leader within the HR / Inclusion / Operations Sprints initiative , partnering across HRBPs, Business Operations, Recruitment, Inclusion, and development teams. Drive progress across critical workstreams, including: Performance management frameworks for early-career agents Standardized training curriculum (assistant through agent levels) Career progression pathways and promotion criteria Onboarding and orientation optimization Translate sprint outputs into practical, scalable tools and programming implemented across the agency. Ensure alignment across stakeholders and maintain momentum on cross-functional initiatives. Onboarding & Orientation Strategy Oversee the agency-wide onboarding and orientation experience for assistants and agents. Partner closely with HR and on-the-ground team members to ensure: Consistency across departments Strong in-person and virtual delivery Alignment with WME culture and expectations Continuously refine onboarding experiences using feedback, data, and evolving business needs. Program Integration & Pipeline Alignment Ensure alignment across all early-career programs, including: Assistant training Trainee Program Farmhouse Additional development initiatives Create a connected and clearly defined development journey from entry-level roles through early agent years. Partner with leadership to ensure programs are integrated into broader talent and business strategies. Stakeholder Management & Agency Collaboration Act as a central point of coordination across: Human Resources Business Operations Recruitment Inclusion Department and office leadership Build strong relationships across all offices (Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, London) to ensure consistency and adoption of programming. Present updates, insights, and recommendations to senior leadership. ACCOUNTABILITY & EXPECTATIONS: · Demonstrate ownership over agency-wide agent development initiatives and outcomes. · Drive alignment across multiple stakeholders and departments. · Deliver high-quality programming that supports both employee development and business performance. · Maintain consistency, scalability, and operational excellence across all programs. · Serve as a trusted partner to HR and senior leadership in shaping talent strategy. ESSENTIAL JOB KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, & CHARACTERISTICS: Professional Knowledge & Experience 5–7+ years of experience in talent development, organizational development, or related fields. Must have previous experience using Workday as an HRIS Experience building out and utilizing the Workday platform to support performance management processes. Experience designing and leading scalable development programs in a complex, fast-paced organization. Strong understanding of early-career pipelines, performance management, and career progression frameworks. Experience working cross-functionally with HR, Operations, and business leadership. Entertainment, media, or agency experience is strongly preferred. Skills & Capabilities Strategic thinker with the ability to translate vision into execution. Exceptional stakeholder management and influence skills. Strong program design, facilitation, and curriculum development capabilities. Ability to operate both strategically and tactically . Excellent communication, presentation, and organizational skills. Data-informed mindset with strong analytical capabilities. Personal Characteristics Collaborative and highly relationship-oriented. Proactive, solutions-driven, and adaptable. High level of professionalism, discretion, and accountability. Passionate about developing talent and building high-performing teams. Comfortable navigating ambiguity and driving change across a complex organization. Per local requirements and in the interest of transparency, the rate shown below reflects the prevalent current hiring range for this position. Hiring pay rates are based on a number of factors, including location and may vary depending on job-related qualifications, knowledge, skills and experience. The company strives to provide locally competitive rewards packages, which include base rate along with, as applicable, short- and long-term incentives, growth and developmental opportunities, and robust benefits, such as health care, retirement, vacation and other paid time off, and additional offerings. Hiring Rate Minimum: $105,000 annually (minimum will not fall below the applicable state/local minimum salary thresholds) Hiring Rate Maximum: $140,000 annually WME is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, or religion or belief.