Director of Talent Development

Job Description

Located in the heart of Central Ohio, Illuminate USA is transforming solar panel manufacturing from our cutting-edge facility in Pataskala. As a new standalone joint venture established by two global leaders in renewable energy, we’ve rapidly grown to over 1,500 associates and are now fully operational in our 1.1 million-square-foot factory. Our vision is to establish one of the largest solar panel manufacturing operations in the Western Hemisphere.

This is an exciting time to join Illuminate USA as we continue to grow and innovate. We’re not just building solar panels—we’re building a team of dedicated, passionate associates eager to make a real impact. If you’re looking to be part of a collaborative, people-focused, and forward-thinking workplace, we want to hear from you!

We offer competitive pay, comprehensive benefits, and continuous opportunities for career growth. Come join us on this journey to create a brighter, more sustainable future in the Columbus area.

We are seeking a Director of Talent Development to drive business performance by strategically designing and operationally implementing enterprise learning strategies, organizational capability initiatives and leadership development programs.

In this role, you will be a relationship builder who works closely with leadership, subject matter experts and our HR partners to identify the workforce needs and develop a future proof talent strategy. In addition, you will lead a team of professionals who perform organizational assessments to inform talent development systems and solutions to include high impact learning experiences, leadership development programs as well as connected culture and engagement initiatives.

Success in this role means we have stronger leaders, more capable teams, improved and reliable business performance, and an organization able to embrace change with resilience.

Responsibilities

Talent Strategy Development & Deployment

• Conduct, analyze and maintain learning needs assessments for new program building.
• Design, implement and manage training programs that build associate skill and align workforce performance with our business objectives.
• Direct comprehensive associate development and training programs across multiple formats, including classroom, virtual, and on-demand e-learning.
• Strategize with Internal Communications and Engagement to execute internal marketing tools to actively promote training and development opportunities.

Leadership Development, Culture & Engagement

• Build and deliver a leadership development model which cultivates the realization of our leadership competency model and shapes cultural norms to align with our core values.
• Ensure associate engagement feedback is analyzed and integrated into action plans supporting our aim to be a best place to work.

Performance, Succession and Next Level Readiness

• Partner across People & Culture to develop the annual Talent Development cycle.
• Ensure continuous improvement of organizational development systems, processes, tools and training information for high-user adoption and application.
• Develop clear advancement pathways for high-potential associates to include stretch assignments, cross-functional experiences and leadership training.
• Strategically develop and operationally implement a wholistic succession system which safeguards against risk and ensures long-term success.

Onboarding & Early Career Development

• Develop and deliver an internship program capable of attracting the right early career talent and developing them for growth and opportunities at the right time.
• Partner with Talent Acquisition to ensure a seamless and welcoming candidate to associate experience upon hire.
• Build world class apprenticeship and mentorship programs aligned with the needs of the organization.
• Partner with external partners and educational institutions to leverage best practices and build relationships capable of attracting and delivering future high-performing associates and leaders.

Operational Leadership, Reporting & Analytics

• Lead the L&D and Organizational Development teams, conduct annual performance evaluations, and build team relationships.
• Support the annual department budget proposal with learning proposals and supporting projects and initiatives while also managing operational costs.
• Develop and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure learning impact, training ROI and overall associate engagement.
• Provide data-driven reports and recommendations to leadership regarding talent outcomes, workforce trends and organizational effectiveness

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in human resources management, Organizational Development or a related field. Master’s degree preferred.

• Experience: Minimum of ten (10) years of related experience with at least five (5) years of growing supervisory experience.

• Communication: Excellent communicator with strong facilitation and executive presence to convey the story and influence stakeholders.

• Strategic Vision & Systems Thinker: Familiarity with emerging trends and foresight to leverage the integration of innovative technologies for talent management needs and organizational development opportunities.

• Data Fluency & Analytics: Ability to utilize learning analytics, partner feedback, Kirkpatrick data and workforce data to drive continuous program improvement.

Preferred

• Project Management Experience
• Change Management Certification
• Coaching certification and mentoring skills

At Illuminate USA, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We proudly embrace equal opportunity for all, ensuring that all qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Your unique background and experiences are valued here, as we believe they strengthen our team and drive our mission forward.

Illuminate is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.