Head of Learning

Purpose of the role

Since 1863, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has worked to preserve human dignity and relieve suffering caused by war and armed violence.

In collaboration with our Red Cross and Red Crescent partners around the world, we do everything we can to deliver life-saving aid, reconnect families and locate missing people – helping those who need it most, regardless of who they are and what side of the front line they are on.

We engage with authorities and armed forces on all sides, often confidentially, pressing for access to detainees to improve their living conditions and urging compliance with international humanitarian law to protect non-combatants, including from digital threats.

Purpose of the role

The Head of Learning and Development provides strategic leadership for the ICRC’s Learning and Development function, ensuring that the organization builds the capabilities required to deliver its mission today and in the future. The position reports directly to the Chief People Officer and will manage the Learning and Development Unit within the People division.

As part of the People function, the role translates the ICRC’s strategic and operational priorities into a coherent learning and capability agenda, enabling people and teams to perform, adapt and grow in an increasingly complex, digital and rapidly changing environment.

The role contributes to the ICRC’s ambition to build a fit-for-purpose, reliable People function that enables the organization to achieve its mission by recruiting, developing and deploying the talent it requires today and tomorrow, while caring for the people who make the mission possible.

The Head of Learning and Development leads the L&D team, shapes the organization learning strategy and ecosystem, and acts as a strategic advisor to senior leaders on capability development.

Main duties and Responsibilities

Define and implement the Learning & Development vision and strategy

• Define and implement a Learning and Development vision and strategy, aligned with the ICRC’s Institutional Strategy, Staffing model, operational realities and future capability needs.
• Translate organizational priorities into clear capability priorities, learning solutions and development pathways for today and the future.
• Lead the Learning and Development team across the organization namely 65 staff across 6 locations, manage X team members. The Head of LnD chair and lead and facilitate the Learning Council, ensuring strong alignment between organizational priorities, learning investments and operational needs. Accountable for all aspects of learning that are defined within the Learning Council Workplan, advocates for a global standard learning culture across the institution and an environment conducive to learning.
• Build a balanced learning ecosystem aligned with our operational realities, combining formal learning, experiential learning, coaching, peer learning, knowledge sharing and on-the-job development,the “70, 20, 10” model.
• Is Responsible for the quality, impact and value of the learning portfolio by using data, learner insights and clear measures of effectiveness to continuously improve solutions, prioritize investments and resources, maintain consistent quality standards, and leverage internal and external expertise strategically.
• Act as a trusted advisor to the Directorate, senior leaders and key stakeholders on learning, capability and organizational development matters.

Lead and develop a high-performing Learning & Development team

• Lead, inspire and develop the Learning and Development team, in line with the People Management standards, creating a high-performing, collaborative and learning-oriented culture.
• Set clear priorities, accountabilities and standards while empowering team members to innovate and take ownership.
• Manage the L&D budget and be accountable for workforce planning and the allocation of L&D resources against organizational priorities.

Drive innovation, technology and AI-enabled learning

• Lead the digital and AI-enabled evolution of the ICRC’s learning ecosystem, responsibility leveraging AI tailor learning, identify capability gaps and improve the learner experience, while ensuring that technology is used as an enabler of learning and performance.
• Leverage AI to tailor learning, identify capability gaps, support knowledge acquisition and improve the learner experience in line with the learning and career paths.
• Promote and foster innovative approaches such as adaptive learning, micro-learning, simulations, communities of practice, peer learning and experiential development.
• Stay abreast of external developments, emerging learning technologies and future-of-work trends and