Lead Leadership Development Specialist

We are seeking a Lead, Leadership Development Specialist to join our CDM Smith University team. This senior individual contributor role will serve as an internal architect and subject matter expert for leadership development, responsible for designing, managing, and continuously improving enterprise leadership programs that build organizational capability and support the firm’s strategic growth.

This role sits at the intersection of leadership development, organizational change, and the evolving impact of AI and digital tools on how teams operate and make decisions. The Lead, Leadership Development Specialist will partner with senior leaders, HR Business Partners, and external partners to create leadership experiences that strengthen both modern digital fluency and essential human leadership capabilities, including judgment, empathy, ethical reasoning, communication, and the ability to lead through complexity and change.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, evolve, and support enterprise-wide leadership development programs that build leadership capability across key talent populations and align with firmwide people priorities, strategic objectives, and organizational needs.
• Develop and manage leadership curriculum roadmaps that incorporate instructor-led, virtual, cohort-based, digital, and experiential learning approaches to create engaging and impactful development experiences.
• Incorporate AEC-specific leadership challenges, including client relationship management, technical excellence, business development, project delivery, innovation, and digital transformation, with a focus on helping technical professionals transition into enterprise-minded leaders.
• Facilitate high-impact workshops, leadership cohorts, and employee development experiences, including programs that help leaders engage with current and emerging AI tools as part of their leadership practice.
• Partner with vendors, facilitators, coaches, mentors, and internal subject matter experts to deliver high-quality in-person and virtual learning experiences for geographically dispersed participants.
• Serve as a trusted thought partner to CDM Smith University, HR leaders, business leaders, and stakeholders on leadership effectiveness, organizational capability, succession readiness, and leading through change.
• Build strong relationships across practice areas, disciplines, and offices to ensure leadership programs reflect the needs, experiences, and challenges of CDM Smith’s workforce.
• Partner with the Senior Manager of Learning Programs to design and implement evaluation strategies that measure participant growth, behavior change, organizational impact, and return on investment.
• Use data, analytics, participant feedback, business insights, and emerging leadership practices to continuously improve programs and demonstrate their impact on organizational effectiveness and business outcomes.
• Develop and manage program plans, schedules, budgets, resources, external partnerships, learning technologies, logistics, communications, and stakeholder expectations for enterprise leadership development initiatives., CDM Smith Inc. and its divisions and subsidiaries (hereafter collectively referred to as “CDM Smith”) reserves the right to require background checks including criminal, employment, education, licensure, etc. as well as credit and motor vehicle when applicable for certain positions. In addition, CDM Smith may conduct drug testing for designated positions. Background checks are conducted after an offer of employment has been made in the United States. The timing of when background checks will be conducted on candidates for positions outside the United States will vary based on country statutory law but in no case, will the background check precede an interview. CDM Smith will conduct interviews of qualified individuals prior to requesting a criminal background check, and no job application submitted prior to such interview shall inquire into an applicant’s criminal history. If this position is subject to a background check for any convictions related to its responsibilities and requirements, employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a background investigation including criminal history. Criminal history will not automatically disqualify a candidate. In addition, during employment individuals may be required by CDM Smith or a CDM Smith client to successfully complete additional background checks, including motor vehicle record as well as drug testing., CDM Smith is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. This pay range is a good faith estimate representative of all experience levels for the geographic location assigned to the position. In addition to geographic location, a candidate’s salary is determined by several other factors including, but not limited to, the role, function and associated responsibilities, relevant work experience, skills, required certifications, and education/training.

• Progressive experience in leadership development, organizational development, or talent management, with a track record of owning programs end-to-end as a senior individual contributor.
• Demonstrated success designing, implementing, and evolving leadership development programs for mid-to-senior level populations.
• Strong understanding of emerging workplace, workforce, and technology trends and their impact on leadership effectiveness, employee development, and organizational capability.
• Expert facilitation skills across in-person and virtual environments, including the ability to lead discussions on leadership effectiveness, organizational change, business challenges, and the future of work.
• Strong executive presence, credibility, and influence, with the ability to serve as a trusted advisor to business, HR, and firm leaders without direct authority.
• Experience supporting program measurement frameworks and partnering with teams to present results to senior stakeholders.
• Ability to work autonomously in a matrixed environment, manage multiple programs simultaneously, and adapt to changing business priorities.
• Strong program and project management skills.

Qualifications

• 8 years of relevant experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Leadership Development, Education, Business, Psychology, or a related field.

Domestic and/or international travel may be required. The frequency of travel is contingent on specific duties, responsibilities, and the essential functions of the position, which may vary depending on workload and project demands.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in the AEC, professional services, or project-based industry environment.
• Experience designing or delivering programs focused on change leadership, leadership adaptability, digital transformation, workforce evolution, or organizational effectiveness.
• Familiarity with modern learning technologies, learning analytics, adaptive learning approaches, and data-informed methods for evaluating program effectiveness.
• Experience partnering directly with business leaders to assess leadership capability needs and translate organizational priorities into scalable development solutions.
• Coaching certification, such as CCL, ICF, or equivalent.
• Master’s degree in Organizational Development, Leadership Development, Learning and Development, I/O Psychology, Human Resources, Education, Business, or a related field.

Amount of Travel Required

10% or less

Check out this video and find out why our team loves to work here! (https://www.cdmsmith.com/resources/videos/meet-cdm-smith)

Join Us! CDM Smith - where amazing career journeys unfold.

Imagine a place committed to offering an unmatched employee experience. Where you work on projects that are meaningful to you. Where you play an active part in shaping your career journey. Where your co-workers are invested in you and your success. Where you are encouraged and supported to do your very best and given the tools and resources to do so. Where it’s a priority that the company takes good care of you and your family.

Our employees are the heart of our company. As an employer of choice, our goal is to provide a challenging, progressive and inclusive work environment which fosters personal leadership, career growth and development for every employee. We value passionate individuals who challenge the norm, deliver world-class solutions and bring diverse perspectives. Join our team, and together we will make a difference and change the world., All vendors must have a signed CDM Smith Placement Agreement from the CDM Smith Talent Acquisition Manager to receive payment for your placement. Verbal or written commitments from any other member of the CDM Smith Inc. and its divisions and subsidiaries staff will not be considered binding terms. All unsolicited resumes sent to CDM Smith Inc. and its divisions and subsidiaries and any resume submitted to any employee outside of CDM Smith Talent Acquisition Team will be considered property of CDM Smith. CDM Smith Inc. and its divisions and subsidiaries will not be held liable to pay a placement fee.