Job Summary

Using independent judgment with minimal supervision, the Professional Development Specialist works closely with senior HR, Academic, and departmental management in support of the College's strategic mission. Excels at identifying the College's current and future skills requirements, and creates flexible learning interventions (through digital and other means) to meet the workforce's diverse needs. Plans, designs, advises, organizes, prepares, and facilitate professional development programs to address a wide variety of needs for the College.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Stewards HR's strategic plan for professional development, ensures objectives/milestones of plan are being met within appropriate timeframe, and makes recommendations to Cabinet regarding proposed revisions/enhancements of strategic plan as the needs of the College evolve.
2. Assess current and future training and development needs through surveys, interviews, focus groups, and communication with the College Cabinet, departmental leadership, staff, faculty, and instructors.
3. Collaborates with the Cultural Excellence and Belonging team to ensure instructional content aligns with the College's Mission, Vision, and Values, and supports the delivery of training content created or procured by the team.
4. Partner with the ADA Coordinator to ensure that developmental activities are accessible to all members of the intended audience and supports the delivery of training content created or procured by the ADA Coordinator.
5. Coordinate with the College's Environmental Health and Safety Department to ensure the safety and compliance trainings are completed.
6. Plans, leads, and facilitates New Hire Orientation and Professional Development Day, with support and direction from the College's leadership cabinet, including agenda development, presenter coordination, logistics, participant communication, program delivery, and post-event evaluation.
7. Develops unique training programs to fulfill workers specific needs to maintain or improve job skills.
8. Evaluates, creates, presents and/or coordinates training and development programs using various forms and formats including group discussion, lectures, simulations, and videos.
9. Provides logistical support of training initiatives as appropriate (e.g. scheduling trainers, scheduling rooms, coordinating technical support, ensuring required equipment/instructional aids/handouts/etc. are available to instructors, etc.).
10. Ensure compliance with Board policies and state and federal laws through targeted training and development efforts.
11. Maintains records of training and development activities, attendance, results of tests, assessments, and retraining requirement that are mandated by the state, i.e., DCFS Mandated Reporter Training.
12. Markets and encourages participation in upcoming staff development initiatives and activities.
13. Serves as Chair/Co-Chair/Member of committees as appropriate, acting as an advisor for matters related to professional development.
14. Work with Marketing to maintain the College's Professional Development intranet pages - ensures content is current, easy to navigate, and readily accessible to faculty and staff.
15. Maintains knowledge of the latest trends in training and development