Learning and Talent Development Specialist

Role Overview

NAMI Chicago is hiring a full-time Learning and Talent Development Specialist to support organization-wide learning, development, and talent processes. This position reports to the Senior Director of People Experience and is based at 224 W Hill Street, Suite 410, Chicago, IL 60610. The role requires being in the office at least three days per week, and the hybrid arrangement may change in the future.

About NAMI Chicago

Grounded in the lived experiences of people affected by mental health conditions and committed to equity, NAMI Chicago works to reduce stigma and discrimination, advocate for the community, and provide hope, connection, and expertise to people navigating their mental health journey.

What the Role Will Do

The Learning & Talent Development Specialist will take ownership of the coordination, administration, tracking, and delivery support for key learning and talent programs across the organization. The role will keep the learning management system running smoothly, monitor required trainings and credentials, assist with performance management rollout, coordinate employee resource group operations, and help implement development opportunities for employees, managers, and leaders. Success in this position requires strong organization, accuracy, initiative, and the ability to move recurring processes from planning through execution.

Key Responsibilities

• Support company-wide learning initiatives such as employee development, manager and leader development, compliance training, and professional growth programs.
• Help execute the performance management process by managing timelines, communication, system changes, manager support materials, training resources, completion tracking, and follow-up actions.
• Contribute to competency models, skills assessments, career growth tools, and employee development resources.
• Coordinate the delivery of the professional development plan for managers and leaders, including scheduling, communications, preparation of materials, attendance tracking, feedback collection, and next-step follow-up.
• Manage employee resource group administration, including calendars, materials, communications, leader support tools, engagement tracking, budget tracking, and follow-through on action items.
• Assist with the design, coordination, and facilitation of workshops, trainings, and learning sessions that strengthen performance, growth, engagement, and belonging.
• Maintain the learning management system on a day-to-day basis, including course assignments, user updates, enrollments, completion monitoring, reporting, reminders, and data accuracy.
• Track required trainings, compliance obligations, credential renewals, and other learning-related deadlines, escalating overdue items when needed.
• Keep training and credential records current, including renewal dates, completion status, reporting dashboards, and compliance documentation.
• Support onboarding-related learning activities by maintaining onboarding resources, coordinating training content, and helping ensure consistency across teams.
• Collect and organize feedback, surveys, participation data, and other learning metrics to support continuous improvement.
• Prepare project updates, trackers, status reports, and recommendations for the Senior Director of People Experience, including risks, barriers, decisions needed, and next steps.
• Work with managers, program leaders, training owners, and employee resource group leaders to advance learning and talent priorities.
• Keep shared files, templates, reports, training materials, and documentation organized and accessible for continuity and consistency.
• Draft employee communications related to training, compliance, performance management, employee resource groups, and professional development.
• Handle additional duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Excellent organization, project coordination, and follow-through skills.
• Ability to manage recurring processes, watch deadlines closely, and raise issues or overdue items promptly.
• High attention to detail and a strong commitment to accurate records, reports, and documentation.
• Experience using learning management systems, HRIS platforms, spreadsheets, tracking tools, and project management systems.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to create updates, reminders, summaries, recommendations, and employee-facing messages.
• Comfort following up with employees and managers in a timely, professional manner about training completion, credential renewals, deadlines, and required actions.
• Ability to spot gaps, organize information, evaluate current processes, and suggest practical next steps.
• Experience coordinating across departments and partnering with managers, program leaders, training owners, and employee resource group leaders.
• Comfort supporting program launches, training logistics, meeting coordination, communications, and implementation timelines.
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive employee and training information appropriately.
• Strong service mindset and ability to support staff and managers with learning-related questions.
• Ability to work independently while knowing when to ask for guidance or escalate issues.
• Interest in employee development, manager development, learning systems, engagement, and process improvement.
• Commitment to quality, equity, inclusion, organizational ethics, and integrity.
• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Education, Training, Business Administration, or a related discipline.
• 3 to 5 years of experience in learning and development, talent development, employee engagement, organizational development, or a similar field.
• Experience supporting or administering a learning management system, survey tools, project trackers, or talent management systems.
• Preferred background in performance management, employee development, onboarding, manager training, or professional development programs.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, Outlook, Excel, SharePoint/Teams, and related systems used by the organization.
• Ability to keep records organized, current, and easy to access.
• Capacity to manage repeated deadlines, follow-up cycles, and multiple projects with consistency and accuracy.

Benefits

• Employer-sponsored wellness activities.
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Employer-paid life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, and long-term disability coverage.
• 401(k) retirement plan.
• Critical illness, hospital indemnity, accident insurance, and short-term disability coverage.
• Generous paid time off.

Compensation

The salary range for this position is $60,000 to $70,000 per year.

Equal Opportunity Statement

NAMI Chicago welcomes applicants from BIPOC, LGBTQ+, veteran, differently abled, and returning citizen communities, as well as anyone committed to mental health.