Director Talent Development

Reporting to the Head of Talent, this individual will bring a consulting mindset – structured problem-solving, hypothesis-driven thinking, and a bias for measurable outcomes – to build a skills-led, business-connected learning ecosystem from the ground up. The role operates across HR, Business Units, and senior leadership, with direct accountability for the organization's role-based upskilling agenda, AI workforce readiness strategy, and future-of-work capability agenda. Consulting or strategic HR advisory backgrounds are strongly preferred.\n\nRoles & Responsibilities:\n\n- Orchestrate role-based learning journeys based on emerging skills critical to Firstsource’s competitive advantage over the next 3–5 years – and build programs that prepare the workforce for role evolution, not just current job performance\n- Own the organization-wide AI literacy and digital fluency upskilling strategy and build the AI learning ecosystem through internal content and external partnerships\n- Drive the shift from activity-based training to outcome-oriented capability building – every programme must connect clearly to business performance\n- Evaluate and optimize the LMS and broader learning technology ecosystem; Identify, pilot, and scale innovative learning solutions including AI-driven personalization, and simulation-based learning - that meaningfully improve capability development speed and stickiness\n- Build trusted, consultative relationships with Business Unit heads and HRBPs – acting as a strategic partner to bridge capability gaps, not a training order-taker\n- Collaborate with Talent Acquisition on skills-based hiring frameworks, and with Talent Management on succession and career architecture – ensuring development interventions are embedded across the full talent lifecycle\n- Manage and develop an internal Talent Development team; lead external vendor, content partner, and facilitator relationships with clear scope, accountability, and performance expectations\n- Build a workforce intelligence practice using skills data, learning analytics, and external labor market signals to continuously refresh the capability agenda and keep Firstsource ahead of the skills curve\n\nPreferred Educational Qualifications:\n\n- MBA / PGDM from a reputed institution, OR equivalent postgraduate qualification with strong analytical and strategic foundations – consulting or business programs are equally valued alongside HR specializations\n- Exposure to structured problem-solving frameworks, strategic analysis, or organizational design is a strong advantage\n- Certifications in talent development, OD, coaching, design thinking, or AI literacy are a plus, not a filter\n\nPreferred Work Experience:\n\n- 6–9 years of experience, with meaningful time spent in management consulting, HR advisory, or internal strategic HR roles in complex organizations\n- Demonstrated track record of designing and delivering large-scale capability or workforce transformation programmes in multi-stakeholder environments; exposure to skills architecture, competency frameworks, or role-based learning design is strongly preferred\n\nCompetencies & Skills:\n\n- Consulting Mindset – hypothesis-driven, structured, outcome-oriented; starts with the business problem, not the learning solution\n- Commercial Acumen – understands how talent development links to operational performance, attrition, client satisfaction, and business growth\n- Stakeholder Influence – able to hold a room with senior leaders, frame complex problems simply, and build buy-in without formal authority\n- Builder’s Orientation – energized by ambiguity, gets satisfaction from creating structure where little exists; moves between strategy and execution with ease\n- Digital & AI Fluency – comfortable with learning technology, skills platforms, and AI tools; able to separate genuine innovation from noise\n- Effective Cross-Boundary Collaboration – works collaboratively across geographies, business units, and HR functions with a spirit of genuine partnership\n- Decisive and Action-Oriented – makes clear calls, owns outcomes, does not wait to be told what to do\n- Analytical Storyteller – turns data and insights into compelling narratives that drive decision-making at leadership level\n- Candid and Constructively Challenging – comfortable pushing back on conventional thinking while maintaining strong working relationships\n- Excellent Written & Verbal Communication – writes and presents with clarity, precision, and appropriate executive presence