Director of Employee Experience & Professional Learning

PENDERGAST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Job Description

JOB TITLE: Director of Employee Experience & Professional Learning

EXEMPT: Yes JOB CODE:

SALARY LEVEL: Administrative DEPARTMENT: Talent Management

LOCATION: District Office TERM OF EMPLOYMENT: 12 Month

REPORTS TO: Chief Talent Officer DATE APPROVED: 2/3/2026

POSITION LEVEL: Administrative

SUMMARY:

The Director of Employee Experience & Professional Learning serves as the districts enterprise leader for workforce development employee engagement and professional learning systems. Reporting to the Chief Talent Officer (CTO) and housed within Human Resources the Director is responsible for designing leading and continuously improving integrated systems that shape the employee experience across the full employee lifecycle including career development pathways and coaching structures that support employees in clarifying goals and planning for long-term growth.

This role unifies employee engagement onboarding professional learning leadership development and compliance-related training into a coherent high-impact talent system. The Director ensures that all employeesteachers administrators and support staffare supported through intentional onboarding continuous learning career planning and culture-building practices that strengthen performance retention and organizational effectiveness.

In alignment with the districts strategic plan and core values the Director partners closely with district and school leaders to align adult learning career development and engagement strategies with instructional priorities and workforce needs. Through data-informed decision-making and a continuous improvement mindset the Director advances a positive inclusive organizational culture and ensures professional learning and career development systems contribute meaningfully to employee growth leadership capacity and student success.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelors degree in Education Human Resources Organizational Leadership or related field.
• Previous experience in progressively responsible roles in professional development human resources talent management instructional leadership or organizational learning.
• Demonstrated success designing and managing large-scale training engagement and culture systems in education or a complex organization.
• Strong leadership facilitation adult learning and change management expertise.
• Effective listening and relationship-building skills with the public staff students media and school guests.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills both verbal and written. Diplomatic tactful and effective consulting facilitation and presentation skills.
• Advanced database record-keeping and technology skills (e.g. LMS platforms engagement dashboards).
• Excellent verbal written organizational and problem-solving skills.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Masters degree in Education Human Resources Organizational Leadership or related field.
• Experienced public school educator
• Experience as a successful public school leader
• Experience with learning management systems digital credentials and blended learning models
• Background in leadership development coaching and employee engagement initiatives
• Valid Arizona administrative certification or eligibility for appropriate certification.

Such alternatives to the above required and preferred qualifications as the Superintendent / Designee may find appropriate and acceptable.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Lead districtwide employee experience and engagement initiatives aligned to the districts strategic plan and Enterprise operating model.
2. Design and implement employee engagement strategies addressing recruitment onboarding retention morale and workplace culture.
3. Facilitate employee surveys focus groups and feedback forums; analyze results and recommend continuous improvement actions.
4. Lead and design employee events and communication forums in collaboration with communications and strategic partnerships.
5. Build collaborative relationships across schools departments and leadership teams to support a culture of accountability service inclusion equity and high performance.
6. Design and support voluntary interest-based employee experiences that build community foster connection promote well-being and further develop organizational culture across the district.
7. Support employee relations practices that promote positive employeremployee relationships and high levels of morale.
8. Design implement and manage a comprehensive districtwide professional development system for all employee groups.
9. Identify contract with and manage internal and external training providers consultants and learning partners.
10. Oversee onboarding instructional training leadership development compliance training and ongoing professional learning programs.
11. Implement and manage in-person hybrid and digital learning platforms including learning management systems (LMS) micro-credentialing and online certification.
12. Apply research-based equity-centered best practices in adult learning to ensure training is relevant inclusive and effective.
13. Establish performance metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of employee engagement professional development recruitment retention and culture initiatives.
14. Analyze data to identify trends gaps and opportunities; adjust programs accordingly.
15. Provide regular reports and strategic recommendations to the Chief Talent Officer and executive leadership.
16. Partner with principals and district leaders to align site-based professional learning and engagement strategies with district priorities and student achievement goals.
17. Support recruitment onboarding and retention efforts by aligning training and engagement strategies to workforce needs.
18. Collaborate with Educational Services Operations Technology and Communications to ensure coherence across enterprise initiatives.
19. Perform such other duties and assume such other responsibilities as may be assigned by the Superintendent/Designee.

EVALUATION:

At least once annually in accordance with Governing Board Policy.

REASONING ABILITY:

Ability to define problems collect data establish facts and draw conclusions; ability to interpret a wide variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several concrete variables.

LANGUAGE SKILLS:

Ability to read analyze and interpret educational materials and programs; ability to write reports procedure manuals and correspondence; ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from administrators teachers staff and the community.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS:

Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference; ability to apply concepts such as fractions percentages ratios and proportions to practical situations.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS / WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The physical demands and work environment described are representative of those required to perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made in accordance with applicable law.

SUPERVISION:

Novice Teacher Mentor

Required Experience:

Director