Associate Director - Functions Learning Lead

At Lilly, the work is demanding because patients are waiting. We unite caring with discovery to help make life better for people around the world, knowing that every decision, every detail, and every day matters. Headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, our over 50,000 employees around the globe take on complex challenges to discover and deliver life-changing medicines, strengthen how health is understood and managed, and support the communities we serve. This is hard, urgent, selfless work—but it’s work worth doing. If you’re driven by purpose and ready to bring your best to work that truly matters for patients, we invite you to join us. 

Job Position Overview:

The Global Manufacturing and Quality Learning and Development (GMQLD) organization is dedicated to delivering learning solutions and strategies that empower Lilly's Manufacturing and Quality organizations to achieve our mission: making medicine with safety first and quality always.

The Functions Learning Leader is the recognized internal expert in learning and capability development for site and central functions — driving excellence through a team of L&D professionals and serving as the critical connector between platform execution and the global Center of Excellence (CoE). This role operates at the intersection of global strategy and platform and site-specific needs — ensuring that learning priorities, governance frameworks, and compliance standards are consistently and effectively delivered across every site the platform serves.

Responsibilities:

Leadership & High-Performance Team Development

• Build and lead a high-performing global functions team by setting a clear standard of excellence, holding accountability to outcomes with directness and care, and addressing performance gaps and talent gaps.
• Bring high emotional intelligence to team leadership — reading individual motivators, team dynamics, and organizational pressure accurately to coach effectively, sustain cohesion through change, and create an environment where strong performers thrive.
• Translate strategic priorities into clear team direction and execution rhythm — removing blockers, maintaining momentum, and closing the gap between what leadership asks for and what the team delivers.
• Develop team members across craft, partner influence, and leadership capacity — coaching individuals to frame problems well, bring solutions, and operate with increasing independence and confidence.
• Operate as a skilled problem-solver and credible cross-functional partner — navigating sophisticated, matrixed relationships across platforms, sites, and senior leadership with substance, influence, and a clear line of sight to business outcomes.

Strategic Leadership & Governance

• Serve as the primary L&D Leader across site and central functions, ensuring alignment with global L&D strategies, policies, and procedures while meeting local operational needs.
• Partner with the global CoE, LA and LEPs to implement future-facing learning solutions that drive performance, compliance, and operational excellence.
• Ensure global governance frameworks are driven for site and central functions, in partnership with Platform Lead, maintaining inspection and audit readiness in real time.
• Act as a champion for a modern learning culture, shifting away from site-based traditional document-based training toward interactive, digital, and experiential global, network and platform-based learning solutions.

Learning Strategy & Execution

• Support the team by providing function-specific L&D initiatives that enable compliance, manufacturing excellence, and employee development.
• Drive learning effectiveness measurement using real-time data and analytics to ensure programs deliver measurable business impact.
• Partner cross-functionally with customers to embed a learning culture across functions and sites.
• Ensure audit and inspection readiness, proactively addressing training gaps and regulatory expectations.
• Advocate for technology-enabled learning, including AI, immersive simulations, digital academies and just-in-time learning solutions.

Learning Effectiveness & Performance Measurement

• Ensure implementation of the GMQLD strategy for measuring learning program effectiveness across functions — including evaluation frameworks, assessment design, and business impact methodologies.

Stakeholder Engagement & Cross-Functional Influence

• Operate as a strategic partner to Senior Director, CoE, CoE, LAs, Site LEPs, Quality, Operations, HR, and Tech@Lilly — influencing decisions and driving alignment across a sophisticated, matrixed global organization.
• Lead without authority across a global network, driving results through collaboration, influence, and a clear line of sight to business outcomes.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree.
• 4+ years plus direct people leadership experience.
• 8+ years of experience in Learning & Development, Talent Development or Manufacturing Training, with a focus on regulated pharmaceutical or biotech manufacturing environments.
• Deep understanding of GxP, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), regulatory requirements, and compliance training across global manufacturing networks.
• Qualified applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Lilly will not provide support for or sponsor work authorization or visas for this role, including but not limited to F-1 CPT, F-1 OPT, F-1 STEM OPT, J-1, H-1B, TN, O-1, E-3, H-1B1, or L-1.

Additional Skills/ Preferences:

• Master's degree in Learning Sciences, Instructional Systems Technology, Performance Technology, Organizational Development, Data Analytics, or related fields.
• Expertise in modern learning methodologies including competency-based training, AI-driven learning platforms, simulation-based learning, digital academies, and performance consulting.
• Strong business insight with the ability to anticipate, identify, and solve sophisticated capability problems that affect the functional or business area — linking learning and workforce readiness outcomes to operational and quality performance.
• Proficiency in data visualization and business intelligence tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau) with the ability to translate data into executive-level insights and strategic action.
• Experience setting strategy and governing network or enterprise scale — building frameworks, standards, and governance models that multiple teams complete.
• Experience leading large-scale programs or initiatives with significant complexity, resource requirements, and strategic risk — leading across functions, geographies, and organizational layers.
• Track record of staying abreast of regulatory and policy developments in GMP manufacturing and playing a direct role in influencing qualification and training regulations or organizational strategies.
• Experience leading learning transformation initiatives in a manufacturing environment, including adoption of next-generation technologies and evidence-based learning design.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Power Platform (Power BI, PowerApps) and/or enterprise learning analytics infrastructure.
• Familiarity with OJT program design and on-the-job performance verification approaches common in pharma manufacturing.
• Certifications in performance improvement (CPT), learning evaluation, or related disciplines (CPTD, ATD, HPI) are a plus.
• Organizational change experience in a global, matrixed organization.

Additional Information:

• Position Location: Indianapolis
• Travel Percentage: 25% - 30%
• Shift Information: Supports manufacturing sites globally.

Lilly is dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities to actively engage in the workforce, ensuring equal opportunities when vying for positions. If you require accommodation to submit a resume for a position at Lilly, please complete the accommodation request form (https://careers.lilly.com/us/en/workplace-accommodation) for further assistance. Please note this is for individuals to request an accommodation as part of the application process and any other correspondence will not receive a response.

Lilly is proud to be an EEO Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender identity, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

Our employee resource groups (ERGs) offer strong support networks for their members and are open to all employees. Our current groups include: Africa, Middle East, Central Asia (AMECA), Black Employees at Lilly (BE@Lilly), Chinese Culture Network (CCN), EnAble, Evolve, Lilly Indian Network (LIN), Organization of Latinx at Lilly (OLA), Pride (LGBTQ+ Allies), Veterans Leadership Network (VLN) and Women’s Initiative for Leading at Lilly (WILL).

Actual compensation will depend on a candidate’s education, experience, skills, and geographic location.  The anticipated wage for this position is

Full-time equivalent employees also will be eligible for a company bonus (depending, in part, on company and individual performance). In addition, Lilly offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees, including eligibility to participate in a company-sponsored 401(k); pension; vacation benefits; eligibility for medical, dental, vision and prescription drug benefits; flexible benefits (e.g., healthcare and/or dependent day care flexible spending accounts); life insurance and death benefits; certain time off and leave of absence benefits; and well-being benefits (e.g., employee assistance program, fitness benefits, and employee clubs and activities).Lilly reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion and Lilly’s compensation practices and guidelines will apply regarding the details of any promotion or transfer of Lilly employees.

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