Organizational Development Lead
Willow Search Partners, West Hartford, CT, United States
A leading global professional services firm is seeking an experienced Organizational Development (OD) Lead to support its Northeast region. The organization is known for its strong growth, collaborative culture, and long-tenured workforce, with a continued focus on investing in people, leadership, and organizational effectiveness. As part of an evolving People & Culture function, the firm has established a dedicated Organizational Development capability. This reflects a shift from traditional learning models toward a more integrated, business-aligned approach spanning talent, leadership development, and culture. The objective is to enable business growth while fostering an environment where employees can thrive and build meaningful careers. The Organizational Development Lead will play a key role in executing this vision regionally while aligning with global OD strategy and priorities.
The Role
This position serves as a strategic OD partner to the Northeast business, ensuring alignment between regional priorities and enterprise-wide frameworks. The role works closely with business leaders and HR partners to assess organizational and learning needs, and to design and implement solutions that enhance leadership capability, performance, engagement, and talent outcomes across the employee lifecycle.
Responsibilities include delivering global OD initiatives at the regional level while also tailoring solutions to local business needs. The role will also support the adoption of data-driven approaches, including people analytics and emerging technologies, to improve decision-making, personalize development, and scale organizational solutions.
This is a highly visible role requiring strong consulting skills, sound judgment, and the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels. Success in this position requires balancing strategic thinking with hands‑on execution in a complex, matrixed environment.
Key Responsibilities
Partner with regional HR leadership and business stakeholders to develop and execute OD and L&D strategies
Diagnose organizational needs through stakeholder engagement and translate insights into actionable development plans
Deliver and support enterprise-wide OD programs in partnership with centralized teams
Provide coaching and advisory support to leaders and HR partners
Lead or contribute to OD initiatives and project teams, including vendor management when applicable
Apply data and governance practices to assess OD interventions and ensure responsible use of people data
Continuously improve learning programs based on feedback, assessments, and market trends
Support leadership in identifying development solutions, career pathways, and talent planning efforts
The Candidate
The ideal candidate is an experienced OD professional with a strong consulting mindset and demonstrated success operating in complex, matrixed organizations.
Qualifications
10+ years of experience in Organizational Development and/or Learning & Development
Experience in global or highly matrixed environments preferred
Strong stakeholder management and internal consulting skills
Proven ability to coach leaders and translate business needs into practical development solutions
Experience leading teams and/or cross‑functional projects
Strong facilitation skills and experience delivering leadership development programs
Experience partnering with centralized/global teams on program rollout and execution
Familiarity with applying data, analytics, or AI in organizational development contexts
Strong business acumen with the ability to align development strategies to organizational goals
Executive presence and ability to influence senior leaders
Strong project management and prioritization skills
Willingness to travel (approximately 25-35%)
Industry experience in professional or financial services is a plus
High level of discretion when handling sensitive information
Experience with LMS platforms (e.g., Cornerstone or similar)
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The Role
This position serves as a strategic OD partner to the Northeast business, ensuring alignment between regional priorities and enterprise-wide frameworks. The role works closely with business leaders and HR partners to assess organizational and learning needs, and to design and implement solutions that enhance leadership capability, performance, engagement, and talent outcomes across the employee lifecycle.
Responsibilities include delivering global OD initiatives at the regional level while also tailoring solutions to local business needs. The role will also support the adoption of data-driven approaches, including people analytics and emerging technologies, to improve decision-making, personalize development, and scale organizational solutions.
This is a highly visible role requiring strong consulting skills, sound judgment, and the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels. Success in this position requires balancing strategic thinking with hands‑on execution in a complex, matrixed environment.
Key Responsibilities
Partner with regional HR leadership and business stakeholders to develop and execute OD and L&D strategies
Diagnose organizational needs through stakeholder engagement and translate insights into actionable development plans
Deliver and support enterprise-wide OD programs in partnership with centralized teams
Provide coaching and advisory support to leaders and HR partners
Lead or contribute to OD initiatives and project teams, including vendor management when applicable
Apply data and governance practices to assess OD interventions and ensure responsible use of people data
Continuously improve learning programs based on feedback, assessments, and market trends
Support leadership in identifying development solutions, career pathways, and talent planning efforts
The Candidate
The ideal candidate is an experienced OD professional with a strong consulting mindset and demonstrated success operating in complex, matrixed organizations.
Qualifications
10+ years of experience in Organizational Development and/or Learning & Development
Experience in global or highly matrixed environments preferred
Strong stakeholder management and internal consulting skills
Proven ability to coach leaders and translate business needs into practical development solutions
Experience leading teams and/or cross‑functional projects
Strong facilitation skills and experience delivering leadership development programs
Experience partnering with centralized/global teams on program rollout and execution
Familiarity with applying data, analytics, or AI in organizational development contexts
Strong business acumen with the ability to align development strategies to organizational goals
Executive presence and ability to influence senior leaders
Strong project management and prioritization skills
Willingness to travel (approximately 25-35%)
Industry experience in professional or financial services is a plus
High level of discretion when handling sensitive information
Experience with LMS platforms (e.g., Cornerstone or similar)
#J-18808-Ljbffr