Senior Director, Training & Instructional Design (Remote)
General Information
Location: Cary, NC, Remote
Organization: WCG
Job Type: Full Time - Regular
Description and Requirements
ABOUT WCG: WCG’s clinical solutions are built on a foundation of best-in-class clinical services companies. We deliver transformational solutions that stimulate growth, foster compliance, and maximize efficiency for those performing clinical trials. WCG is proud to serve individuals on the frontlines of science and medicine, and the organizations striving to develop new products and therapies to improve the quality of human health. It is our role to empower them to accelerate advancement, while ensuring the risks of progress never outweigh the value of human life.
WHY WE LOVE WCG: At WCG, our employees are our most valuable asset, and as with all our assets, we invest in them with an eye toward future success. We provide each eligible employee with a comprehensive set of benefits designed to protect their personal and financial health to help make the most of their future.
- Comprehensive Benefits package - Health, Dental, Vision, Life Disability, 401k with match, and flexible spending accounts
- Employee Assistance Programs and additional work/life resources
- Referral Bonuses and Tuition Reimbursement
- Flexible PTO
- Volunteer Time Off to benefit the community
- Opportunities for career development with on-the-job training, certification assistance, and continuing education reimbursement
The expected base salary range for this position is $119,700-$186,000. This salary range may vary based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, education, and geographic location.
JOB SUMMARY: The Sr. Director, Training & Instructional Design provides strategic leadership for the design, development, delivery, governance, and continuous improvement of training programs supporting WCG ClinSphere™ and its suite of solutions.
This role is responsible for establishing the vision, standards, processes, and priorities for the Product Training & Instructional Design function while ensuring the successful execution of training programs that drive product adoption, client success, operational excellence, and organizational objectives.
The Sr. Director leads and develops a team of instructional design and training professionals, manages a portfolio of training initiatives across multiple product lines, and partners closely with Product Management, Engineering, Client Care, Business Development, Marketing, and Operations to align learning strategies with business goals. The Sr. Director serves as the organization's senior learning consultant and champion for modern learning technologies, methodologies, and performance support solutions.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty and responsibility satisfactorily. The accountabilities listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or ability required.
Strategic Leadership
- Defines and executes the strategic vision, roadmap, and priorities for the Training & Instructional Design function.
- Establishes departmental goals, key performance indicators, and success measures aligned with organizational objectives.
- Develops and maintains scalable training frameworks, standards, methodologies, templates, and governance processes.
- Identifies opportunities to improve learning effectiveness, operational efficiency, and client adoption through innovative learning solutions.
- Maintains awareness of emerging trends, technologies, AI-enabled and machine learning solutions, and industry best practices in learning and development, incorporating them into departmental strategy and ensuring the function is equipped to deliver training for AI-embedded product features as they are released.
- Engages directly with clients and field stakeholders to assess learning needs, evaluate training effectiveness, and incorporate feedback into continuous improvement of training programs.
Team Leadership & Talent Development
- Leads, coaches, mentors, and develops a team of Trainers, Lead Trainers, and Senior Trainers/Instructional Designers.
- Establishes career development pathways, succession planning, and professional development opportunities.
- Conducts performance management activities including goal setting, performance reviews, coaching, and talent assessments.
- Creates a collaborative, high-performing team culture focused on quality, innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Determines staffing needs and participates in recruiting, hiring, onboarding, and retention activities.
Training Program & Portfolio Management
- Oversees the planning, prioritization, and execution of training initiatives across multiple products and business units.
- Ensures training resources are developed, maintained, and delivered according to established quality standards.
- Directs the development of blended learning solutions including instructor-led training, virtual training, eLearning, videos, software documentation, job aids, knowledge bases, and in-application guidance.
- Balances departmental workload, resources, and priorities to meet business commitments and product release timelines.
- Provides executive oversight for large-scale, high-visibility, or enterprise-wide learning initiatives.
- Ensures timely development and delivery of training programs supporting enterprise-wide product migrations and platform onboarding, including WCG ClinSphere™, so that all client and internal users are equipped for successful adoption.
Cross-Functional Partnership
- Serves as the primary training representative to Product Management, Engineering, Operations, Client Care, Marketing, and Business Development leadership.
- Proven learner- and client-centric approach; experience engaging directly with end users and client stakeholders to identify learning needs, product adoption opportunities, and training requirements.
- Influences product launch, change management, onboarding, and client enablement strategies.
- Advises leadership on learning and performance support solutions that improve operational effectiveness and customer outcomes.
- Represents the department in strategic planning discussions and organizational initiatives.
- Partners with Product Management and Engineering to develop training strategies for AI-embedded product features and advanced analytics capabilities, ensuring training assets are complete and available at product launch.
- Supports the development of internal product team capabilities, including frameworks for product value storytelling, client demonstration delivery, and effective customer-facing communication.
Operational Excellence & Quality
- Establishes and maintains quality standards for all training deliverables.
- Implements processes to ensure accuracy, consistency, scalability, and compliance of learning assets.
- Oversees content lifecycle management, including review, maintenance, retirement, and governance activities.
- Develops and monitors departmental metrics related to training effectiveness, utilization, satisfaction, adoption, and business impact.
- Drives continuous improvement initiatives based on data, stakeholder feedback, and performance outcomes.
Learning Technology & Innovation
- Oversees the evaluation, implementation, and optimization of learning technologies and performance support tools.
- Guides departmental use of instructional design tools, content development platforms, learning management systems, knowledge repositories, digital adoption platforms, and AI-enabled solutions.
- Identifies opportunities to leverage automation and emerging technologies to improve productivity and learner experience.
- Leads the implementation and ongoing optimization of digital adoption platform (DAP) solutions, including WalkMe, to deliver in-application guidance, contextual walkthroughs, and just-in-time performance support that accelerates user onboarding and drives product adoption.
- Applies an AI-first approach to learning design and content production, leveraging AI-assisted authoring tools, adaptive learning technologies, and intelligent content generation to scale training delivery, personalize the learner experience, and improve team productivity.
- Other duties as assigned by supervisor. These may, on occasion, be unrelated to the position described here.
EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: Bachelor's degree in Instructional Design, Educational Technology, Organizational Development, Education, Communication, or related field, or equivalent combination of education, skills, and experience.
CERTIFICATIONS/LICENSE/REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS: ATD Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD) or equivalent learning and development credential preferred.
QUALIFICATIONS/EXPERIENCE:
- Minimum of twelve (12) years of progressive experience in training, instructional design, learning and development, or related disciplines.
- Minimum of five (5) years leading teams, programs, or major learning initiatives.
- Demonstrated success developing and executing training strategies that support software products, technology solutions, or regulated environments.
- Strong knowledge of instructional design methodologies, adult learning principles, blended learning approaches, and performance support strategies.
- Experience managing multiple concurrent projects, competing priorities, budgets, and resources.
- Experience within clinical research, healthcare technology, or other regulated industries required.
- Proven ability to build strong cross-functional relationships and influence stakeholders at all organizational levels.
- Experience establishing metrics and evaluating learning effectiveness through data-driven approaches.
- Experience with modern content development, learning management, knowledge management, digital adoption, and learning technologies.
- Hands-on experience implementing and optimizing digital adoption platforms, including WalkMe, to deliver contextual in-application guidance and user onboarding at scale.
- Demonstrated experience applying AI tools and automation to learning design and content development workflows, including AI-assisted authoring, adaptive courseware, or intelligent content generation solutions.
- Exceptional communication, presentation, facilitation, leadership, and organizational skills.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: Overall responsibility of management including direction, coordination, performance, and evaluation of the assigned team and staff. Responsibilities include training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.
TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:
☐ 0% – 5% | ☒ 5% - 10% | ☐ 10% - 20% | ☐ 20% - 50% | ☐ >50%
Physical and Sensory Requirements: The physical and sensory requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be offered to individuals with disabilities to assist in performing the essential functions of the position. Work activities involve light to moderate physical effort (for example, sitting in one place for extended periods of time, standing, walking, bending, lifting lightweight objects, intermittent to sustained periods of keyboarding). Majority of time is spent in a seated position with frequent opportunity to move about at will. Activities require a variety of easy muscle movements. Work activities involve a frequent need to concentrate on a variety of sensory inputs for moderate to lengthy durations at a time requiring diligence and attention to interpret effectively. There will be a need to attend to single or simultaneous tasks where accuracy of details is important. The need for detailed and precise work is high.#LI-Remote
WCG is proud to be an equal opportunity employer – Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment based on merit and without regard to race, color, national origin or ancestry, religion or creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, age, marital status, family or parental status, disability, genetic information, citizenship, veteran status, or any other legally recognized basis or status protected by federal, state, or local law. WCG complies with the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Act and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. We promote a "One WCG" culture where all are welcome, respected, valued, and empowered to make a difference every day to advance clinical research.