Senior Director, Learning & Development

Fasken is a leading international business law and litigation firm. Our firm’s 950 lawyers are located across offices in Vancouver, Surrey, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, Montréal, Québec City, London, Johannesburg and an office in the professional and retail district known as Taza (/Ta-Zah/) on Tsuut’ina lands. Providing strategic and thoughtful advice in all areas of business law, our broad range of clients include close to half of the Fortune 100 companies, as well as corporate clients, government agencies, regulatory authorities, non-profit bodies and individuals. Our clients' interests are paramount in all that we do and we take pride in supporting our communities. We are a place where bright, talented, and collegial people want to work together and we work hard together to achieve our goals in a collaborative and efficient way.

Senior Director, Learning & Development (Toronto, Calgary, Tsuut'ina, Vancouver, Montréal)

We are seeking a talented and experienced Senior Director, Learning and Development to join our firm-wide team at Fasken. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in designing and implementing lawyer and legal professional training and professional development programs, with a passion for innovation and leveraging technology platforms to enhance learning outcomes.

Reporting directly to Fasken’s Chief People Officer, this position is a progressive opportunity for a creative and forward thinker interested in combining legal knowledge, learning and development strategies, and people management.

This position can be located in any of Fasken’s Canadian Offices.

Responsibilities

• Designing and delivering regional and firm-wide professional development training programs for legal professionals in our BC, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec Regions, and our London and Johannesburg offices.
• Work closely with senior leadership in setting learning goals that support the achievement of Fasken’s strategic business objectives.
• Design and implement strategic programs and initiatives to effect organizational change within Fasken with the goal of improving performance, culture and learning of the firm.
• Lead a national team of in-house Learning & Development professionals.
• Build out learning journeys and design and deliver professional skills programs customized for Fasken’s legal professionals, summer articling students, articling students, paralegals, and associates to partners.
• Build out learning journeys for all Firm members, including legal assistants, marketing and business development, finance and IT professionals.
• Design and deliver training programs on professional wellness and stress management.
• Design and deliver training programs on equity, diversity and inclusion.
• Coach legal professionals on professional administration, leadership and communication skills.
• Speak at and participate in relevant industry conferences, discussion panels, and professional development community events.
• Collaborate with lawyers and legal teams to identify opportunities for implementing technology solutions to enhance efficiency and effectiveness of learning.
• Work closely with Knowledge and Practice Innovation lawyers to leverage their knowledge and platforms for legal professional learning.
• Participate in analysis, requirements of our learning systems and outcomes and implement training to meet new and existing learning goals of the Firm.
• Assess learning strategies and tools to ensure they are meeting the intended objectives and make necessary adjustments or recommendations for improvement as needed.
• Manage vendor relationships, including negotiating contracts with trainers, overseeing service level agreements, and ensuring vendors deliver high-quality training and services that meet the firm's needs and standards.
• Lead change management efforts to ensure successful adoption of legal learning strategies, including developing training programs, communicating benefits to stakeholders, and addressing any resistance or barriers to adoption.
• Stay current on emerging legal learning trends, and assess their potential use and impact on the Firm.
• Work collaboratively with key stakeholders on all aspects of legal skills training.

Required Experience

• Fifteen (15) or more years of experience in a corporate legal setting at a leading law firm.
• Ten (10) or more years of experience leading legal learning and development programs at a large law firm, with a strong understanding and experience applying technical solutions to standardize learning.
• Highly skilled in planning and executing learning and development programs. Strong experience with Instructional Design.
• Experience facilitating small and large group meetings, training and working sessions.

Qualifications

• LL.B, B.CL or J.D. is required.
• Change management designation is an asset.
• Must be a member in good standing with the Law Society of Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario or the Barreau du Quebec.
• Excellent analytical skills and the ability to use logic to solve complex problems.
• Exceptional PowerPoint, storytelling, and communication skills (including facilitation in remote / virtual models).
• Thirst for knowledge and inspiring continuous learning.
• Strong communication skills combined with excellent organizational skills, and rigorous attention to detail.
• Fluency in both English and French would be an asset.
• Ability to balance competing demands, demonstrated good business judgment, and experience working effectively both independently and as part of a team.
• Curiosity and a growth mindset, with a strong interest in evolving best practices in legal and knowledge industries and staying current on emerging legal technologies and trends.
• Strong strategic thinking and analysis skills, including the ability to bring strategy to execution.
• People and project management skills and experience.

Why Work With Us

Fasken is dedicated to rewarding your contributions and encouraging your professional development. We offer a comprehensive salary and benefits package that is very competitive, together with opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Diversity and Inclusion

At Fasken, we believe a diverse workplace comprises individuals with unique backgrounds, characteristics and qualities. An inclusive workplace creates an equitable environment where individuals are respected and where they are welcome. Fasken is committed to diversity and inclusion in all that we do.

Accessibility and Accommodation

It is important to our Firm that all its members, including those with disabilities, find our workplace to be welcoming and supportive. Reasonable accommodations are available on request for candidates with disabilities taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

Background and Reference Checks

Any offer of employment may be conditional upon full background checks including a criminal record check, a credit check, employment and educational verification.

Compensation

The salary range for this position is $200,000 to $250,000 annually; the base pay offered may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, internal and market equity.

Your Application

We appreciate hearing from all qualified candidates; however, only those applicants whose background and experience match our requirements will be contacted. You can submit your application to Alison Cowan through the Fasken Careers Page.