Learning & Development Specialist

Learning & Development Specialist

Are you a person of compassion? An advocate for justice? Someone who stands up for the rights of the vulnerable and speaks out for the marginalized, the exploited and the forgotten? Do you believe in our calling as Christians to welcome the least of these and love our neighbor?

If you answered 'yes', to any of the above, World Relief, and millions of people around the world need you.

At this pivotal moment in time, we are rapidly expanding and growing our team to meet the increasing needs of our world. We are looking for people who want to use their gifts and talents to make a real and tangible difference in our world and the lives of the suffering.

If you're looking for a purpose-driven career in which you can grow your talents, while also standing up for the rights of the vulnerable, we want you to join us today.

World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization whose mission is to boldly engage the world's greatest crises in partnership with the church. The organization was founded in the aftermath of World War II to respond to the urgent humanitarian needs of war-torn Europe. Since then, for 80 years, across 100 countries, World Relief has partnered with local churches and communities to build a world where families thrive and communities flourish.

Today, organizational programming focuses on humanitarian and disaster response, community strengthening and resilience, and refugee & immigrant services and advocacy.

World Relief is seeking a Learning & Development Specialist, an innovative and caring professional to guide & implement our efforts to support staff in our Chicagoland offices. These offices have key human capital goals related to recruitment, onboarding & training, professional development, and cultural intelligence. This role will champion our strategic goals and support our diverse staff team of 200+ by providing the resources, opportunities and support structures needed to work effectively and sustainably, and to thrive as whole persons.

This is a part-time, hybrid position (32 hours per week); remote work alongside in-person attendance required for trainings and events. The position is primarily based out of one office, with flexibility to work from all three Chicagoland locations as needed.

Role & Responsibilities:

Learning Strategy & Design

• Develop and coordinate an annual all-staff learning plan for Chicagoland staff and managers in collaboration with the Senior Director of Programs, Home Office (Human Resources (HOHR), and local stakeholders.
• Collaborate with managers to assess individual strengths and skill gaps, recommending tailored learning and development opportunities that support employee growth, career progression, and evolving role expectations.
• Support work groups that are designing or providing input on training needs and learning initiatives.

Training Delivery, Evaluation & Learning Transfer

• Implement all-staff training opportunities and program-specific training opportunities through curating a diverse list of providers, instructional design, coordinating logistics, and holding follow-up debriefs.
• Track and communicate training delivery and participation and evaluate learning outcomes by partnering with managers and staff to ensure new skills are practiced, reinforced through feedback, and translated into meaningful workplace impact.
• Support the rollout of mandatory training sessions (e.g., PSEAH, Non-Harassment) led by HOHR.

Learning Resources & Platforms

• Create and evolve "how-to" guides for common workplace tasks, ensuring training is aligned with change management efforts by supporting staff learning needs during periods of transformation, system adoption, and strategic realignment.
• Support other specialists in developing effective guides for their teams.
• Modify and maintain the Chicagoland Employee Resources pages and all related training links, ensuring ease of access to key all-staff documents for Chicagoland SharePoint pages.
• Manage relationships with external learning platforms (e.g., LinkedIn Learning) and external leadership coaches, and track & encourage staff engagement.

Staff Meetings & Events

• Plan and facilitate monthly staff meetings to ensure they are an effective use of time, build culture, and strengthen unity as a Chicagoland region.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to ensure events are inclusive, mission-aligned, and logistically sound.
• Lead the planning and implementation of annual staff events (e.g. summer picnic and Christmas parties), working closely with a planning team.

Job Requirements:

• Mature and personal Christian faith
• Committed to the mission, vision, and values of World Relief
• Desire to serve and empower the Church to impact vulnerable communities
• Able to affirm and/or acknowledge World Reliefs Core Beliefs, Statement of Faith, Christian Identity and National Association of Evangelicals' For the Health of The Nation document
• 2+ years of experience in training coordination or Adult Education.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Detail-oriented with strong follow-through and accountability.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Familiarity with online learning platforms and HR compliance training.
• Ability to collaborate across departments and with external vendors and partners.
• Familiarity with SharePoint page design and/or demonstrated ability to learn new systems quickly.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse groups, demonstrating cultural competence, inclusivity, and a commitment to ongoing learning.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in nonprofit or mission-driven organizations.
• Knowledge of instructional design and adult learning principles.
• Ability to evaluate training effectiveness and support learning transfer through feedback and practice.
• Creative, resourceful, and adaptable in navigating evolving needs and constraints.
• Energized by building community and supporting staff growth and development.

$28.41 - $33.40 an hour

World Relief offers a competitive benefits package and employee discount program part-time employees (working 25+ hours per week).

World Relief is honored to be recognized with the Gold-level Cigna Healthy Workforce Designation for exceeding the core components of our well-being program including leadership and culture, program foundations and execution, and whole person health.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing.

For World Relief staff, strong commitment to the mission, vision, and values of World Relief is essential, and Christian faith is a prerequisite for employment, based upon United States federal guidelines provided in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.