Learning & Development Director

Building a Brand Starts with a Story

FIRST is a leading global brand experience agency providing Content, Creative, Digital Technology, Management & Delivery, and Data & Insights services. For 30 years, we have utilized three flexible delivery models: Embedded teams, Corporate Campus operations, and a Full-Service Agency.

Managing over 37,000 events & projects annually across 110 countries, FIRST serves 130+ brands, specializing in Fortune 500 companies within the Financial Services, Technology, Healthcare, Media, and Professional Services sectors. FIRST is part of the broader Encore family of companies. Encore is a global leader in event production and technology.

Consistently recognized for excellence, recent honors include 2026 Chief Marketer Agency of the Year, the Ad Net Zero Award for sustainability, and more.

Location: New York.  This is a hybrid role, must live in the NY tri state area and be able to go into office.

Learn more at www.firstagency.com

What You Would Get To Do

The Director, Learning & Development leads the execution of FIRST's global learning strategy by designing and delivering programs that build organizational capability, strengthen leadership effectiveness, and support employee growth. The role partners closely with business leaders and People & Culture to identify development needs, implement scalable learning solutions, and foster a culture of continuous learning. In addition, the role supports enterprise talent management initiatives by contributing to career development, succession planning, and leadership pipeline readiness to ensure the organization is equipped with the capabilities required for future success.

Your Contributions

Direction

• Lead the execution and continuous evolution of FIRST's global Learning & Development strategy, ensuring alignment with business priorities and People & Culture objectives
• Partner with business leaders and People Business Partners to identify capability gaps and develop learning solutions that support organizational performance and employee growth
• Develop and maintain a global learning roadmap that supports leadership development, professional development, onboarding, compliance, and commercial capability
• Support enterprise talent management by advancing career development, succession planning, leadership readiness, and internal mobility
• Champion a culture of continuous learning by promoting development opportunities that strengthen employee engagement, performance, and career growth