Manager, Learning & Professional Development

Join Goodwin’s Global Operations Team, and make a real impact on a global scale. At Goodwin, we work with some of the world’s most successful and innovative investors, entrepreneurs and disruptors in the life sciences, private equity, real estate, technology and financial industries, and where they converge. As part of the Global Operations Team – all business professionals at the firm – you’ll collaborate with colleagues from varied backgrounds and experiences, fostering an environment where cross-functional learning, networking, and collaboration are at the core of what we do.

Here, we’re not just supporting a law firm; we’re partnering with attorneys and clients to deliver cutting-edge solutions in high-stakes litigation and dispute resolution, world-class regulatory compliance and advisory services, and complex transactions. Our commitment to integrity, ingenuity, agility, and ambition drives us, and we’re proud to have been recognised as the “Best Business Team” by The American Lawyer.

This is your opportunity to grow professionally in a dynamic, global environment, surrounded by forward-thinking peers.

Goodwin is seeking a creative, collaborative, and solutions-oriented Manager to join the Learning + Professional Development team. Reporting to the Director of Learning + Professional Development, the Manager will lead the design, development, and delivery of professional skills, leadership development, and career development programs for the firm's professional staff and lawyers, with select programming for clients.

The Manager will serve as a strategic partner to Practice Groups, Industry Groups, and GO Team departments, translating business and talent needs into practical, engaging, and scalable learning and development solutions. This role requires expertise in instructional design, facilitation, stakeholder consultation, career development, program management, learning technology, and adult learning methodologies. The ideal candidate brings a passion for developing talent, advancing professional growth, and creating meaningful learning experiences within a professional services environment.

What You Will Do

Learning Strategy, Career Development, and Stakeholder Partnership

• Partner with the Director to develop and execute a comprehensive professional skills, leadership development, and career development strategy for professional staff and lawyers.

• Serve as a strategic learning and talent development advisor to one or more Practice Groups and GO Team departments, identifying development needs and recommending solutions aligned with business and talent priorities.

• Build trusted relationships with firm leaders, subject matter experts, and stakeholders to ensure learning and development initiatives address evolving organizational needs.

• Consult with stakeholders on competencies, career pathways, development planning, leadership readiness, and growth opportunities.

• Partner with stakeholders to develop career development strategies that support professional growth, internal mobility, succession readiness, and leadership pipelines.

• Collaborate with partners and GO Team leaders to develop and deliver select learning offerings for firm clients.

• Provide strategic consultation on talent development initiatives that enhance individual, team, and organizational effectiveness.

Program Design, Curriculum Development, and Learning Pathways

• Lead the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of professional skills, leadership development, and career development programs, curricula, frameworks, and learning pathways.

• Apply adult learning principles, instructional design best practices, and inclusive learning methodologies to create engaging and effective learning experiences.

• Develop learning objectives, facilitator guides, participant materials, assessments, reinforcement tools, and related program resources.

• Design and manage customized learning pathways aligned with the firm's performance and career development frameworks using LinkedIn Learning and other internal and external resources.

• Develop career development resources, tools, and programming that help employees navigate career progression, build critical skills, and prepare for future opportunities.

• Partner with internal stakeholders and external vendors to create high-quality learning experiences in areas such as communication, leadership, collaboration, influence, feedback, business development, project management, and other critical professional skills.

Facilitation and Program Delivery

• Facilitate engaging and impactful learning experiences for professional staff, lawyers, and firm leaders through in-person, virtual, and hybrid formats.

• Lead and support key firmwide initiatives, including onboarding and integration programs, professional skills curricula, manager development programs, leadership development programs, and the Emerging Leaders initiative.

• Facilitate career development workshops and programs focused on career planning, professional growth, leadership readiness, and advancement within the firm.

• Prepare and coach internal instructors, subject matter experts, and firm leaders serving as program faculty.

• Ensure programs are delivered consistently and effectively across U.S. offices and, as appropriate, global audiences.

• Collaborate with colleagues across Talent and other firm functions to deliver seamless learning experiences and achieve shared talent development goals.

Learning Technology, Measurement, and Continuous Improvement

• Leverage learning technologies and digital resources to enhance engagement, accessibility, scalability, and learner outcomes.

• Stay current on emerging learning technologies, instructional design practices, industry trends, and responsible applications of AI in learning and development.

• Establish program success metrics and evaluate learning and career development initiatives through participant feedback, utilization data, and other available measures.

• Analyze outcomes and recommend improvements that strengthen participant engagement, skill development, career progression, and retention.

• Support the ongoing enhancement of the firm's Learning Management System (LMS) and other learning platforms.

• Identify opportunities to standardize, scale, and improve learning and development processes while maintaining a high-quality participant experience.

People and Program Management

• Supervise, coach, and develop at least one direct report responsible for the administrative and logistical support of learning programs.

• Establish clear priorities, expectations, and development plans while fostering an inclusive, collaborative, and high-performing team environment.

• Manage multiple concurrent projects from concept through execution, including timelines, communications, stakeholders, budgets, risks, and deliverables.

• Effectively prioritize competing demands while maintaining exceptional quality, responsiveness, and stakeholder service.

• Provide ongoing coaching, feedback, and development support to direct reports and project team members.

Additional Responsibilities

• Contribute to departmental and firmwide strategic initiatives as assigned.

• Identify opportunities to strengthen talent pipelines, enhance employee development, and improve the overall learning and career development experience.

• Perform other duties and special projects as needed in support of the firm's learning, professional development, and talent development objectives.

Who You Are

• Bachelor's degree required.

• Minimum of five years of experience in learning and development, talent development, career development, organizational development, attorney development, or a related field.

• Demonstrated experience designing, delivering, and evaluating professional sk