Head of Learning & Development, Americas

Location: Lisle, IL
Full Time

Job Title: Head of Learning & Development, Americas

Founded in 1910, KONE is a global leader that provides elevators, escalators and automatic building doors, as well as solutions for maintenance and modernization that add value to buildings throughout their life cycle. Our mission is to improve the flow of urban life and make our world’s cities better places to live by providing innovative solutions that help make people’s journeys safe, convenient and reliable.
Our operations in over 60 countries around the world has helped us achieve our position as an innovation and sustainability leader with repeated recognitions by Forbes, Corporate Knights for clean capitalism and others.  

The Head of Learning & Development, Americas is a strategic leadership role responsible for shaping the learning vision and driving talent development across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This leader will develop and execute innovative learning strategies that build critical capabilities, accelerate performance, and support KONE’s business objectives.

Partnering closely with senior business leaders, HR, and global stakeholders, the Head of L&D will champion a culture of continuous learning while overseeing the design, delivery, and evolution of impactful development programs. Leading regional L&D teams, this individual will drive collaboration, innovation, and alignment across the Americas to ensure employees are equipped to succeed today and in the future.

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree (MBA, Master's, or related field) preferred.
• 10+ years of Learning & Development, Talent Development, Organizational Development, Human Resources, or related experience.
• 5+ years of experience in people leadership and demonstrated success leading teams and achieving results through others.
• Experience developing and implementing enterprise-wide or regional learning strategies.
• Proven experience leading Learning & Development functions within complex, matrixed organizations.
• Experience with learning technologies, Learning Management Systems (LMS), digital learning platforms, and online learning methodologies.
• Strong English verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to travel 10–20%, including occasional international travel

• Leadership & Collaboration
• Business Acumen
• Communication & Influence
• Analytical & Execution Excellence

• Develop and execute the Americas Learning & Development strategy aligned with business objectives and global learning priorities.
• Build and sustain a strong learning culture that promotes continuous development, growth, and career advancement.
• Define regional and local competence development priorities in partnership with HR and business leaders.
• Develop and implement learning frameworks, governance processes, and standards that support organizational capability development.
• Ensure learning initiatives support current and future workforce needs and talent strategies.

• Lead the design, deployment, maintenance, and continuous improvement of learning solutions across the Americas.
• Drive innovation through online learning solutions, learning technologies, digital learning platforms, and modern learning methodologies.
• Oversee the delivery of global and local training programs based on approved budgets, organizational guidelines, and strategic priorities.
• Support learning design project portfolio governance to ensure learning solutions align with key business priorities and goals.
• Serve as a facilitator, trainer, or presenter for selected leadership, professional development, and business-critical programs and workshops.
• Ensure all learning programs deliver measurable business impact and support employee development goals.

• Partner closely with business and HR leaders to identify capability gaps and develop targeted learning solutions.
• Build local training plans in collaboration with HR, business leadership, and Area L&D teams.
• Ensure effective utilization of global learning processes, including:
  • Competence development
  • Professional competency frameworks
  • Leadership competency models
  • Training development processes
  • Learning delivery and administration practices
• Help business leaders establish meaningful KPIs, learning targets, and success metrics for training programs.
• Align learning and competence development initiatives with both short-term business objectives and long-term workforce requirements.
• Act as a trusted advisor to leaders on organizational capability development and workforce readiness.

• Lead, direct, coach, and develop a team of Learning & Development professionals across the Americas region.
• Build a high-performing, collaborative, and customer-focused team culture.
• Ensure team members possess the skills, capabilities, and resources needed to deliver high-quality learning services.
• Drive collaboration and best-practice sharing across teams in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
• Foster employee engagement, accountability, and continuous improvement within the L&D function.

• Develop and manage the annual Americas Learning & Development Center of Excellence (CoE) budget in accordance with global and local budgeting guidelines.
• Monitor resource allocation and learning investments to maximize organizational impact and return on investment.
• Measure learning effectiveness through analytics, reporting, and business performance indicators.
• Ensure effective governance, administration, and operational excellence across all learning initiatives.

• Multi-country leadership experience across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
• Experience leading a Learning & Development Center of Excellence (CoE).
• Organizational Development and Change Management expertise.
• Experience within industrial, manufacturing, engineering, construction, field service, or similarly complex operational environments.
• Advanced knowledge of learning analytics, capability planning, and workforce development.

At KONE, we foster an innovative and collaborative culture, valuing each individual's contribution. Employee engagement and sustainability are key focuses, promoting ethical practices and mutual respect. We're proud to offer experience and opportunities to help you achieve career and personal goals while maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

We hire individuals who value culture because we believe culture drives innovation

• We value your authentic self. 
• Collaborative, creative, and supportive work environment.
• Passionate about safety, quality, and innovation 
• We care about the communities where we live and work. 

The national hiring range for this role is $196,600 – $258,090. The compensation package offered will depend on candidate’s ability to meet the requirements of the role, needs for the business strategy, and a range of factors unique to each candidate, including their skill set, years and depth of experience, certifications, and location.