Director, Learning Strategy

Job Title: Director, Learning Strategy

Location: Bethesda, Maryland (Remote)

Reports To: Chief Education Officer and Senior VP, Health Center Operations and Governance

FLSA Status: Exempt

About NACHC:

Founded in 1971, the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) serves as the leading voice for America’s Health Centers and the people and communities they serve. NACHC works to promote the provision of high-quality, affordable, community-based health care to everyone, particularly to underserved populations.

Position Summary

The Director, Learning Strategy sets and drives an enterprise-wide approach to learning and education for the Community Health Center (CHC) field, with a focus on the Health Center Operations and Governance (HCOG) functional area of NACHC, which is NACHC’s lead unit for education, practice and overall training and technical assistance to the CHC sector. The Director must be a strategic thinker, able to critically analyze, and be solutions-oriented, data-driven, and interpersonally able to thrive in a team-based, fast-paced environment. The Director works in close coordination and collaboration with the Chief Education Officer, ensuring alignment on vision, strategic implementation, demonstrable progress, and results.

The Director, Learning Strategy translates field, or sector, learning needs and organizational priorities into a coordinated strategy and unified learning agenda, including both learning/training industry technical expertise (e.g. incorporation of technology, systems, adult instructional design, delivery modalities) and field-specific content, engagement and competencies unique to the CHC learners and customers. The Director oversees staff who each lead core training pillars (e.g. Needs Assessment & Evaluation, Curriculum Development & Instructional Design). The Director leads the HCOG and NACHC cross-cutting work of aligning priority content with emerging field needs and organizational pivots. The Director operates at both the strategic level (partnering with senior leadership, funders, peers and subject-matter experts) and the operational level ensuring the core training and learning pillars function as one integrated system and approach in HCOG, and in support of other NACHC units integration or implementation of learning programs.

Key Responsibilities

1. Lead the design, development, and implementation of a learning and development approach focused on education and practice (historically referred to as training and technical assistance)

• Craft and guide the overall vision, strategy, and roadmap for NACHC's learning function, ensuring that HCOG and other NACHC functional areas are aligned, collaborating and supported in learning endeavors.
• Update and maintain design, production and quality standards for various offering types, and support internal education and standardization.
• Continuously assess and scan the learning/training industry and overall CHC environment to identify trends in the field, innovations, and related approaches to executive, emerging executive, and board development that would inform NACHC’s enterprise-wide learning strategy.
• Serve as the primary voice for NACHC’s learning strategy with senior leadership, in cross-functional conversations, HCOG content collaboration and external partners and stakeholders, as appropriate.

1. Demonstrate sound decision-making and business acumen to optimize organizational impact of NACHC’s training and technical assistance.

• Translate learning strategy into business terms: cost per learner, return on training investment, workforce retention/competency impact for senior leadership and funders.
• Align learning strategy to NACHC's broader strategic plan, grant/funder deliverables, and the evolving policy environment affecting Community Health Centers.
• Identify and pursue new funding, partnership, sponsorship, or earned-revenue opportunities that expand or sustain the learning portfolio.
• Oversee the learning function's budget, staffing plan, and support vendor/technology investment decisions in partnership with the Chief Education Officer, NACHC IT team, and senior leadership.
• Inform the overall financial performance of the learning portfolio, contributing to program pricing and revenue targets for certificate, credentialed, and other training offerings or new products and services to grow non-dues revenue while managing program costs against budget.

1. Contribute to daily business operations and financial stewardship for NACHC through project management for assigned portfolio.

• Lead grant proposal and budget development for area of focus in coordination with NACHC colleagues and in alignment with internal processes and funder requirements.
• Manage the deliverable milestone and budgets for grants related to area of focus.
• Participate in the development of RFP/RFI and other relevant applications for vendor selection (e.g., executive advisors, mentors, etc.) development and review applications when appropriate or required.
• Support the expansion and enhancement of NACHC’s vendor pool in bringing relevant content and design to TTA programs on [insert topics/audiences].
• Provide oversight of contracting, invoicing and expenses management, and workflow for assigned area of focus.
• Fulfill reporting requirements as designated by funders, sponsors, etc..
• Provide supervision of external consultants.
• Oversee processes for selecting, onboarding, preparing and overseeing faculty, mentors, advisors in alignment with standard operating procedures.

1. Lead and support cross-functional strategies and initiatives necessary to execute the learning function.

• Lead HCOG content collaboration and its integration with other functional areas’ expertise to ensure comprehensive offerings to learners appropriate to tenure, experience and competency level
• Lead enterprise-wide internal Learning and Professional Development workgroup, to bring together representatives from all NACHC functional areas to advance dialogue, innovations and standardization consistent with NACHC vision, mission, strategic priorities, performance goals and operational frameworks.
• Inform and contribute to enterprise Learning Management System (LMS) and other learning technology decisions through field research, product demos, and vendor discussions, in close coordination and leadership with NACHC”s internal Operations team.
• Work in close collaboration with the NACHC IT team to ensure organizational alignment for learning hardware and software decisions.
• Work in close collaboration with NACHC’s Accreditation Manager to align continuing education credit compliance and administration.
• Work in close collaboration with NACHC’s Communications Team to ensure participant recruitment and enrollment goals and marketing approaches are considered in the overall NACHC Learning Strategy.

1. Provide overall adult education & learning design oversight.

• Ensure all content and delivery decisions reflect sound adult learning principles (e.g., andragogy, competency-based design, learning transfer, accessibility) and align with Design Standards.
• Set enterprise Design Standards for instructional quality, facilitator/faculty/SME development, and content review across all learning products.
• Champion innovation in development and delivery, such as piloting new modalities, technologies, artificial intelligence tools, and formats while safeguarding instructional integrity and measurable impact.

1. Supervise and guide direct reports and engage as a member of the HCOG functional area supervisory team.

• Build an exceptional team who sets, monitors, adjusts and accomplishes goals and objectives in a measurable manner.
• Formulate plans, coordinate work, and ensure effective project accomplishment.

Contribute to NACHC’s overall programming and strategic objectives.

• Lead and/or contribute to NACHC Conference Program planning and delivery when appropriate and approved by supervisor.
• Staff and support Member Engagement Groups as assigned.
• Serve on cross-functional teams as appropriate

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree
• 10+ years of progressive experience in learning & development, workforce or other relevant education, or training strategy, including at least 5 years in a leadership role managing a team.
• Demonstrated experience overseeing multiple, interdependent functions (e.g., needs assessment, content development, instructional design, delivery/technology, and evaluation) as a unified strategy.
• Experience standing up or restructuring a learning strategy in alignment with the overarching enterprise strategic plan, and the integration of cross-functional teams.
• Track record of managing learning technology platforms (LMS and adjacent educational technology) and vendor relationships at scale.
• Experience in nonprofit, national membership association, healthcare, public health, or workforce development settings strongly preferred; familiarity with Community Health Centers or FQHCs a plus.
• Relevant certifications (e.g., CPLP, PMP, evaluation/data analytics credentials) a plus
• 10% travel to NACHC conferences, events, and required meetings

Key Skills and Competencies

• Proven ability to lead through others — setting direction and holding accountability rather than working solely as an individual contributor.
• Skilled at building integrated systems; comfortable being the connective layer across data, delivery, evaluation, and content teams.
• Strong executive presence and communication skills; able to represent the learning function credibly with the senior leadership team, funders, and external partners.
• Sound judgment under ambiguity and time pressure, particularly when leading rapid content pivots to match emerging health center needs.
• Working knowledge of budgeting, grant/funder reporting requirements, and ROI/impact measurement for training investments.
• Ability to connect learning strategy to organizational mission, funder priorities, and field-level policy dynamics affecting Community Health Centers.
• Deep grounding in adult learning theory, instructional design methodologies, and competency-based education models.
• Fluency in blended and multi-modal delivery design (live virtual, self-paced, in-person, mobile/micro-learning, communities of practice, etc.).
• Working knowledge of learning evaluation frameworks (e.g., Kirkpatrick, Phillips ROI, or comparable) and how to apply them at an enterprise level.
• Understanding of learning analytics and how data should inform content, delivery, and prioritization decisions.

Why Join NACHC?

At NACHC, you’ll be part of a dedicated and collaborative team working to improve the health and well-being of communities nationwide. We offer competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and opportunities for growth in a purpose-driven organization.

Salary: $137,000 - $178,000

At NACHC, you’ll be part of a dedicated and collaborative team working to improve the health and well-being of communities nationwide. We offer competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and opportunities for growth in a purpose-driven organization.