Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq ARWR) is a commercial stage biopharmaceutical company that develops medicines that treat intractable diseases by silencing the genes that cause them. Using a broad portfolio of RNA chemistries and efficient modes of delivery, Arrowhead therapies trigger the RNA interference mechanism to induce rapid, deep, and durable knockdown of target genes. RNA interference, or RNAi, is a mechanism present in living cells that inhibits the expression of a specific gene, thereby affecting the production of a specific protein. Arrowhead’s RNAi-based therapeutics leverage this natural pathway of gene silencing.
Arrowhead is focused on developing innovative drugs for diseases with a genetic basis, typically characterized by the overproduction of one or more proteins that are involved with disease. The depth and versatility of our RNAi technologies enables us to potentially address conditions in virtually any therapeutic area and pursue disease targets that are not otherwise addressable by small molecules and biologics. Arrowhead is leading the field in bringing the promise of RNAi to address diseases outside of the liver, and our clinical pipeline includes disease targets in the liver and lung with a promising pipeline of preclinical candidates.
Arrowhead’s corporate headquarters is in Pasadena, CA with research and development teams in Madison, WI & San Diego, CA, and a state of the art manufacturing facility in Verona, WI. Our employees are nimble, science-driven innovators who are collaborating to bring new therapies to patients in need.
The Position
The Director of Organizational Learning & Development is responsible for designing, implementing, and overseeing the company's enterprise-wide training and development strategy. This role ensures employees across R&D, Manufacturing, Quality, Regulatory Affairs, and Commercial functions are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to perform their roles safely, compliantly, and effectively. The Director will partner closely with senior leadership, Quality Assurance, and Regulatory teams to build a culture of continuous learning that supports GxP compliance, operational excellence, and organizational growth.
This is a full-time, on-site position that may be based in Pasadena, CA or Verona, WI.
Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
- Develop and execute a comprehensive training strategy aligned with business goals, regulatory requirements, and organizational growth plans.
- Establish training KPIs and metrics to measure program effectiveness, compliance rates, and business impact.
Program Design & Development
- Lead the design of onboarding, technical/scientific, leadership development, and soft-skills training programs.
- Develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) and work instructions related to training processes.
- Collaborate with subject matter experts (SMEs) across departments (Manufacturing, QC/QA, R&D, Regulatory) to create accurate, role-specific training content.
- Evaluate and implement innovative training methodologies (e-learning, simulation, hands-on/practical training, virtual reality for cleanroom/lab procedures, etc.).
Regulatory & Compliance Training
- Collaborate with Quality team on design and delivery of GxP training programs (GMP, GLP, GCP, GDP) to ensure compliance with FDA, EMA, and other global regulatory requirements.
- Partner with Quality, Compliance & Regulatory leadership to identify capability, engagement, career development, and team effectiveness needs and prioritize targeted improvement opportunities.
- Work with leaders throughout the organization to identify required training for various roles as part of new employee onboarding.
- Ensure timely completion of role-based training curricula and manage training compliance tracking within the Learning Management System (LMS).
- Support CAPA (Corrective and Preventive Action) investigations related to training gaps or deviations.
Team & Stakeholder Management
- Manage relationships with external training vendors, consultants, and certification bodies.
- Act as the primary point of contact for training-related inquiries during internal audits and regulatory inspections.
- Manage external vendors, contractors, or platforms used to develop training content (i.e.., Articulate 360)
Systems & Continuous Improvement
- Continuously assess training needs through gap analyses, employee feedback, and audit findings.
- Benchmark against industry best practices to keep programs current with evolving biotech/pharma standards.
Key Competencies
- Strategic thinking with hands-on execution capability
- Strong regulatory and compliance acumen
- Leadership and team development
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Project management and organizational skills
- Adaptability in a fast-paced, evolving industry
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences, Education, Organizational Development, Human Resources, or related field.
- 8+ years of experience in training and development, with at least 3–5 years in a leadership role within biotech, pharmaceutical, or medical device industries.
- Excellent instructional design, facilitation, and communication skills.
- Strong working knowledge of GxP regulations (GMP, GLP, GCP) and FDA/EMA compliance requirements.
- Demonstrated experience designing and managing enterprise-wide training programs and LMS platforms (e.g., Veeva Vault Training, Cornerstone, SuccessFactors).
- Proven track record of leading teams and managing cross-functional stakeholder relationships.
- Experience supporting regulatory inspections/audits from a training compliance perspective.
Preferred
- Master's Degree or PhD degree in a relevant field.
- Certification in instructional design (e.g., CPTD, ATD certification) or quality systems (e.g., ASQ CQA).
- Experience in a manufacturing/GMP production environment.
- Familiarity with adult learning theory and competency-based training models.
- Experience with data analytics tools for training effectiveness reporting.
Arrowhead provides competitive salaries and an excellent benefit package.
Candidates must have current, valid authorization to work in the country where this role is located.
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Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences, Education, Organizational Development, Human Resources, or related field
- 8+ years of experience in training and development
- 3-5 years in a leadership role within biotech, pharmaceutical, or medical device industries
- Strong working knowledge of GxP regulations (GMP, GLP, GCP) and FDA/EMA compliance requirements
- Experience designing and managing enterprise-wide training programs and LMS platforms (e.g., Veeva Vault Training, Cornerstone, SuccessFactors)
- Proven track record of leading teams and managing cross-functional stakeholder relationships
- Excellent instructional design, facilitation, and communication skills
- Experience supporting regulatory inspections/audits from a training compliance perspective
- Master's Degree or PhD in a relevant field
- Certification in instructional design (e.g., CPTD, ATD) or quality systems (e.g., ASQ CQA)
- Experience in a manufacturing/GMP production environment
- Familiarity with adult learning theory and competency-based training models
- Experience with data analytics tools for training effectiveness reporting
- Current, valid authorization to work in the country where the role is located
What We Do
Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals is a clinical stage, Nasdaq listed (ticker ARWR) company developing medicines that treat intractable diseases by silencing the genes that cause them. Using a broad portfolio of RNA chemistries and efficient modes of delivery, our therapies trigger the RNA interference mechanism to induce rapid, deep and durable knockdown of target genes. RNA interference, or RNAi, is a mechanism present in living cells that inhibits the expression of a specific gene, thereby affecting the production of a specific protein. Our RNAi-based therapeutics are at the leading edge of genetic-based therapy with the potential to bring life changing treatments for patients. Our Targeted RNAi Molecule (TRiMTM) platform utilizes ligand-mediated delivery and is designed to enable tissue-specific targeting while being structurally simple. The TRiM platform builds on more than a decade of work on actively targeted drug delivery and offers several advantages including simplified manufacturing and reduced costs; multiple routes of administration; and potential for improved safety. Our employees are nimble, science-driven, and innovative professionals. A career at Arrowhead offers the opportunity to collaborate with top notch scientists to rapidly discover and develop RNAi-based therapeutics to add to our growing pipeline. Research and development activities are located in Madison, WI. Our R&D group includes fully-integrated capabilities for chemistry, biology, and toxicology. Madison is an exciting and sophisticated city that includes state government, the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin, and major research organizations. Our HQ, clinical and regulatory operations are located in Pasadena, CA. Just north of Los Angeles and resting in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, Pasadena is known for its natural scenic beauty, vibrant cultural and academic environment and rich architectural setting.
