Who We Are:
Since 1906, New Balance has empowered people through sport and craftsmanship to create positive change in communities around the world. We innovate fearlessly, guided by our core values and driven by the belief that conventions were meant to be challenged. We foster a culture in which every associate feels welcomed and respected, where leaders and creatives are inspired to shape the world of tomorrow by taking bold action today.
JOB MISSION:
A strategic business partnering role combining organisational capability development, leadership advisory and talent development expertise. The Head of Talent Development acts as a trusted partner to the EMEA Senior Leadership Team, Senior HR Business Partners and business leaders to build organisational capability, strengthen leadership effectiveness and ensure the region has the talent required to deliver current and future business objectives.
The position has a matrix reporting to the Global Talent Centre of Excellence and leverages global talent strategy, programs and frameworks to advance the regional business strategy. The role combines strategic consultation and talent planning alongside dynamic delivery of high-impact development initiatives that enable performance, bench strength development and long-term organisational growth.
MAJOR ACCOUNTABILITIES:
Strategic Leadership Partnership
Partner directly with EMEA Senior Leadership Team members to identify organisational capability requirements and develop strategies that strengthen leadership effectiveness, business performance and future readiness.
Act as a trusted advisor and consultant to senior leaders on leadership, talent, team effectiveness, organisational development and change initiatives.
Facilitate leadership discussions and talent reviews that drive organisational performance and strengthen talent pipelines across critical roles.
COE Partnership
Develop strong connections, provide input and work closely with the Global Talent COE to align strategies; utilizing/leveraging resources which maximise impact within the EMEA region and ensure regional needs are recognized and considered in global programmes.
Share best practice with Talent Development Partners from other regions.
Executive Advisory
Provide advisory and development support to Senior Leadership Team members and senior managers to enhance leadership capability, performance and organisational impact.
Support leaders in navigating organisational change, leading high-performing teams and fostering an inclusive culture.
Talent Leadership
Partner with Senior HR Business Partners and business leaders to drive talent review, planning and key talent development processes.
Analyse talent and organisational data to identify capability gaps, talent risks and future workforce requirements, providing recommendations to senior stakeholders.
Lead regional talent discussions to ensure strong succession pipelines for business-critical positions.
Facilitation & Delivery
Implement and deliver global programmes which effectively support and enhance business objectives and reinforce the company’s mission and culture. Occasionally design programs and/or engage vendors for region-specific learning. Note that the majority of design work is delivered by the COE.
Lead the regional DE&I strategy with a specific responsibility for any DEI related learning and development programs; collaborating and leading a committee of DE&I associates to enhance our regional DEI initiatives.
Operational
Budget management and sourcing of external funding where appropriate.
Provide on-going reporting and data on training uptake, knowledge transfer, associate learning experience, business impact and return on investment to inform decision making.
REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESS:
Extensive experience partnering with senior executives to align development and organization effectiveness strategies to business priorities.
Proven track record of coaching, influencing, and facilitating senior leaders through leadership team development, talent reviews, succession planning, and organisational change initiatives.
Experience leading high-energy, dynamic learning workshops both in-person and virtually as well as utilization of advanced facilitation skills to develop organization capability.
Skilled at building relationships and influencing diverse stakeholders across multiple geographies, with an understanding of cultural differences and European business environments.
Executive presence with a proven ability to influence, challenge, and build credibility with senior leaders, acting as a trusted advisor on people and organisational matters.
Strong consulting, diagnostic, and coaching capabilities, identifying organisational needs and supporting leadership growth, effectiveness, and capability development.
Engaging delivery style and keen to deliver and facilitate learning opportunities alongside other aspects of the role and be hands on across end to end talent processes.
Highly effective communicator with an engaging, persuasive style and excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Collaborative and hands-on approach, partnering effectively across teams while delivering learning experiences and managing end-to-end talent processes.
Results-oriented and structured professional with a passion for developing people, driving organisational performance, and helping individuals reach their full potential.
Ideally degree educated in fields such as psychology, HR, learning, organizational development, business and management with an accredited coaching qualification.
Knowledge of learning theory, needs analysis, modern learning formats, learning design and evaluation methodology.
BENEFITS:
Benefits will differ based on the location of the associate.
Discretionary Bonus Opportunity
Discount on health insurance
Flexible Working Hours
Pension Scheme
25 days Annual Leave per year
Hybrid working
Employee Discount
Flexibility to work 20 days from anywhere each year
Wellbeing and Mental Health Benefit (24/7 Employment Assistance Program & Support)
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Equal Opportunity Employer:
New Balance is committed to equality of opportunity for all current and prospective associates regardless of age, disability, race, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership and gender reassignment. We are an equal opportunity employer and support a culture of diversity and inclusion.
If you have not already done so, please let us know if you require any support so we can make the right adjustments and considerations should they be required.
Skills Required
- Extensive experience partnering with senior executives on development and organisation effectiveness strategies
- Proven track record coaching, influencing, and facilitating senior leaders through talent reviews, succession planning and change
- Experience designing and delivering high-energy learning workshops in-person and virtually with advanced facilitation skills
- Ability to analyse talent and organisational data to identify capability gaps and provide recommendations
- Experience leading talent review, planning and succession pipeline processes regionally
- Experience leading DE&I strategy and delivering DEI-related learning programs
- Strong stakeholder relationship and influencing skills across multiple geographies (EMEA focus)
- Executive presence and ability to act as trusted advisor to senior leaders
- Operational capability including budget management and reporting on learning impact and ROI
- Degree in psychology, HR, learning, organisational development, business or management
- Accredited coaching qualification
- Knowledge of learning theory, needs analysis, modern learning formats, design and evaluation methodology
New Balance Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about New Balance and has not been reviewed or approved by New Balance.
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Healthcare Strength — Benefits coverage is described as comprehensive, including medical, dental, and vision options alongside wellness resources like health coaching. Fitness reimbursement is also cited as part of the overall health and wellness offering.
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Retirement Support — Retirement support is positioned as strong, with a 401(k) plan and a company match described as dollar-for-dollar up to a stated contribution level in some locations. Life insurance and disability benefits are also included as part of the broader financial protection package.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time-off offerings are characterized as generous, with paid holidays, vacation time, and paid sick leave highlighted. Flexible schedules and telecommuting options are also described as supporting work-life balance.
New Balance Insights
What We Do
In 1906, New Balance began as a humble one-man operation founded on the belief that “we were born to move,” and has since grown into an international corporation, selling footwear and apparel in over 120 countries and employing over 8,000 associates worldwide. Our mission has always been to support the performance of athletes, and with an unparalleled focus on quality and craftsmanship, we’ve come to set the standard for comfort and fit in an industry all too often driven by hype. We’re incredibly proud of our history and how far we’ve come, but companies don’t thrive for over a century by being content. Whether it’s setting a new style trend, retooling our manufacturing process, or building a new state-of-the-art headquarters, we pursue innovation with a spirit of fearless independence. As the only privately held major footwear company in the world, we’re free to do things our way, pushing limits and testing boundaries as we continually reimagine what could be. After all, the status quo isn’t static. But doing things our way wouldn’t mean much if we weren’t also doing them the right way. We invest in our associates as they invest in us, and as we move forward, we make a point of giving back, supporting communities around us through ambitious philanthropic efforts and involvement programs. We are a company that cares, and our culture is one of integrity and teamwork where together we become greater than the sum of our parts.
