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Talent Development Manager Duties and Responsibilities

While a talent development manager’s day-to-day duties and responsibilities are determined by where they work, there are many core tasks associated with the role. Based on our analysis of job listings, these include:

Drive Employee Engagement Strategy Talent development managers partner with human resources teams and business leaders to implement employee engagement strategies. This can include talent systems, mentoring programs, succession planning, and more.

Development Corporate Training Programs The primary job of a talent development manager is to collaborate with their talent development team to design training programs. They work with corporate leadership to identify individual learning initiatives that facilitate employee development. Talent development managers make sure that key talent gets needed resources and information to effectively lead and organization towards strategic goals. They ensure that leadership development happens at an appropriate level that meets the current and future needs of their company.

Manage Orientation for New Employees Managing new hire orientation and onboarding experiences for new employees is an essential responsibility for talent development managers. They assist in the creation of internal company career paths. The onboarding process they create helps to identify high potential individuals, determine work abilities, and professional support needed to engage and retain new talent.

Conduct Talent Assessments Giving career and talent assessments to individuals is a common responsibility for talent development managers. They utilize leadership development strategies, tools, and processes to identify learning needs and employee competencies. The results of talent assessments are then used to fill key skill gaps. Evaluating talent helps talent development managers identify employee readiness, talent gaps, and retention risks.

Measure Overall Training Effectiveness Establishing ways to measure the total effectiveness of all learning and development programs is a key responsibility of talent development managers. They carefully monitor and report training data and statistics. After analyzing this information, talent development managers then focus on improving employee abilities and strengthening the skill set of a company’s existing workforce.

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Talent Development Manager Skills and Qualifications

Talent development managers should have a passion for developing employees and excellent communication skills. Employers seek candidates with a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree, and a minimum of five years of experience in human resources, organizational development, and talent development. The following skills are essential to getting the job done:

  • HR generalist skills – talent development managers often work with human resources departments to implement employee development strategies, so they should have some knowledge of this area
  • Collaborative leadership – working with various leadership stakeholders to steer overall talent development strategies is an essential task for this role
  • Data analysis – talent development managers need the ability to collect, gather, and analyze data and present concise actionable results
  • Program management – talent development managers oversee the delivery of employee development programs and manage multiple resources to achieve objectives
  • Instructional development – understanding adult learning methods and instructional design is essential for talent development managers to create effective training materials
  • Public speaking – talent development managers must be able to clearly present on a wide variety of career related topics
  • Communication skills – building strong relationships is a must-have skill to connect with fellow leaders and employees.
  • Writing skills – talent development managers commonly synthesize their findings and publish written reports and training materials
  • Organizational skills – strong planning, organizational development, and problem solving skills are essential to successful talent development managers
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Talent Development Manager Education and Training

It is common for talent development managers to have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in human resources, business, education, communications or a related field. Many employers prefer managers to have a master’s degree with a concentration in management, organizational development, or business administration. Talent development managers also benefit from having academic courses in instructional design, behavioral psychology, and educational psychology.

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Talent Development Manager Salary and Outlook

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual salary for talent development managers is $108,250. The lowest ten percent of earners in this field make less than $59,170. The highest ten percent of earners make more than $187,670. Employment of talent managers is expected to grow ten percent through 2026, which the BLS notes is faster than average for all occupations. Demand for talent development managers will remain strong as companies focus on engaging and training new employees in the most cost-effective way.

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Helpful Resources

We searched the web to find the best industry resources to help you continue exploring a career as a talent development manager. From thought leaders to industry groups, this list is packed with opportunities to learn, connect, and engage.

Association for Talent Development (ATD) – the world’s largest talent development association offers free training, networking, and opportunities to build your knowledge and skills as an aspiring talent development manager

The Talent Management Handbook, Second Edition: Creating a Sustainable Competitive Advantage by Selecting, Developing, and Promoting the Best People – discover “best practices” from 30 top talent management firms. Get step-by-tools and techniques in this authoritative guide on finding and using the best people to prepare yourself as a talent manager

Best Practices in Talent Management: How the World’s Leading Corporations Manage, Develop, and Retain Top Talent – get expert thinking, tools, models, instruments, and real-world examples of successful talent management strategies

The Future of Work: Attract New Talent, Build Better Leaders, and Create a Competitive Organization – position yourself for success as a talent development manager by learning about future trends of work and management strategies

Center for Creative Leadership – get world-class leadership development insights, research, and articles from this go-to resource on talent development