Lead Program Manager, Leadership Development

Rivian is on a mission to keep the world adventurous forever. This goes for the emissions-free Electric Adventure Vehicles we build, and the curious, courageous souls we seek to attract.

As a company, we constantly challenge what’s possible, never simply accepting what has always been done. We reframe old problems, seek new solutions and operate comfortably in areas that are unknown. Our backgrounds are diverse, but our team shares a love of the outdoors and a desire to protect it for future generations.

Reporting to the Sr. Manager, Learning & Development at the Normal plant location, the Lead Learning & Development Program Manager will design, develop, and execute leadership development programs for Operations leaders at various levels that align with Rivian’s Leadership Guidelines. This role partners across departments to understand business needs and translate them into impactful learning offerings. As part of the Manufacturing Operations & Engineering Learning & Talent Team, this role collaborates closely with the Rivian Production System (RPS) team to ensure Operations leaders have the skills and competencies to successfully lead in manufacturing environments. The ideal candidate brings proven experience in leadership development, program management, lean manufacturing, and adult learning theory.

• Program manage all aspects of the Team Leader and Group Leader onboarding programs.
• Create and execute continuous development for Team Leader and Group Leader populations.
• Develop and execute strategies to adapt program content to evolving business needs through close collaboration with leadership stakeholders.
• Align Operations leadership development efforts with cross-functional teams (Talent Acquisition, Operational Excellence, EHS&S, Operations, and others) to ensure cohesive learning experiences.
• Identify risks and issues related to program/project delivery and take proactive measures to mitigate them.
• Ensure programs are delivered on time, within scope, and within budget.
• Lead in-person facilitation for Operations leadership offerings.
• Establish a cohort of qualified facilitators to support program delivery.
• Develop additional Operations leadership offerings at the Normal plant based on strategic need.
• Design and publish digital learning offerings using e-learning tools and the Rivian Learning Network (LMS).
• Build strong stakeholder relationships across Manufacturing Operations, Quality, RPS, EHS&S, People Partners, Engineering, and the Learning & Talent Team.
• Lead development and execution of the communications strategy for Operations leadership development programs.
• Develop and maintain program performance metrics and KPIs.
• Prepare regular reports on completion status and outcomes.
• Analyze survey data to improve learner experience and program effectiveness.
• Provide customized reports with interpretation of effectiveness to leadership and stakeholders.

• 8+ years of Learning & Development program management experience with a focus in a manufacturing environment.

• 5+ years of people management experience in a manufacturing setting.

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Organizational Development, Business Administration, or a related field (Master’s preferred).

• Proven experience designing, implementing, and managing leadership learning offerings that apply adult learning principles and practical application.

• Extensive experience with digital learning design tools, including Articulate 360 (Rise & Storyline), Synthesia, Google Slides, Camtasia, and Adobe Creative Cloud.

• Knowledge and subject matter expertise in Lean manufacturing processes and training methodologies.

• Ability to implement and manage organizational change (communications, stakeholder management, and measurement).

• Ability to deliver on program goals and milestones in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment with aggressive timelines.

• Clear and concise verbal and presentation skills.

• Strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.

Preferred Certifications

• Project/Program Management certification (e.g., PMP).

• Professional certification in learning and development (PHR, CPLP, SHRM, etc.).

• DiSC and coaching tools certification.

Salary Range Illinois-Based Applicants: $125,800 – $157,200 (actual compensation will be determined based on experience, location, and other factors permitted by law).

Equal Opportunity

Rivian is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practices laws. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information or characteristics, physical or mental disability, marital/domestic partner status, age, military/veteran status, medical condition, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Rivian is committed to ensuring that our hiring process is accessible for persons with disabilities. If you have a disability or limitation, such as those covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, that requires accommodations to assist you in the search and application process, please email us at [email protected] .

Candidate Data Privacy

Rivian may collect, use and disclose your personal information or personal data (within the meaning of the applicable data protection laws) when you apply for employment and/or participate in our recruitment processes (“Candidate Personal Data”). This data includes contact, demographic, communications, educational, professional, employment, social media/website, network/device, recruiting system usage/interaction, security and preference information. Rivian may use your Candidate Personal Data for the purposes of (i) tracking interactions with our recruiting system; (ii) carrying out, analyzing and improving our application and recruitment process, including assessing you and your application and conducting employment, background and reference checks; (iii) establishing an employment relationship or entering into an employment contract with you; (iv) complying with our legal, regulatory and corporate governance obligations; (v) recordkeeping; (vi) ensuring network and information security and preventing fraud; and (vii) as otherwise required or permitted by applicable law.

Rivian may share your Candidate Personal Data with (i) internal personnel who have a need to know such information in order to perform their duties, including individuals on our People Team, Finance, Legal, and the team(s) with the position(s) for which you are applying; (ii) Rivian affiliates; and (iii) Rivian’s service providers, including providers of background checks, staffing services, and cloud services.

Rivian may transfer or store internationally your Candidate Personal Data, including to or in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the European Union and in the cloud, and this data may be subject to the laws and accessible to the courts, law enforcement and national security authorities of such jurisdictions.

Please note that we are currently not accepting applications from third party application services.