Director, Readiness & Skills Development , US Commercial Bank

Role Purpose 

Build role‑ready bankers and leaders across U.S. Commercial Banking by designing and delivering structured learning journeys, capability frameworks, and performance‑focused programs that accelerate readiness, enable progression, and support regulatory and business requirements. 

This role translates business strategy into scalable, measurable learning solutions—ensuring employees develop the critical credit, sales, and leadership capabilities needed to perform and grow. 

Key Responsibilities 

Learning Strategy & Program Leadership 

• Set and deliver multi‑year learning and readiness strategies aligned to U.S. Commercial Banking priorities 

• Own end‑to‑end design and sustainment of core learning journeys  

• Define role‑ and career‑stage capability frameworks aligned to performance and risk expectations 

• Translate business priorities into scalable, measurable learning solutions 

Change Leadership & Strategic Communications 

• Lead change management for major learning initiatives, driving adoption and sustainment 

• Translate strategy into clear, compelling messaging for diverse and senior audiences 

• Demonstrate strong executive communication, influencing, and stakeholder‑management skills 

• Anticipate resistance and guide leaders through complex change 

Program Management & Optimization 

• Provide full lifecycle oversight of learning programs, including scope, timelines, budgets, and quality 

• Assess effectiveness through data, adoption, and business outcomes 

• Drive continuous improvement, including enhancing or retiring programs as needed 

• Ensure strong execution across content, delivery, change, and communications 

Business Partnership & Advisory 

• Act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders on readiness, capability, and workforce effectiveness 

• Partner with business leaders and HR to identify capability gaps and readiness risks 

• Influence learning strategy, investment, and prioritization to support strategic initiatives 

• Represent Commercial Banking learning on enterprise forums and governance bodies 

People Leadership 

• Lead, coach, and develop Learning Partners and Specialists 

• Foster a culture of accountability, inclusion, and continuous learning 

• Attract and retain top talent across learning and credit disciplines 

Vendor, Risk & Analytics 

• Oversee learning‑related vendor, risk, and regulatory engagement 

• Ensure compliance with BMO risk frameworks, policies, and standards 

• Use data, feedback, and benchmarks to continuously improve learning effectiveness 

Qualifications 

• Typically 9+ years of relevant experience and post-secondary degree in related field of study or an equivalent combination of education and experience. 

• Experience in learning design and facilitation - Expert. 

• Expert-level program and project management skills, with demonstrated ability to lead complex, cross-functional initiatives from planning through execution with a high degree of rigor and accountability 

• Expert in process design, formalization, and continuous improvement, including building scalable, repeatable frameworks that drive consistency, efficiency, and control 

• Strong expertise in documentation and operational standards 

• Exceptional attention to detail and execution discipline 

• Expert in planning, prioritization, and delivery management, including roadmap development, milestone tracking, and dependency management 

• Experience in budget management and vendor oversight, ensuring disciplined execution, cost control, and alignment to defined outcomes 

• Strong risk management expertise, including identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks while ensuring alignment with governance and compliance frameworks 

• Highly structured and organized, with the ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining precision and operational excellence 

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills (Expert), 

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills (Expert),  

• Leadership and influence skills (Expert), with the ability to drive alignment, enforce standards, and embed a culture of process discipline and accountability across teams