The Opportunity
As the Senior Director of Talent Development and Diversity, you will be a key driver in shaping Smurfit Westrock’s workforce strategy. Your leadership will guide our commitment to fostering an inclusive culture that values diversity, equity, and belonging, and incorporating these critical cultural elements into our talent management and development strategies. Drawing on your extensive experience, you’ll collaborate with NA regional senior executives, HR teams, and business units to create innovative talent development programs, aligned talent management solutions and a comprehensive diversity strategy that builds on the existing legacy Smurfit Kappa and WestRock programs and success. These programs will empower employees to reach their full potential, enhance their skills, and contribute meaningfully to our company’s growth. Reporting directly to the Head of North American Human Resources, you’ll lead a team of five -six direct reports.
This role will be located at the organizations NA Regional Headquarters at 1000 Abernathy Road, Sandy Springs, GA.
How you will impact Smurfit Westrock:
Talent Development
Develop a long-term talent development strategy that aligns with the Smurfit Westrock vision, mission, and growth objectives. This requires the incumbent to develop an understanding of the evolving organizational culture changes and talent management solutions to support the organization. Assess current and future talent needs, identify skill gaps, and create targeted talent management and development strategic priorities, metrics.
Through the evaluation and development of future needs, the ideal candidate will demonstrate expertise in succession planning, leadership development, developing, managing and measuring effective solutions aligned to critical current and future business priorities. Utilize organizational data, external market trends and emerging business requirements to determine key priorities and areas of focus.
The incumbent will collaborate with business leaders to assess workforce capabilities and anticipate talent requirements based on industry trends, technological advancements, and business growth plans. Develops usable and progressive tools, leverages data and insights that challenge the status quo, anticipate future gaps and develop solutions geared towards near, mid and long-term need, ensuring solutions deliver solutions that
Responsible for aligning to defined group leadership competencies, learning expectations and assessment of unique regional requirements. Will lead the design, implementation, and evaluation of leadership development programs, technical, operations, commercial and functional development/training requirements, and continuous learning initiatives.
Collaborate with business leaders and HRBP’s to define high-potential and critical talent requirements and needs. Manages and executes an annual succession planning and talent review solution which meets future critical role requirements. Outlines solutions that deliver reliable, executable and measurable succession plans. Ensures the pipeline for each critical role is well defined and assessed regularly with the NA regional executive committee.
Partners with the NA regional HR VP, NA Executive Committee and the business line human resources business partners to define and align on critical roles, outline critical success factors for targeted roles, assess and develop potential successors to ensure confident and effective succession plans. Will leverage effective development solutions from assessments, coaching/mentoring, and developmental programs. Implement and lead a regional talent review process to support and align with group level requirements.
Ensure effective performance management tools, processes, and solutions including goal setting, feedback, and performance reviews. Work in collaboration with the group talent development team to ensure aligned approaches across the global enterprise.
Lead and manage the organizations employee engagement efforts and management of the regional engagement tools. Includes the management of engagement tools, such as surveys, and external assessments. Bring an outside perspective to allow for deeper analysis and assessment of new and emerging business trends and talent development and management solutions which align to business performance requirements as well as financial measures. A critical element of success is being able to directly measure solution effectiveness and demonstrate metrics that have a defined ROI.
Diversity Initiatives
Develop and execute a comprehensive diversity and inclusion strategy, including measurable goals and key performance indicators (KPIs). Partner with HR business partners, employee resource groups, and senior leaders to drive diversity initiatives and leadership accountability.
Lead Smurfit Westrock community efforts for the NA region and partners with the HRVP’s to both define and solve key diversity priorities and needs. Capability to facilitate conversations around diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.
In alignment with the talent development agenda will Champion diversity in leadership roles and advocate for equitable opportunities. Monitor, assess and adjust talent development solutions to ensure programs are equitable and fair in content design and delivery. Regularly track progress using workforce demographics, pay equity, and employee engagement metrics.
Collaborate with the group HR and regional executive committee to embed diversity and inclusion principles into business practices.
Represent the company’s diversity vision externally, engaging with industry groups, conferences, and community organizations.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in human resources, Business, or related field (Advanced degree preferred).
Minimum of 10 years of successful HR experience, including leadership roles.
Demonstrated success in talent development, learning solutions, succession planning, employee engagement solutions, diversity, and inclusion.
Strong communication skills and ability to work in a matrixed environment; ability to build and maintain strong partnerships across multiple areas and geographies.
Proficiency in working with HRMS/Talent Management systems (PeopleSoft, Cornerstone)
A hands-on, self-motivated, and goal-oriented individual who is an agent for positive change and innovation, inspiring employees to the highest performance standards through frequent communication, good management practices, performance measurement systems, and leadership.
Experience managing through activities such as integrations, mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures.
Experience working in a global, matrixed organization.
Ability to travel domestically and internationally - 10%-20%.
Smurfit Westrock is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We strive to create and maintain a diverse workforce where everyone feels valued, respected, and included. Smurfit Westrock does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law.