Area Lead – Learning & Development 

Location: Utrecht, Netherlands (Hybrid)

Contract Duration: 9 months

Start Date: August 2026

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Area Lead – Learning & Development to provide strategic leadership for a large Learning & Development function during a temporary assignment. This role is ideal for a senior leader with a strong background in organizational transformation, change management, and learning strategy within complex environments.

You will lead a senior leadership team responsible for business learning, strategic learning initiatives, and end-to-end learning delivery, ensuring alignment between business priorities, learning solutions, and technology.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership:

Translate organizational strategy into Learning & Development priorities.

Define measurable objectives, KPIs, and deliverables for the Learning function.

Drive alignment across business, learning content, and technology teams.

Strengthen and coach senior leaders while providing strategic direction.

Lead change across products, processes, policies, and supporting technology.

End-to-End Learning Optimization:

Improve the learning lifecycle from business request through delivery and ongoing support.

Clarify governance, roles, and responsibilities across the learning ecosystem.

Increase efficiency, scalability, and predictability of learning operations.

Apply Lean and Agile principles to continuously improve processes.

Stakeholder & People Leadership:

Act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership.

Partner closely with HR, Technology, and Architecture teams.

Build alignment and drive change across a complex stakeholder landscape.

Participate as a member of the senior leadership team.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree (HBO) or equivalent.

Minimum of 5 years' experience in senior leadership roles within complex organizations.

Demonstrated experience leading organizational transformation and change initiatives.

Strong expertise in:

Strategic leadership

End-to-end process optimization

Stakeholder management

Organizational change

Technology-enabled business transformation

Experience working in Lean and Agile environments.

Learning & Development leadership experience is considered an advantage.

Excellent communication skills in both Dutch and English.

Working Arrangement

Hybrid working model.

Average of 2–3 office days per week.