Talent Development Manager Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

PRIMARY ROLE OR FUNCTION:

The Director, Talent Development & Strategy will serve as a strategic and operational leader responsible for advancing WME's assistant-to-agent development ecosystem across the agency, including Music and all core business verticals.

This role will drive the design, integration, and execution of early-career development programs, ensuring a cohesive and scalable approach to onboarding, training, performance management, and career progression. The Director will play a critical role in shaping the next generation of WME agents by aligning development initiatives with broader business, talent, and operational priorities.

Working cross-functionally with HR, Business Operations, Recruitment, Inclusion, and senior leadership, this role will help define and implement a best-in-class agent development infrastructure that supports both individual growth and long-term business success.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Agent Development Strategy & Program Leadership

• Lead the design and execution of a comprehensive agent development strategy across all business areas, including Music.

• Oversee and evolve core development programs, including:

  • Assistant onboarding and training

  • Farmhouse and Trainee program integration

  • Early-career agent development initiatives

• Ensure programming aligns with agency priorities, performance expectations, and long-term talent strategy.

• Identify gaps in development offerings and implement scalable, high-impact solutions.

Performance Management Design & Execution

• Lead the build-out, standardization, and execution of performance management frameworks in partnership with HR and Business Operations.

• Define and operationalize:

  • Clear performance expectations and success metrics

  • Feedback cadence and evaluation processes

  • Documentation and escalation pathways (e.g., coaching plans, performance improvement processes)

• Ensure alignment across departments on performance standards, accountability, and evaluation consistency.

• Partner with HRBPs and leadership to support managers in delivering effective, actionable feedback.

• Integrate performance management into broader development programming to ensure a clear link between performance, progression, and promotion readiness.

• Build out and utilize the Workday platform to administer performance management processes, including goal setting, review cycles, and performance documentation, ensuring consistency and data integrity across the organization.

• Serve as a key leader within the HR / Inclusion / Operations Sprints initiative, partnering across HRBPs, Business Operations, Recruitment, Inclusion, and development teams.

• Drive progress across critical workstreams, including:

  • Performance management frameworks for early-career agents

  • Standardized training curriculum (assistant through agent levels)

  • Career progression pathways and promotion criteria

  • Onboarding and orientation optimization

• Translate sprint outputs into practical, scalable tools and programming implemented across the agency.

• Ensure alignment across stakeholders and maintain momentum on cross-functional initiatives.

• Oversee the agency-wide onboarding and orientation experience for assistants and agents.

• Partner closely with HR and on-the-ground team members to ensure:

  • Consistency across departments

  • Strong in-person and virtual delivery

  • Alignment with WME culture and expectations

• Continuously refine onboarding experiences using feedback, data, and evolving business needs.

• Ensure alignment across all early-career programs, including:

  • Assistant training

  • Trainee Program

  • Farmhouse

  • Additional development initiatives

• Create a connected and clearly defined development journey from entry-level roles through early agent years.

• Partner with leadership to ensure programs are integrated into broader talent and business strategies.

• Act as a central point of coordination across:

  • Human Resources

  • Business Operations

  • Recruitment

  • Inclusion

  • Department and office leadership

• Build strong relationships across all offices (Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, London) to ensure consistency and adoption of programming.

• Present updates, insights, and recommendations to senior leadership.

ACCOUNTABILITY & EXPECTATIONS:

Demonstrate ownership over agency-wide agent development initiatives and outcomes.

Drive alignment across multiple stakeholders and departments.

Deliver high-quality programming that supports both employee development and business performance.

Maintain consistency, scalability, and operational excellence across all programs.

Serve as a trusted partner to HR and senior leadership in shaping talent strategy.

ESSENTIAL JOB KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, & CHARACTERISTICS:

Professional Knowledge & Experience

• 5-7+ years of experience in talent development, organizational development, or related fields.

• Must have previous experience using Workday as an HRIS

• Experience building out and utilizing the Workday platform to support performance management processes.

• Experience designing and leading scalable development programs in a complex, fast-paced organization.

• Strong understanding of early-career pipelines, performance management, and career progression frameworks.

• Experience working cross-functionally with HR, Operations, and business leadership.

• Entertainment, media, or agency experience is strongly preferred.

Skills & Capabilities

• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate vision into execution.

• Exceptional stakeholder management and influence skills.

• Strong program design, facilitation, and curriculum development capabilities.

• Ability to operate both strategically and tactically.

• Excellent communication, presentation, and organizational skills.

• Data-informed mindset with strong analytical capabilities.

Personal Characteristics

• Collaborative and highly relationship-oriented.

• Proactive, solutions-driven, and adaptable.

• High level of professionalism, discretion, and accountability.

• Passionate about developing talent and building high-performing teams.

• Comfortable navigating ambiguity and driving change across a complex organization.

Per local requirements and in the interest of transparency, the rate shown below reflects the prevalent current hiring range for this position. Hiring pay rates are based on a number of factors, including location and may vary depending on job-related qualifications, knowledge, skills and experience. The company strives to provide locally competitive rewards packages, which include base rate along with, as applicable, short- and long-term incentives, growth and developmental opportunities, and robust benefits, such as health care, retirement, vacation and other paid time off, and additional offerings.

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