Macmillan is seeking an innovative and curious AI Learning Specialist to drive our evolving AI upskilling and knowledge initiatives. Reporting to the Director, Talent Programming, this new role will take the lead in designing and delivering thoughtful, relevant learning experiences focused on AI and innovation more broadly.
What You'll Do
Training Development and Facilitation
- Design, develop, and maintain accessible, cohesive AI training programs for employees and managers, across all functional work areas (marketing, operations, legal, publicity, and more).
- Deliver engaging, effective, and interactive AI learning sessions, from foundational AI literacy to advanced applied capabilities.
- Continuously assess and adapt the AI and innovation curriculum to reflect emerging technologies, tools, and use cases, balancing speed, relevance, and scalability.
- Develop asynchronous AI-focused learning materials and modules.
- Collaborate with the AI upskilling team to assess current AI usage, opportunities, and needs across the company, and make recommendations for continued program development and investment.
- Source and partner with external SME vendors to enhance Unbound program offerings
- Facilitate applied use-case sessions using company-relevant scenarios, with a focus on rapid on-the-job application for learners at all levels.
- Train internal AI champions to extend reach and adoption.
Innovation Coaching
- Provide customized coaching to employees and teams, exploring how to apply AI tools within existing workflows.
- Partner with leaders to facilitate AI and innovation workshops.
- Offer constructive feedback and support to foster a culture of continuous improvement.
- Partner with teams to embed AI into workflows.
- Organize and facilitate ongoing domain-focused communities of practice for AI and innovation principles, across the entire organization.
Organizational Consulting and Solution Design
- Consult with leaders and stakeholders to identify AI learning and tool resource needs.
- Recommend and design appropriate training or development solutions to address these needs.
- Conduct exploratory research on potential AI tool solutions or investments, and present recommendations to leadership on a regular basis.
- Support pilot programs and measure impact.
- Collaborate on strategic Talent Management initiatives, with an emphasis on AI and innovation culture.
- Collaborate with Talent & Development and Unbound teams to define and track success metrics that demonstrate the impact of AI upskilling.
- Use data, feedback, and external trends to continuously refine strategy and improve effectiveness.
Talent Strategy & Talent Management Team Support
- Provide support as needed to the Talent Strategy & Talent Management team to ensure all projects and initiatives remain on track.
- Support the Talent Strategy & Talent Management team with employee onboarding and engagement cycles, with special focus on technology use and optimization.
- Partner with Talent Strategy & Talent Management and AI Upskilling leadership to identify priority reskilling populations and skill adjacencies
What You'll Bring
- 5-8 years of relevant experience.
- Proven experience in designing, developing, and delivering impactful, interactive training programs across multiple formats.
- Practical experience with applying adult learning, instructional design and experience-based learning design; ability to assess and identify learner needs and craft scaffolded programs to meet different learning styles and levels.
- Demonstrated expertise in providing effective coaching for performance and skills development.
- Demonstrated experience in learning, talent, workforce transformation, or related roles, with demonstrated ownership of new program initiatives.
- Demonstrated experience in AI upskilling, digital capability-building, or technology-driven learning; direct experience delivering AI upskilling programs is highly valued.
- Proven ability to translate complex and emerging technologies into practical, applied learning experiences that drive real behavior and performance change.
- Track record of designing and delivering reskilling or workforce transition initiatives tied to business needs.
- Demonstrated ability to build relationships across an organization, influencing senior stakeholders and peers across functions.
- Highly strategic thinker with a hands-on, execution-oriented mindset—able to move from ideation to delivery independently, with minimal instruction.
- Exceptional communication skills and consultant mindset, ability to deeply listen and quickly orient to core needs of users and employees, offering thoughtful and value-aligned solutions.
- Functional knowledge to navigate class/course management in a learning management system.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team.
- Background in digital transformation or innovation programs preferred.
- Relevant certifications in coaching or training (e.g., ACC, PCC, CPTD) are a plus.
- Experience embedding inclusive, accessible, and value-aligned principles within learning programs.
- Understanding of publishing/media industry.
- Technical background.
This salary range for this role is $85,000 - $100,000.
This position is classified as remote but is tied to our New York, NY office located at 120 Broadway. Employment is subject to New York State tax withholding under applicable regulations.
Macmillan Publishers is the U.S. trade company that is part of the Holtzbrinck Publishing Group, a large family-owned group of media companies headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. Holtzbrinck Publishing Group's publishing companies include prominent imprints around the world that publish a broad range of award-winning books for children and adults in all categories and formats.
U.S. publishers include Celadon Books, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Flatiron Books, Henry Holt & Company, Macmillan Audio, Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, The St. Martin's Publishing Group, and Tor Publishing Group. In the UK, Australia, India, and South Africa, companies in the Holtzbrinck Publishing Group publish under the Pan Macmillan name. The German publishing company, Holtzbrinck Deutsche Buchverlage, includes among its imprints S. Fischer, Kiepenheuer & Witsch, Rowohlt, and Droemer Knaur.
Macmillan is proud to be an equal opportunity employer consistently striving to foster a culture where everyone belongs. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and identities. Qualified applicants are evaluated without regard to race, color, religion, age, ethnicity, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability status, physical ability, neurodiversity, genetic information, protected veteran status, family and economic status and background or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. We prohibit discrimination of any kind and will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with applicable law.