Workforce development specialist

At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves: What is our impact on the world? #LI-JG9

Watch Our Story: https://www.hdrinc.com/our-story

Each and every role throughout our organization makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. Read further to learn how you could help make great things possible not only in your community, but around the world.

We believe transportation is more than movement, it’s the foundation of connected, thriving communities. As part of HDR’s Transportation Business Group, you’ll help shape the systems that move people and goods safely, efficiently, and sustainably. From designing resilient highways and iconic bridges to advancing transit, passenger and freight rail, aviation, federal transportation ports and marine infrastructure, your work will directly support economic vitality, public safety, sustainable and resilient communities and quality of life. We bring together planners, engineers, architects, construction management staff, environmental, strategic communications, economists, management consultants and specialists across disciplines to solve complex mobility challenges with innovation, technical excellence, and a deep understanding of community needs. Whether you're modernizing aging infrastructure or pioneering next-generation transportation solutions, your contributions will help define the future of mobility. This isn’t just a job, it’s a chance to lead progress, drive meaningful impact, and leave a legacy of smarter, more connected transportation networks. We are all employee-owners at HDR, which is the foundation of our collaborative culture that connects employees around the world.

The Workforce Development Specialist will support the implementation of a comprehensive workforce development initiative aligned with an organization's strategic objectives. This role focuses on strengthening organizational capabilities through professional development, workforce readiness, and employee engagement initiatives that foster a high-performing, adaptable workforce.

The consultant will play a key role in advancing workforce strategies designed to meet evolving business demands, including accelerated program delivery, emerging technologies, and workforce transitions. Responsibilities include supporting onboarding programs, career development pathways, performance improvement initiatives, and employee learning opportunities that enhance organizational effectiveness.

Working collaboratively with leadership and stakeholders, the consultant will help foster a strengths-based, results-oriented culture that promotes continuous learning, professional growth, and workforce excellence. The ideal candidate will have experience in workforce development, organizational effectiveness, change management, or talent development, with the ability to build strong partnerships and drive strategic initiatives that support long-term business objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the development and execution of workforce development strategies and initiatives.
• Design role-based learning pathways, competency frameworks, onboarding programs, and career development resources for instructor-led, virtual, and self-paced learning experiences using adult learning and instructional design principles.
• Collaborate with leadership to identify workforce needs and align development opportunities with organizational goals.
• Promote employee engagement, career growth, and performance excellence.
• Assist in creating a culture of continuous learning and improvement.
• Establish learning objectives, success measures, and evaluation methods; analyze participation, feedback, knowledge gain, behavior change, and business outcomes to improve program effectiveness.
• Provide recommendations to enhance workforce readiness and organizational performance.
• Manage concurrent workforce development assignments, schedules, deliverables, budgets, risks, and stakeholder expectations.
• Support scope development, proposals, work planning, and client presentations for workforce and organizational development engagements.

This position offers the opportunity to contribute to strategic workforce initiatives that strengthen organizational capability, support employee success, and help the organization remain agile and prepared in a rapidly changing environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting workforce development initiatives for public sector, transportation, infrastructure, engineering, or consulting organizations.
• Experience designing and facilitating training programs, workshops, or professional development activities.
• Knowledge of strengths-based leadership, employee engagement, or organizational effectiveness methodologies.
• Experience developing presentations, communications plans, or training materials for diverse audiences.
• Experience working in a consultant or client-service environment.

Required Qualifications

• A minimum of 5 years relevant industry experience.
• Experience leading social media campaigns.
• Service- and client-oriented personality with the ability to handle multiple assignments at a time and set and meet deadlines.
• Self-starter; can work well independently or in a team environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills.
• An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture is a must.

What We Believe

HDR is our company. Together, we build on each other's life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.

Our Commitment

As employee owners, we all have a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day.

Our eight Employee Network Groups (Asian Pacific, Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women, Young Professionals) help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.