Director of Learning & Development

About the Role

Marcus Hotels & Resorts is seeking a strategic Director of Learning & Development to lead enterprise-wide learning initiatives. This high-visibility role, reporting to the Vice President of Human Resources, will be instrumental in designing and implementing programs that support both property-level operations and corporate functions. The ideal candidate will act as a trusted advisor to leadership, ensuring all learning strategies align with operational priorities and overarching business objectives. This position requires significant travel and is best suited for individuals based in the Milwaukee/Wisconsin area. Success will be measured by the ability to enhance talent at all organizational levels and align L&D programs with the company's mission of Serving People, Creating Memories, and Delivering Exceptional Experiences.

Marcus Hotels & Resorts, with over 60 years of operational excellence, is dedicated to providing exceptional service. Our portfolio of 17 hotels and resorts across the U.S. emphasizes unique character and style. Marcus Corporation, a leader in lodging and entertainment for over 90 years, operates across 19 states.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute a multi-year, enterprise-wide L&D strategy for hotel operations and corporate functions across Marcus Hotels & Resorts and Marcus Corporation.
• Collaborate with senior leaders to identify capability gaps, workforce priorities, and strategic talent needs, ensuring L&D initiatives align with talent, culture, and performance goals.
• Cultivate a culture of continuous learning, service excellence, and hospitality-focused leadership, championing talent development and guest experience.
• Develop distinct learning pathways for frontline, operational, and corporate employees, while strengthening leadership pipelines, succession planning, and internal mobility.
• Promote a unified culture aligned with Marcus values, while respecting individual business unit and brand identities.
• Design and deliver a diverse range of learning solutions, including leadership development, service training, digital learning, coaching, and experiential programs, to enhance leadership capabilities, operational consistency, and guest satisfaction.
• Lead the development of an enterprise learning portfolio encompassing leadership/management development, service excellence, operational training, corporate skill-building, and digital/on-demand learning.
• Oversee training delivery through in-person, virtual, and e-learning platforms, ensuring scalability, consistency, brand alignment, and measurable business impact.
• Manage L&D budgeting, governance, and resource allocation, including the strategy, administration, optimization, segmentation, reporting, and user experience of the enterprise Learning Management System (LMS).
• Evaluate and implement learning technologies and tools to improve accessibility, engagement, and measurement, continuously assessing program effectiveness through data and insights.
• Provide leadership with regular reports on capability development, leadership pipeline health, and readiness for growth, acting as a trusted advisor and fostering cross-functional L&D integration.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Possess 6-8+ years of progressive experience in Learning and Development.
• A background in hospitality, restaurant, retail, or similar multi-unit environments is highly preferred.
• Demonstrate a strong understanding of adult learning principles, various training methodologies, instructional design, corporate training, and curriculum development.
• Exhibit excellent facilitation skills for in-person, virtual, and e-learning/LMS-based delivery.
• Proven experience administering a Learning Management System (LMS); Schoox experience is a plus.
• Skilled in instructional design, including the ability to convert content into digital/e-learning formats.
• Possess strong interpersonal, communication, and business writing skills, capable of producing reports, manuals, and training materials.
• A strategic thinker and advisor adept at needs assessment, problem-solving, and solution recommendation.
• Highly organized and self-motivated with keen attention to detail, capable of multitasking in fast-paced environments.
• Proficient with learning technologies and business tools such as LMS, HCMS, and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Ability to design engaging and visually effective training and presentation materials.
• Willingness to travel 40–60% via air, car, or train.

Perks

• Eligibility for an annual bonus and leadership incentives.
• Discounts on hotel rooms and dining at Marcus Hotels & Resorts properties, as well as special offers on golf, ski, and spa services.
• Discounts at Marcus Movie Theatres.
• Access to a brand-new, modern office space.
• Generous paid time off.
• Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, company-paid life insurance, and an employee assistance program, available after one month of employment.
• 401k plan with an employer bi-weekly match.
• Additional benefits and perks.

Eligibility

This role is ideal for experienced professionals with a background in Learning and Development, preferably within the hospitality or multi-unit retail/restaurant sectors. Candidates should possess strong strategic thinking, communication, and technical skills related to L&D program design and delivery. A willingness to travel extensively is required.

Education Required

Not specified, but a strong background in Learning and Development principles and practices is expected.

Skills

• Learning Strategy Development
• Talent Development
• Instructional Design
• Leadership Training
• Adult Learning Principles
• LMS Administration
• Change Management
• Stakeholder Management
• Budget Management
• Data Analysis
• Presentation Design
• Cross-functional Collaboration