Talent Development Director (Fractional Contractor)

Afton is seeking a Fractional Talent Development Director to serve as a strategic and hands-on partner. This position will own the full talent development lifecycle and shape Afton’s people, processes, and culture as we drive our organization forward. The position reports to the Managing Partner and works closely with Afton’s Operations & Administration Director and the Managing Directors that oversee our client service work.

Top candidates will be individuals, teams, or firms with at least six (6) years of experience leading adult learning and development activities in consulting or a fast-paced professional services environment.

About Afton

Afton Partners is an impact-driven consultancy that reimagines and implements systems, policies, and practices that improve lives. We bring technical savvy and a relational approach to partnerships with clients across the early care and education, K-12, higher education, and workforce development sectors. Since 2011, Afton has collaborated on more than 150 initiatives in 40 states, and our clients include state and local government agencies, public school systems, charter schools, and philanthropy. We’re creative, committed, and energized by complexity. Together, we can solve our toughest societal challenges and co-create a future where each person has the opportunity for growth and fulfillment.

Our team is a dynamic group of 30-35 client-serving experts with a wide range of personal and professional experiences. The Talent Development Director will work closely with staff across practice areas, experience levels, management responsibilities, and identities.

Desired Outcomes 

Activities

• Staff establish meaningful and realistic individual goals aligned to the company’s goals, business needs, and strategies. 
• Staff establish compelling and meaningful professional development plans, including the support or resources they will need to learn and demonstrate new skills, mindsets, and capabilities. 
• Staff participate in company-wide, practice-level, or the role-based learning, development, and engagement programs offered by Afton (delivered internally or by partners). 
• Staff have access to and leverage the information, training, and coaching needed to achieve their goals, progress in their development, build community with colleagues, and support their peers.

Via the annual engagement survey and periodic check ins, staff report: 

• I feel like I belong in this company. 
• I have the opportunity and time to grow and develop in my role. 
• I have had meaningful conversations about my work and career development. 
• I am regularly growing in my knowledge of policies and programs in the sectors in which I am working at Afton. 
• My role aligns with my strengths. 
• My manager supports me in my work. 
• I feel confident in my ability to be an effective people manager. 

Via period surveys, client partners report: 

• Afton was a valuable partner for meeting the goals of this project. 
• Afton showed strong subject-matter expertise throughout the project. 
• The partnership with Afton was worthy of the time and money invested.

Functional Responsibilities 

Learning & Development 

• Establish strong relationships with client-serving staff and project leads and develop a working knowledge of the services and skills provided to our client partners to align learning and development support with role requirements and client expectations. 
• Identify opportunities for cross-team/practice learning and what common/baseline skills and behaviors support the impact and experience of all staff. 
• Identify skill gaps and coordinate internal/external training programs. 
• Identify specific learning and development resources, in collaboration with managers and staff. 
• Facilitate or prepare facilitators to ensure training content aligns with Afton’s values and is applicable to client services. 

Performance Management

• Refine, streamline, and align Afton’s performance competencies and career development frameworks. 
• Design, manage, and interpret performance management processes, including reviews and feedback. 
• Serve as a mentor and coach to people managers, project managers, and individual contributors. 

Culture & Community 

• Serve as a cultural ambassador and ensure Afton’s core values are centered in company policies, practices, mindsets, and decisions. 
• Co-lead (with assigned staff members) learning and community-building efforts such as: 
  • DEI Committee (began in 2023) 
  • Communities of Practice (piloted in 2025) 
  • Employee Resource Groups (example of a future initiative, not currently active) 

Advisory 

• Serve as a key advisor to company leadership on: 
• investments in learning, company culture, and professional development 
• organizational design and role clarity 
• talent strategy 
• talent acquisition and onboarding 
• compensation 
• annual team retreat  
• With the Director of Operations & Administration, track and report on people metrics and provide insights to leadership on key risks and opportunities. 

Qualifications 

• Alignment with Afton’s core values. 
• At least six (6) years of experience leading adult learning and development activities in consulting or a fast-paced professional services environment. 
• Proven ability to scale talent development functions and outcomes for a growing organization. 
• Strong interpersonal, coaching, and communication skills. 
• Passion for people, culture, and helping others thrive at work. 

Proposal Instructions 

• Independent contractors, teams, and firms are encouraged to submit a proposal. 
• Proposals should be uploaded to the Resume section of Breezy and Include: 
  • Your approach to this work – key milestones, deliverables, timelines. 
  • The background(s) of key staff 
  • Examples of similar work performed for a professional services company 
  • Two professional references (only contacted with your prior approval) 
  • The fee/cost structure for the first 12 months 
• We anticipate this role will require 600-700 hours in the first year and will consider alternative arrangements/capacity with justification. 
• Proposals will be reviewed on a rolling basis with the first exploratory calls expected in early August. 
• Technical questions may be sent to administration (at) aftonpartners.com.