Headquartered in Boston, Forward Financing has been recognized as a Best Place to Work by the Boston Business Journal and Built In Boston and is certified as a Great Place to Work.® At Forward, we believe every business deserves financial opportunity. That’s why we provide fast, flexible capital to small businesses that have often been underserved by traditional financing options. Our mission is to build a world-class fintech company so our customers and people can reach their full potential. We’re investing in our employees, technology, and customer experience – with long-term success in mind every step of the way.
Here at Forward, our people are our greatest asset. We are inspired by innovative thinking and continuous improvement and strive to provide opportunities for our team members to learn, grow, tackle interesting challenges and advance their careers. As a Senior Manager, Learning & Development (L&D), you will own & develop Forward’s first L&D strategy in partnership with the Chief People Officer. You will partner closely with department leaders and our People Partners to gain a clear understanding of the needs of the business, skills gaps and opportunities to create programming to best support our employees and drive profitability for the business.
Why you should apply:
- Pioneer Forward’s L&D function: Play a critical role in defining, developing and executing on the L&D strategy at Forward.
- Flexibility is a top priority: Our employees are empowered to choose where they want to work (whether that’s from home, in the office, or a combination of both) with flexible hours.
- Mission driven company: Forward is a trusted source of fast, flexible funding for small businesses that have often been underserved by traditional financing options. When you join the team, you will help ensure all small businesses have access to the financial support they need to succeed.
In this role you will:
- As Forward’s first L&D leader, you will have the opportunity to build upon and establish a framework for designing and executing end-to-end scalable programs for the development of leaders, managers, and employees at all levels
- As a tactical and strategic leader, you will design, implement and manage organization-wide performance learning solutions, and over time, build a team to further execute the L&D vision
- Collaborate with leadership to understand business strategies and identify/diagnose learning and skill gaps
- Monitor the progress of high-potential employees identified for succession planning & promotion through training and development initiatives. Measure the readiness of employees for advancement into key roles
- Implement learning opportunities to leverage AI in day to day business operations through engagements with external AI experts and AI vendors. Provide insights, best practices, and real-world examples of AI implementation in an effort to highlight the potential benefits of AI adoption in improving efficiency, driving innovation and continuous improvement
Role Requirements:
(Even if you don’t check every box, but see yourself contributing, please apply.)
- Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources, Organization Development, Communications, or related field or equivalent years of experience
- 7+ years of experience in a Learning & Development or related role
- Experience in developing and delivering curriculum and learning programs from scratch
- Experience facilitating virtual, hybrid and in-person trainingExperience and passion for speaking in front of audiences and/or facilitating training sessions
- Experience launching an LMS and experience with AI tools a plus
- Ability to evaluate and measure results of learning solutions to ensure learning solutions are meeting business needs, supporting employees’ growth, and improving performance
- Eastern Time Zone required
#LI-MH1 #LI-Remote
Forward Financing Core Values:
- Drive the Mission - We believe in financial opportunity for underserved small businesses. We say “yes” when others say “no.”
- Keep It Real - We value direct communication, candid feedback, and authenticity. We are an open book.
- Act With Kindness - We create an environment where caring is cool and helping is the norm. We do the right thing.
- Shoot for Extraordinary - We are inspired by innovative thinking and continuous improvement. We never settle for yesterday’s best.
About Us:
Forward Financing is a fintech company headquartered in Boston that provides fast, flexible, and reliable capital to small businesses nationwide. Since 2012, Forward has provided over $2.6 billion in financing to more than 58,000 small businesses. Forward has been consistently named by the Boston Business Journal and Built In Boston (and more!) as one of the best places to work in Massachusetts.
Forward actively promotes a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion in all we do. We encourage a workplace where trust and respect are paramount and all employees feel valued, heard, and accepted. By accepting diversity of thought, background, and identity, we will continue to become a stronger team and a better organization.
Our diverse and driven group of 450 people, with more than 200 based in the U.S., and 240 internationally, is a 100% employee-owned company. Our employees come to work (or log on virtually!) knowing they are helping thousands of small businesses while advancing their own careers. If this sounds exciting to you, learn more about our leadership team and our open opportunities.
Perks & Benefits:
At Forward, our team members are at the heart of our company, and we are committed to taking care of them as people, not just employees. We offer a comprehensive benefits package including but not limited to: medical, dental, vision, and commuter benefits, a flexible time-off policy, 401k match, wellness reimbursement, paid volunteering days, annual professional development budget, and charitable donation match.
At Forward, employee choice means each individual gets to decide where they work. Almost all team members have the choice of where to live and where to work. As a business, we are focused on impact; we are more concerned with your contributions to the success of the company than where you get your work done. If face-to-face time is desired, people managers are empowered to find a cadence that works for their team.
When we aren’t collaborating to drive business and support our customers, we’re finding virtual and in-person ways to get to know our colleagues, celebrate team wins, and have fun together!