Global L&D Associate Director in London

Publicis Groupe is one of the world’s largest communications holding companies, present in over 110 countries and employing about 100,000 professionals. The Groupe is positioned at every step of the value chain, from consulting to execution, combining marketing transformation and digital business transformation.

We are recruiting a Global L&D Associate Director to lead the design, evolution and management of advanced leadership programmes for senior executives in a large, complex, international organisation. The L&D Associate Director will work closely with the Global Head of Leadership Development and senior stakeholders across the Groupe to ensure these programmes directly support Publicis’ strategic priorities. This role is about using leadership as a lever for transformation, innovation and business acceleration in a context shaped by constant change.

The successful candidate will operate at the intersection of leadership, innovation and strategy, working with senior leaders to help them rethink how they lead, decide and create value. The L&D Director will bring creative thinking to an already bold vision, ensuring that every experience we create feels engaging, world‑class, and unmistakably Publicis.

Responsibilities

• Design Leadership Experiences That Drive Transformation: Design advanced leadership journeys focused on transformation, innovation and strategic impact. Move beyond skills‑based or behaviour‑only models toward programmes that influence how leaders think, decide and act. Ensure learning experiences connect clearly to business priorities and outcomes.
• Curate Forward‑Looking Content and Experiences: Bring strong outside‑in perspectives on topics such as AI, digital transformation, new operating models and leadership in complexity. Partner with internal experts and external faculty to deliver cutting‑edge, relevant experiences. Translate complex ideas into practical leadership moves.
• Lead and Evolve Flagship Senior Programmes: Manage senior‑level programmes, from concept and design through delivery and continuous evolution. Oversee programme planning, timelines, budgets, and delivery rhythms to ensure flawless execution at scale. Coordinate contributors, faculty, partners and internal stakeholders to deliver complex, multi‑touchpoint programmes. Shape the narrative arc, learning flow and experience design across cohorts and activations.
• Operate with a Strong Global Lens: Design programmes that resonate across cultures, markets and geographies. Apply an international mindset informed by experience working in global or multi‑market environments. Ensure consistency of ambition and quality while respecting local contexts.
• Contribute Across the Broader Leadership Portfolio: Act as a senior thought partner across the wider leadership and learning portfolio, beyond the core programmes owned. Support content development, experience design and facilitation efforts on other leadership initiatives as needed. Contribute perspective, challenge and coherence to ensure consistency of ambition, quality and narrative across programmes. Step in selectively as a facilitator, curator or design advisor where seniority, credibility or transformation expertise is required.

Qualifications

• Have demonstrable experience in learning design, facilitation, or program management, ideally in a creative, digital, or transformation‑driven environment.
• Proven track record designing or leading innovation‑led or transformation‑focused programmes for senior leaders.
• Strong exposure to international, multi‑market environments.
• Business‑first orientation: understands P&L, growth and transformation realities.
• Are both strategic and hands‑on — able to zoom out to see the narrative arc and zoom in to craft an elegant learning flow.
• Think in systems — you naturally connect dots across programs, people, and priorities.
• Are comfortable influencing peers without direct authority and building trust in a matrixed organization.
• Bring strong facilitation presence and comfort working with senior audiences.
• Combine structure and imagination: you love designing systems that enable creativity at scale.
• Thrive in a collaborative, fast‑moving, global context and enjoy working across different programs and cultures.
• Are comfortable with ambiguity and able to move pro‑actively with autonomy.

Publicis Groupe operates a hybrid working pattern with full time employees being office‑based three days during the working week. We are supportive of all candidates and are committed to providing a fair assessment process. If you have any circumstances (such as neurodiversity, physical or mental impairments or a medical condition) that may affect your assessment, please inform your Talent Acquisition Partner. We will discuss possible adjustments to ensure fairness.