Professional Development Specialist, Human Resources

Position Title: Professional Development Specialist, Human Resources
Department: Human Resources (HUR)
Division: Human Resources (HUR)
Employee Status: Full-time
Type: Professional Staff Association (PSA)
Grade: N ($66,000 -$ 68,245 annually)
FLSA: Exempt
ICCB Classifications: Tech/ Professional
Issued: March 2022
Revised: June 2026
Employment Notice: Rock Valley College does not offer sponsorship for employment-based visas for this position now or in the future. Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States without the need for employer sponsorship.
Application Deadline: July 10th, 2026

Reporting Relationships
Reports to: Director of Talent Acquisition and Development.
Supervision Exercised: May offer direction to temporary non-exempt staff and/or student workers. Job Summary: Using independent judgment with minimal supervision, the Professional Development Specialist works closely with senior HR, Academic, and departmental management in support of the College's strategic mission. Excels at identifying the College's current and future skills requirements, and creates flexible learning interventions (through digital and other means) to meet the workforce's diverse needs. Plans, designs, advises, organizes, prepares, and facilitate professional development programs to address a wide variety of needs for the College.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Related duties may also be assigned.
1. Stewards HR's strategic plan for professional development, ensures objectives/milestones of plan are being met within appropriate timeframe, and makes recommendations to Cabinet regarding proposed revisions/enhancements of strategic plan as the needs of the College evolve.
2. Assess current and future training and development needs through surveys, interviews, focus groups, and communication with the College Cabinet, departmental leadership, staff, faculty, and instructors.
3. Collaborates with the Cultural Excellence and Belonging team to ensure instructional content aligns with the College's Mission, Vision, and Values, and supports the delivery of training content created or procured by the team.
4. Partner with the ADA Coordinator to ensure that developmental activities are accessible to all members of the intended audience and supports the delivery of training content created or procured by the ADA Coordinator.
5. Coordinate with the College's Environmental Health and Safety Department to ensure the safety and compliance trainings are completed.
6. Plans, leads, and facilitates New Hire Orientation and Professional Development Day, with support and direction from the College's leadership cabinet, including agenda development, presenter coordination, logistics, participant communication, program delivery, and post-event evaluation.
7. Develops unique training programs to fulfill workers specific needs to maintain or improve job skills.
8. Evaluates, creates, presents and/or coordinates training and development programs using various forms and formats including group discussion, lectures, simulations, and videos.
9. Provides logistical support of training initiatives as appropriate (e.g. scheduling trainers, scheduling rooms, coordinating technical support, ensuring required equipment/instructional aids/handouts/etc. are available to instructors, etc.).
10. Ensure compliance with Board policies and state and federal laws through targeted training and development efforts.
11. Maintains records of training and development activities, attendance, results of tests, assessments, and retraining requirement that are mandated by the state, i.e., DCFS Mandated Reporter Training.
12. Markets and encourages participation in upcoming staff development initiatives and activities.
13. Serves as Chair/Co-Chair/Member of committees as appropriate, acting as an advisor for matters related to professional development.
14. Work with Marketing to maintain the College's Professional Development intranet pages - ensures content is current, easy to navigate, and readily accessible to faculty and staff.
15. Maintains knowledge of the latest trends in training and development

Qualifications
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Minimum Qualifications:
• A Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Human Resource Management, Education, or closely related field required
• Two to three years of experience of program management
• Two to three years of experience facilitating trainings, workshops, or professional development programs.

Preferred Experience and Education
• Professional certification (e.g. CPLP, CPTM, PHR, SHRM-CP, etc.) highly desirable.
• Experience in instructional design including use of eLearning tools and managing a Learning Management System.
• Higher education experience.

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent presentation skills.
• Adept with a variety of multimedia training platforms and methods.
• Ability to evaluate, research, and design training options and alternatives.
• Must have competent hands-on computer skills, including knowledge of Microsoft suite of products.

Work Environment
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works in an office setting.
• Regular Attendance is required.

Physical Demands
Physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job:
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands and fingers to handle, feel, or operate objects, tools or controls, and reach with hands and arms.
• The employee is frequently required to stand, talk and hear.