Ascension is seeking a high-impact Organizational Psychologist / Leadership Development Subject Matter Expert (SME) to design and operationalize a modern leadership framework and talent development ecosystem that strengthens organizational performance, workforce engagement, and change resilience.

This role is critical to helping the client translate leadership theory into practical, scalable solutions such as competency models, coaching frameworks, and training curricula that directly improve employee performance, retention, and organizational effectiveness. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in organizational behavior, leadership science, and adult learning, combined with the ability to deliver actionable, measurable outcomes in complex environments.

Summary of the Contractor Role

The Organizational Psychologist will support the design and implementation of a tiered leadership framework, including assessment models, development pathways, and training programs aligned to the client’s strategic workforce goals.

This role requires a strategic thinker and practitioner who can:

• Translate behavioral science into practical leadership tools
• Design programs that promote psychological safety, growth mindset, and change agility
• Develop competency-based career pathways and skill progression models
• Create engaging training curricula and learning experiences

The ideal candidate is self-driven, highly analytical, and comfortable operating in ambiguous environments, capable of working independently while engaging stakeholders across leadership levels. They must anticipate organizational challenges, design solutions proactively, and balance multiple priorities within a limited level-of-effort engagement (300 hours).

This role will leverage tools and methodologies such as:

• Leadership competency frameworks (e.g., Korn Ferry, SHRM, custom models)
• Organizational assessments and surveys
• Instructional design frameworks (ADDIE, Kirkpatrick)
• Data-informed decision-making and workforce analytics
• Microsoft 365 tools (PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint) for deliverables and collaboration

Position’s Day-to-Day Activities

• Design tiered leadership frameworks aligned to organizational goals and workforce needs
• Develop leadership competency models, behavioral indicators, and assessment tools
• Create talent development pathways and skill progression frameworks across career levels
• Conduct organizational and workforce assessments to identify leadership gaps
• Facilitate stakeholder workshops, focus groups, and leadership sessions
• Develop training curricula, facilitator guides, and participant materials
• Integrate principles of psychological safety, growth mindset, and change agility into all deliverables
• Advise leadership on organizational culture, engagement strategies, and change readiness
• Analyze qualitative and quantitative workforce data to inform recommendations
• Collaborate with program managers and training teams to align deliverables with overall program objectives
• Present findings, frameworks, and recommendations to senior stakeholders