Richard Polley
Fredericksburg,VA
Summary
Accomplished senior leader with extensive expertise in training management, leadership development, and corporate professional growth. Known as a transformational servant-leader with an innovative mindset. Demonstrate strategic oversight in global security management, personnel and physical security, crisis response, and training initiatives. Lead large-scale operations across domestic and international locations, aligning security policies with organizational missions, and drive workforce development programs. Well-versed in succession planning, talent development, and risk mitigation, with a proven record of designing and executing high-impact security and leadership programs. Expertise includes strategic planning, operational efficiency, contract negotiation, and high-risk environment preparedness. Holds a Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS-SCI) security clearance.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Training Officer
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
06.2012 - 11.2015
- Created and introduced leadership training programs, closing workforce skill gaps and enhancing long-term organizational effectiveness.
Chief, International Security and Training Programs Division
USAID
01.2020 - Current
- Security Operations Oversight: Directed international security programs and instated related policies, managing personnel and physical security for over 90 locations worldwide and five domestic sites. Managed personnel recovery training and security communications equipment. Promoted a level of security awareness via training when operating in hostile environments.
- Policy Development & Compliance: Served as senior authority on security policy, executing countermeasures and aligning security operations with USAID’s global mission.
- Cross-Departmental Collaboration: Buttressed collaboration with Department of State’s Office of Diplomatic Security, the lead authority overseas needed to ensure all facilities and personnel maintained all State requirements.
- Training & Crisis Preparedness: Led security training initiatives to equip personnel with skills for high-risk environments, including instruction on responding if detained or held captive, navigating in extreme environments; administering first aid; surviving in isolated environments; and using communication equipment, satellite phones, and personnel tracking beacon.
- Leadership Oversight: Supervised four branch chiefs to enhance security posture and operational effectiveness.
- Cost Savings: Managed a Security Warehouse, implementing a Just In Time inventory approach—saving over $2.2 Million in equipment costs. Reduced unnecessary purchase of equipment.
- Crisis Response Training Programs: Responded to deadly attack on an Armored Vehicle Convoy in Africa, rapidly formulating a driver refresher program for 100+ Local National Drivers trained in USAID—with 99% of Embassy staff completing the training.
Director, Center for Professional Development
USAID, Human Capital and Talent Management
01.2019 - 01.2020
- Leadership Development Strategy: Steered workforce training programs as the Chief Learning Officer, ensuring alignment with federal regulations and USAID’s strategic objectives. Conducted training needs analysis, utilizing Kirkpatrick’s Four Levels of Evaluations.
- Budget & Resource Management: Managed a $20 million annual training budget, resulting in optimal allocation of funds for professional development initiatives.
- Mentorship & Training Programs: Established and managed agency-wide learning programs, including the Mentoring Program and Tuition Assistance Program, fostering employee growth and leadership readiness.
- Innovative Mentoring Initiatives: Forged strategic partnering of Mentor and Mentees and accountability tools that required bi-monthly reporting and continuous communication with mentoring teams. Organized engagements and training events.
- Director of Operations
- Enterprise Operations Management: Superintended human resources, procurement, contracting, administrative services, and strategic communications, optimizing organizational processes.
- Financial Oversight: Headed a $46 million budget, ensuring financial efficiency across Human Capital and Talent Management centers.
- Security & Risk Mitigation: Provided executive oversight for security operations, personnel management, and infrastructure risk assessments to identify vulnerabilities, such as possible threats to vehicles such as ramming by vehicles; hostile actors attempting to gain access; best access control; and threats from explosives—leading to a secure working environment.
Deputy Director, Center for Professional Development
USAID, Human Capital and Talent Management
10.2015 - 10.2017
- Workforce Training & Development: Led the implementation of the Global Workforce Learning Strategy (GWLS), aligning training programs with organizational goals.
- Competency & Skill Gap Assessments: Conducted agency-wide evaluations to identify workforce skill gaps and design targeted training solutions.
- E-Learning & Training Facilities Management: Forged and maintained digital learning platforms, vendor partnerships, and training facilities to expand workforce education access.
Education
Master’s Degree - Leadership & Management
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
Master’s Degree - Educational Leadership
WILLIAM WOODS UNIVERSITY
Bachelor’s Degree - Business Administration Management
COLORADO TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY
Doctorate - Strategic Leadership
Liberty UNIVERSITY
01.2026
Skills
- Leadership development
- Class design
- E-learning development
- Technical training
- Lesson development
- Lesson planning
- Training delivery
- Employee mentoring
- Materials preparation
- Learning management systems
- Feedback collection
- Technological integration
- Assessment tools
- Employee counseling
- Materials organization
- Needs assessment
- Program management
- Diversity and inclusion
- Training metrics
- Adult learning theory
- Clear communication
Accomplishments
- Strategic Leadership Development: Designed and implemented a leadership training program that guided professionals from individual contributors to executive roles, addressing evolving leadership competencies at each career stage. Met the challenge of leading self, employees, leaders, and the organization as well.
- Global Security and Training Leadership: Spearheaded security operations for 90+ international locations and five domestic sites, ensuring the protection of personnel, assets, and classified materials. Strengthened security policies to mitigate threats and align with organizational objectives.
- Risk Identification: Identify vulnerabilities that can be exploited by bad actors to include cybersecurity Extremists, Terrorists, criminal actors, and insider threats.
- Crisis Management & Operational Efficiency: Established a 24/7 command center at the onset of COVID-19, empowering a global workforce with a 24/7 number to receive updates as 5000+ employees and family members returned to the states. Also served as an internal personnel acceptability system.
- Security & Logistics Optimization: Enacted a Just-In-Time inventory management system for a security warehouse, optimizing procurement and saving over $2.2 million by reducing redundant equipment purchases. Also ensured that critical security equipment was ready for shipment to any of the Agency’s locations around the world.
Affiliations
American Society for Training & Development (ASTD) | Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) | Military Police Regimental Association | American Management Association | Sergeant Audie Murphy Club
Certification
Kirkpatrick’s Four Levels of Evaluation | Contracting Officer Representative (COR) | Anti-Terrorist Evasive Driving | Crucial Conversations Instructor | Protective Services | Physical Security Training | Business Fundamentals | Project Planning | Organizational Systems Improvement | Management Essentials
Timeline
Chief, International Security and Training Programs Division
USAID
01.2020 - Current
Director, Center for Professional Development
USAID, Human Capital and Talent Management
01.2019 - 01.2020
Deputy Director, Center for Professional Development
USAID, Human Capital and Talent Management
10.2015 - 10.2017
Training Officer
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
06.2012 - 11.2015
Master’s Degree - Educational Leadership
WILLIAM WOODS UNIVERSITY
Bachelor’s Degree - Business Administration Management
COLORADO TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY
Master’s Degree - Leadership & Management
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
Doctorate - Strategic Leadership
Liberty UNIVERSITY
SECURITY CLEARANCE
Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS-SCI)
Awards
MILITARY POLICE ORDER OF THE MARECHAUSSEE | Golden Apple Award (Nominated Four Consecutive Years, Joplin School District), TWO MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARDS, THREE DISTINCTION HONOR AWARDS, TEN OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE AWARDS
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