Job Title: Head of Learning and Development

Starting: ASAP

Duration: Ongoing, with no end date yet confirmed

Location: North Central Longfin

Hours: Monday – Friday, 9 – 5:30

Band: 8A

Pay: £26ph - £30ph PAYE Inclusive of Holiday Pay – pay dependent on skill, experience and pay type  

Duties:

• Lead the strategic planning and operational delivery of the Trust’s Learning and Development function.
• Develop and implement innovative, evidence-based education strategies aligned with workforce goals and national priorities.
• Build a learning culture that supports high performance, clinical excellence, and career progression at all levels.
• Design and deliver a comprehensive in-house leadership and management development framework.
• Develop and manage the Trust’s apprenticeship strategy, including creation of career pathways and optimisation of the levy.
• Oversee the design, delivery and evaluation of learning interventions covering mandatory training, appraisal quality, onboarding, digital learning, and service improvement.
• Drive equality, diversity, and inclusion through all education and training initiatives in line with Trust values.
• Lead the Learning and Development Team, providing mentorship, performance management and succession planning.
• Commission, negotiate and evaluate external training providers, ensuring value for money and quality assurance.
• Collaborate with key stakeholders, including Health Education England, professional bodies, and partner universities.
• Develop and monitor learning KPIs (including compliance rates), providing strategic insights to Trust leadership.
• Oversee the management of the Learning Management System and integration with wider workforce systems.
• Ensure continuous service review and innovation in line with current educational research and digital advancements.
• Provide leadership for the design, accreditation and delivery of professional and clinical training programmes.
• Embed mechanisms to evaluate training effectiveness and organisational impact.
• Develop policies and protocols related to education, learning and development.
• Represent Learning and Development on Trust-wide committees and external stakeholder groups.
• Manage budgets effectively, aligning L&D spend to organisational priorities and workforce plans.
• Contribute to talent management strategies and succession planning at a senior level.
• Stay up to date with national workforce and education policy, translating it into Trust practice.
• Lead projects to improve workforce capability, employee engagement and retention through development initiatives.

Essential Knowledge & Experience:

• In-depth understanding of challenges within the health and social care workforce.
• Proven leadership experience in unionised environments.
• Demonstrated success in developing, implementing and evaluating workforce and OD plans.
• Experience in senior learning & development leadership roles within large, complex organisations.
• Strong ability to interpret employment law and regulatory frameworks into learning strategies and policy.
• Track record of evaluating workforce development interventions for measurable impact.
• Skilled in stakeholder management, collaboration and influencing across organisational levels.
• Deep commitment to advancing equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Experience working in culturally diverse settings and delivering inclusive programmes.
• Competence in strategy execution, project delivery and outcome monitoring.

Skills:

• Ability to lead and deliver strategic L&D objectives aligned to Trust and ICS ambitions.
• High personal resilience, adaptability and ability to work effectively in complex environments.
• Able to contribute to standards of practice and policy development collaboratively.
• Persistent and driven with the ability to motivate others without compromising wellbeing.
• Strong communication and presentation skills across formal and informal settings.
• Ability to harness digital learning tools to drive innovation and engagement.
• Financial acumen with budget management experience.

Desired Education:

• Master’s degree in Learning and Development, Workforce, Organisational Behaviour or equivalent.
• Chartered CIPD Member or Fellow.
• Honours Degree / Level 7 qualification in HRM, L&D or comparable HR experience.
• Evidence of continued professional development via portfolio and revalidation.
• Project management or service improvement qualification.

Personal Qualities:

• Self-motivated, proactive, and solutions-focused.
• Resilient under pressure with emotional intelligence and tact.
• A collaborative team player who can also work independently.
• Honest, open and trustworthy—demonstrating integrity in all actions.
• Committed to continuous learning—for self and others.
• Passionate about education, equity, and improving patient care through people development.