At a Glance
- Tasks: Shape and deliver practical learning solutions in a dynamic manufacturing environment.
- Company: Established engineering-led manufacturing business with a hands-on culture.
- Benefits: Opportunity to influence real change and develop your career in L&D.
- Other info: Enjoy autonomy and the chance to build something valuable in a complex environment.
- Why this job: Make a tangible impact on capability development and work closely with senior leaders.
- Qualifications: Experience in L&D within industrial settings and strong stakeholder management skills.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 € per year.
Divisional L&D Lead - UK Wolverhampton (primary) with responsibility for a second UK site. We’re partnering with a well-established, engineering-led manufacturing business to appoint an L&D Lead to shape and deliver capability development across its UK operations. This is not a traditional central L&D role. It’s a hands-on, business-facing position focused on building practical capability at plant level — working directly with site and functional leaders to identify skills gaps, prioritise interventions, and ensure learning translates into performance.
If you’re someone who prefers being close to the operation, understands how industrial businesses really work, and can turn broad ideas into tangible delivery, this should feel like a good fit.
What You’ll Be Doing
- Acting as the primary L&D partner to UK site and functional leadership teams
- Translating operational priorities into focused, practical learning interventions
- Identifying critical capability gaps across areas such as operations, engineering, supply chain, and leadership
- Building and executing a clear, site-level L&D plan with visible progress and outcomes
- Shaping how learning is delivered — combining internal capability with external providers where it adds value
- Managing L&D spend and ensuring investment is directed to the highest-impact areas
- Supporting delivery of leadership and management development where it drives business performance
- Providing clear, pragmatic challenge to stakeholders on where learning will (and won’t) add value
What Success Looks Like (First 6–12 Months)
- Clear priorities established across both UK sites, aligned to business needs
- A simple, structured L&D plan in place with tangible delivery milestones
- Strong relationships built with site and functional leaders
- Learning activity that is visible, relevant, and applied in the workplace
- Better alignment between capability needs and how training is delivered
The Environment
- Multi-site UK manufacturing operation
- Engineering and operationally driven culture
- High degree of local ownership and autonomy at site level
- Requires influence rather than central authority
What They’re Looking For
- Proven experience in L&D within an industrial, engineering, or manufacturing environment
- Credibility with operational stakeholders — you understand shopfloor realities and leadership pressures
- Track record of translating business needs into practical, applied learning solutions
- Comfortable working with ambiguity and shaping direction rather than following a defined playbook
- Strong stakeholder management skills — able to influence without formal authority
- Experience managing L&D budgets and external training providers
Useful (But Not Essential)
- Experience building or reshaping an L&D function or approach
- Exposure to multi-site or federated organisations
- Broader understanding of talent, succession, or workforce planning
- Familiarity with LMS tools and digital learning (practical use rather than technical ownership)
Style & Approach
- Pragmatic, direct, and outcome-focused
- Comfortable being hands-on and close to the detail
- Able to simplify complexity and focus on what matters
- Commercially aware — understands the link between capability and performance
Why This Role
This is an opportunity to step into a role where you can genuinely shape how capability is built within a complex, industrial environment — without being constrained by overly centralised or theoretical L&D structures. You’ll have the chance to work closely with senior leaders, focus on real operational impact, and build something that is visible and valued by the business.
Learning And Development Specialist in Birmingham employer: Aston Fisher
Join a dynamic engineering-led manufacturing business in Wolverhampton, where you will play a pivotal role in shaping practical learning and development initiatives that directly impact operational performance. With a strong emphasis on local ownership and autonomy, this company fosters a collaborative work culture that values hands-on contributions and encourages professional growth through meaningful engagement with site leaders. Enjoy the unique advantage of working in a multi-site environment that prioritises real-world application of skills, ensuring your efforts translate into tangible results.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Learning And Development Specialist in Birmingham
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend events, join relevant groups on LinkedIn, and don’t be shy about reaching out to potential colleagues or mentors. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews by researching the company and its culture. Understand their operations and think about how your skills can directly impact their goals. Tailor your responses to show you’re not just a fit for the role, but for the team and the business as a whole.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice makes perfect! Conduct mock interviews with friends or use online platforms to get comfortable with common questions. Focus on articulating your experience in L&D and how it aligns with the practical needs of the business.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive and engaged with our platform.
We think you need these skills to ace Learning And Development Specialist in Birmingham
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to reflect the specific skills and experiences that match the L&D role. Highlight your hands-on experience in industrial settings and how you've successfully identified and addressed capability gaps.
Showcase Your Stakeholder Skills:We want to see how you’ve influenced stakeholders in previous roles. Share examples of how you’ve built relationships and collaborated with site leaders to deliver practical learning solutions that drive performance.
Be Clear and Concise:When writing your application, keep it straightforward. Use clear language to explain your achievements and how they relate to the job description. We appreciate a direct approach that gets to the point!
Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity to shape L&D in our operations.
How to prepare for a job interview at Aston Fisher
✨Know the Business Inside Out
Before your interview, dive deep into the company’s operations and culture. Understand their engineering-led approach and how it impacts learning and development. This will help you speak their language and show that you’re genuinely interested in making a difference.
✨Prepare Practical Examples
Think of specific instances where you've successfully identified skills gaps and implemented effective learning solutions. Be ready to discuss how these interventions translated into improved performance on the shop floor. Real-life examples will demonstrate your hands-on experience.
✨Build Rapport with Stakeholders
Since this role requires strong stakeholder management, practice how you would engage with site and functional leaders. Show that you can influence without authority by discussing how you’ve built relationships in previous roles and how you plan to do so here.
✨Showcase Your Pragmatic Approach
Be prepared to discuss how you simplify complex ideas into actionable plans. Highlight your ability to work with ambiguity and shape direction, as this is crucial for success in a dynamic environment. Employers want to see that you can deliver tangible results.
