Head of Learning & OD - Invest NI in Belfast

Head of Learning & OD - Invest NI

MCS Group is delighted to be partnering exclusively with Invest NI, as they seek to appoint a Head of Learning & OD on a full-time permanent basis. The successful candidate will design, develop and implement learning and organisational development (OD) programmes and interventions to enhance Invest NI's efficiency and long-term success.

This will ultimately improve the organisation's capacity to achieve its goals while fostering a healthy work environment, and encouraging a culture of collaboration, continuous learning, and adaptability.

Invest NI

Invest NI is transforming to be a leading economic development agency responsible for driving a high-performance economy. They do this by supporting new and existing small to large businesses from right across the region to increase export sales, drive high value job creation, improve skills and boost productivity; whilst also attracting new inward investment to the region.

The role will sit within Invest NI's People and Culture Group, who's objective is to support the delivery of their business strategy by providing a full range of cost effective and efficient, business aligned people solutions and services. The Group adopts a Trusted Business Partnership approach, working as advisers to the organisation to offer a range of people solutions that assist Invest NI to deliver service excellence to our customers.

About the Role

Reporting to the Executive Director, People & Culture, you will design, develop, and implement learning and OD programs and interventions. The primary goal is to enhance Invest NI's efficiency and long-term success by improving the organisation's capacity to achieve its goals. This includes fostering a healthy work environment, encouraging a culture of collaboration, continuous learning, and adaptability. The role is crucial in driving the organisation's growth and ensuring that it remains competitive and effective in achieving its objectives.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Playing a pivotal role in the development and implementation of a People and Organisational Development Strategy, in conjunction with the Executive Director, People & Culture, which will embed a high-performance culture, and support the implementation of Invest NI's strategy and the Minister's Vision.
• Developing and implementing strategies and initiatives for learning and development that align with Invest NI's goals and objectives.

• Developing, obtaining approval for, implementing and continuously reviewing Invest NI's Skills Strategy and associated Learning & Development Plan. This includes ensuring robust assessment of skills needs and gaps, establishing fit for purpose skills-based learning models and the development of plans to ensure critical skills gaps are successfully filled.

• Developing, implementing and continuously improving a Talent Management Plan to improve all aspects of the employee experience, to include effective identifying and nurturing of talent within the organisation, succession planning and career development. Collaborating with the Head of HR Operations and the Head of HR Transformation on strategic workforce planning to ensure Invest NI recruits, develops and retains the right skills and capabilities to develop a talent pipeline thus securing long-term organisational success.

• Designing and overseeing learning interventions, training programs, workshops, and other educational initiatives to enhance employee skills and knowledge. Manage the end-to-end learning and development strategy for Invest NI. This involves contract managing external partners to facilitate the delivery of a wide range of programmes including leadership and management development, technical competencies, procedural and compliance training, soft skills and on boarding as well as ad hoc bespoke solutions as part of the overall annual people development curriculum.

• Creating and overseeing learning and developing initiatives to ensure employees are provided with the technical skills to enable them to become fully competent in their roles. Providing direction and clarity on our technical and career pathways, to build organisational capability and skills

• Establishing a competency framework outlining competencies and behaviours which underpin the Invest NI values and behaviours and can be used to build leadership capability and performance within Invest NI. Leading on the creation of programs to identify and develop future leaders within the organisation with the aim of delivering tangible business benefits enabling the achievement of the business strategy.

• Implementing systems to evaluate and improve employee performance, including feedback mechanisms and performance reviews, with the aim of driving high performance ensuring that all procedures and timescales are adhered to by the organisation.

• Continuously improving the e-learning and digital content to facilitate effective training and assessment of employees, ensuring compliance with mandatory training, key procedures and processes.

• Programme manage the Graduate Programme to create and sustain a flow of management and leadership talent into the organisation, including devising and implementing an appropriate learning and development plan to optimise their performance.

• Leading initiatives to manage organisational change and ensure smooth transitions during periods of transformation.

• Leading on the continual review and improvement of processes and systems linked to Learning and Organisational Development with the aim of ensuring best use is made of technology and resources to drive improvements in performance management, people and skills development, thus striving to achieve best practice in all areas.

• Collaborating with various stakeholders, including senior management, to ensure alignment and support for learning and development initiatives.

• Managing the budget for learning and development activities, ensuring cost-effectiveness and efficient use of resources.

• Assessing the effectiveness of learning and development programs and reporting on outcomes to senior management.

This list is not exhaustive, and the successful applicant will be required to perform additional duties as allocated by management.

Personnel Specification

To be considered for the role, candidates must be able to demonstrate, by the closing date for applications, experience in the following essential criteria.

You must demonstrate this experience through specific examples.

• Minimum of Level 6 qualification in Human Resources, business, L&D or OD, or

At least 5 years' wide-ranging experience of designing and implementing L&D interventions to enhance organisation capability, or An equivalent professional qualification

• At least 3 years' experience of developing and implementing learning & development and organisational development strategies in line with organisational priorities *, which should include designing and implementing L&D interventions, talent management, and developing leadership capability
• Strategic budget management experience with responsibility for ensuring cost-effectiveness in learning and development activities
• Experience in designing and implementing skills and/or learning strategies, including skills development to meet future organisational needs
• Experience in managing and delivering change programmes
• Strong leadership and management skills
• Ability to develop and implement strategic plans aligned with organisational goals
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to evaluate the effectiveness of L&D programmes and make data-driven decisions
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships, work across diverse teams, adapt to change, and lead change initiatives
• In-depth understanding of current trends in:
• Learning & Development
• Talent Management / Succession Planning
• Leadership Development
• Performance Management
  And how these enable a high-performance culture

*Defined as reporting to "Director" level or to a "Head Of" level if the experience has been gained in a large organisation

Terms, Conditions, Benefits

The Head of Learning & OD is a permanent and full-time, 37 hours per week; however, Invest NI offers a range of flexibilities to enable a better work life balance for our people.

Salary

The salary range for this position is £61,673 - £64,469 (from 1ST August 2025). The entry point for the successful candidate will be at the minimum of the range.

Pension

We offer all employees access to an attractive pension scheme. Full details can be found on the Principal Civil Service Pensions Scheme (Northern Ireland) website at https://www.finance-ni.gov.uk/landing-pages/civil-service-pensions-ni.

Location

This role is based in Invest NI's Bedford Street Headquarters.

Holidays

25 days per annum, increasing to 30 days after 5 years, with an additional 12 Public and Privilege holidays. The leave year runs from 1st February to 31st January. Leave entitlement in the period prior to the start of the new leave year is calculated on a pro rata basis.

Flexible Working Hours

The standard working hours are 37 per week, Monday to Friday. Employees will be required from time to time to work outside normal working hours to fulfil the demands of the role. Invest NI operates a flexible working scheme. Staff may work flexibly from 7.00am (7.30am when working at HQ) to 7.00pm with a minimum of half an hour for lunch. At management discretion and without adversely affecting the overall efficiency of Invest NI, staff who have built up enough hours each month can take up to a maximum of 3 flexible working days.

Family

Family-friendly policies are essential for supporting employees with caregiving responsibilities and promoting work-life balance.

Remote Working

We offer hybrid working for most roles with a combination of in-office and remote work, offering greater flexibility.

Wellness and Inclusion

We have a variety of vibrant Employee Connection Groups as part of our commitment to Diversity & Inclusion. Invest NI promotes positive health and wellbeing through regular events and initiatives throughout the year with access to wellness programs that support mental and physical well-being. Counselling and support for employees via an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and access to a Welfare Support Service providing an individual and confidential service to staff and managers at all levels.

Community

A Sports and Social Committee organise events for Invest NI staff and their guests. Our Corporate Charity until April 2026 is NI Children's Hospice and we have already surpassed our target of £20k! You can get involved in events and initiatives to help raise money to support our charity partner.

Learning and Development

Invest NI is committed to supporting staff to reach their full potential. We actively develop staff and invest significantly in training and development for business success and personal growth. This includes on-the-job training, external training and, where appropriate, further education.

Equality of Opportunity
Invest NI is an Equal Opportunities Employer. At this time, we particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities, minority ethnic groups and female applicants for roles at Grade 7 and above.
Select 'Apply Now' to request a Candidate Pack for this Head of Learning & OD opportunity, an incredibly exciting opportunity for the brand.

Applications will close on Monday 15th September at 12noon. Please allow enough time to complete a CV and a Cover Letter no more than 2 sides of A4 paper in length for this Head of Learning & OD opportunity.

Even if this position is not right for you, we may have others that are. Please visit MCS Group to view a wide selection of our current jobs www.mcsgroup.jobs

MCS Group is committed to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion for all, being the first recruitment agency in NI to achieve Bronze Diversity Mark accreditation, if you have a disability which means you require a reasonable adjustment to be considered at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact us and we will endeavour to facilitate the request.

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