Training and Workforce Development Manager

Contract: Permanent

Location: London

Covering: This is a national role with a hybrid working approach across your home and our offices. The role will require travel across England & Wales.

DBS requirement: Enhanced DBS check and HMPPS check

This role offers a starting salary within Nacro’s pay structure of £51,898 Entry with expected progression to £53,455 Established within the first year, subject to meeting clear criteria and performance standards, with further pay progression available in the future. Nacro’s pay framework provides transparent progression points and supports ongoing professional development and career growth.

We are Nacro, we believe that everyone deserves a good education, a safe and secure place to live, the right to be heard, and the chance to start again, with support from someone on their side. That’s why our housing, education, justice, and health and wellbeing services work alongside people to give them the support and skills they need to succeed. And it’s why we fight for their voices to be heard and campaign together to create lasting change.

This role is part of the Community Accommodation Service – Tier 2 (CAS-2) service that is directly commissioned by the Ministry of Justice and operating nationwide across England and Wales. CAS-2 provides housing and tailored support as an alternative custody, including for individuals on bail.

We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Training and Workforce Development Manager to lead training and workforce development across the CAS-2 service, ensuring staff capability and professional standards are developed and consistently demonstrated through practice. The postholder, and their team, will deliver a suite of existing learning programmes and lead the development of new and bespoke blended learning initiatives tailored to workforce and service needs, strengthening capability and embedding learning to support the delivery of high-quality services and positive outcomes.

Working collaboratively with operational leaders and Learning and Development colleagues, the role will support delivery of strategic priorities, contractual outcomes, and workforce capability requirements across the service.

Key Responsibilities

• Training Delivery
  • Lead the delivery of a core suite of training and learning programmes, assessing impact on performance and service delivery.
  • Develop and deliver bespoke training solutions in response to workforce and service needs.
  • Work with internal and external Trainers to coordinate and maintain delivery of learning programmes, including Trainer recruitment and ongoing management arrangements.
  • Ensure consistency and quality in training materials and delivery approaches across the service using professional frameworks, monitored through peer observations and audits of resources.
  • Oversee quality assurance activity for training delivery and materials, including review mechanisms and evaluation processes.
  • Work collaboratively within a hub-and-spoke model with Nacro central Learning and Development function to support organisational learning initiatives and maintain core training provision.
• Training Development & Design
  • Identify workforce skill needs based on contractual requirements, service growth, outputs, and performance.
  • Lead the review, development, and implementation of training content and new learning programmes in response to emerging practice, policy, and identified skills or knowledge gaps.
  • Work with housing and criminal justice sector partners to shape learning outcomes and ensure training reflects best practice.
  • Support the design and development of digital learning through the Learning Management System.
• Leadership & People Management
  • Lead and manage the Practice Development Team (4–6 direct reports), providing clear direction across the workforce development function and ensuring delivery against agreed priorities and outcomes.
  • Develop and lead skilled, specialist teams that respond effectively to service user needs while meeting commissioner and business requirements.
  • Set clear expectations and objectives and ensure effective performance management, development planning, and management practice across the team.
  • Support managers to deliver regular check-ins, reflective practice, ongoing guidance, and development to strengthen capability and promote a culture of learning and continuous improvement.
  • A central point of contact for our MoJ commissioners.

About you

We are looking for a motivated and skilled learning and workforce development professional with experience in housing, criminal justice, social care, or related sectors. You will be an effective leader and relationship builder, with effective communication, organisational, and influencing skills. Success in this role will be demonstrated through the development of a confident and capable workforce that applies learning in practice and delivers high-quality services. You will ensure learning and development activity is relevant, responsive, and supports the delivery of CAS-2 objectives, contractual commitments, and continuous improvement across teams.

You will bring:

• Recognised Level 3 Teaching qualification (e.g. Award in Education and Training, PTLLS or equivalent), or equivalent demonstrable experience in training delivery and facilitation.
• Experience of workforce development within the criminal justice, housing, supported accommodation, homelessness, or wider social impact sectors.
• Experience of designing, delivering, and evaluating training programmes and blended learning solutions.
• Experience of managing and developing teams, including performance management and capability development.
• Strong understanding of the CAS-2 contract and the needs of individuals with experience of the criminal justice system and/or homelessness.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and presentation skills.
• Strong project management and organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Strong stakeholder engagement, relationship-building and influencing skills.
• A proactive, calm, and solutions-focused approach.
• Willingness to travel nationally across England and Wales as required.

Your skills and Behaviours / Competencies

• Creates a clear sense of direction and motivates others to contribute, develop, and achieve shared goals through positive influence and visible leadership.
• Strong communication, facilitation, presentation, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Builds trusted relationships across teams and stakeholders, values diverse perspectives, and creates inclusive environments where people can contribute, learn, and succeed.
• Ability to use data, feedback, and evaluation to inform decision-making and improve learning provision.
• Ability to build effective working relationships and influence across operational and corporate teams.

At Nacro, we believe in the power of a diverse and inclusive team. We are a Ban the Box employer and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, including those with criminal records. Convictions are not discussed at application stage and will only be considered later if relevant to the role, assessed fairly, proportionately, and confidentially.

For advice, contact our confidential Criminal Record Support Service on 03001231999 or helpline@nacro.org.uk.