Head of Technical Training in Sheffield

At OCU, our people are our capability, and our academies are where that capability is built. We are looking for a Head of Technical Training to lead the OCU Academy and shape how technical skills are developed across the business. This is an exciting and high-impact leadership role with responsibility for training and supporting an operational workforce of 5,000 people working across construction, energy, utilities, water and telecommunications.

OCU Group is on an ambitious growth journey and at the heart of that growth is our people. We’re now looking for an experienced Training Leader to provide strategic leadership and operational oversight of our technical training academies. This is a senior, high-impact role where you’ll design, lead and evolve world-class technical training that underpins safety, competence, compliance and commercial success across multiple infrastructure sectors.

As Head of Technical Training, you will have end-to-end accountability for the strategy, delivery and continuous development of OCU Group’s technical training capability. Based primarily across our flagship academies in Sheffield and Borehamwood with UK wide travel, you’ll ensure our training provision remains innovative, compliant, cost-effective and aligned to both current and future business needs.

You will lead the full training ecosystem programmes, people, facilities, partnerships and governance while delivering a consistent, high-quality learning experience for internal teams and selected external stakeholders.

• Provide strategic leadership for OCU Group’s technical training academies and training portfolio
• Oversee the design, coordination and delivery of technical training across construction, energy, utilities, water and telecommunications
• Manage an operational training capability supporting 5,000+ learners, with scope for further growth
• Ensure all training meets regulatory, statutory and industry standards, including accreditation and assurance by relevant bodies
• Develop a blended training model, combining in-house delivery and external providers to achieve best value and quality
• Lead training plan management, forecasting future capability needs aligned to business growth
• Drive innovation in learning, including remote/digital learning solutions and facility development
• Maintain strong governance across facilities, resources, budgets and administration
• Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders, clients and external partners

You are a strategic, credible leader with a strong background in technical training within regulated or safety-critical environments. You combine big-picture thinking with operational excellence and have a genuine passion for developing people and capability at scale.

You’ll bring:

• Proven senior leadership experience within technical training or workforce development in leading technical training, learning & development, or training centre/training school/academy management within utilities, construction, water, telecommunications, or related infrastructure sectors.
• Strong operational experience coordinating complex training programmes across multiple sites.
• Strong understanding of regulated training environments and accreditation frameworks
• Experience managing large, multi-site training operations ideally within Utilities and Engineering
• Commercial awareness and the ability to balance quality with cost effectiveness
• A forward-thinking mindset, with experience of digital, remote or blended learning models
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills

Would you like to?

• Play a pivotal role in shaping the technical capability of a rapidly growing infrastructure group
• Influence training strategy at a national level
• Lead modern, high-profile training academies
• Work with passionate experts across multiple industries
• Competitive salary and benefits, with real opportunity to leave a lasting legacy

Driven by values, powered by inclusion. At OCU, our values guide everything we do: integrity, collaboration, respect, innovation and one company united. They shape how we work with our clients, communities, and each other. We believe that inclusion is more than a principle it’s the foundation of our success. By embracing equity and ensuring that every individual has the opportunity to thrive, we create a workplace where diverse perspectives are valued, and everyone feels they belong. Together, we build stronger teams, deliver better outcomes, and grow in ways that reflect the communities we serve.

If you want to be part of a culture where values matter and inclusion is at the heart of everything we do apply now and help us shape the future together.

If you are invited to progress in the recruitment process, will you require any reasonable adjustments to support you? Please let us know so we can ensure the process is accessible and fair for you. Any information you share will be treated confidentially and will only be used to support you during the recruitment process.