L&D Trainer

This role will lead on and be responsible for designing and presenting comprehensive skills training and coaching primarily for our junior and mid-level legal professionals and central teams. The successful candidate will have a deep understanding of the legal industry and possess strong training and facilitation skills. They will play a crucial role in enhancing the knowledge, skills, and performance of our legal and central teams to drive the firm strategy.

Hours: this role could be either full-time or part-time eg 3 to 5 days per week. The right person with the right skills is the priority and the scope of the role can be adapted to suit.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Head of L&D to ensure training content and programmes align with our comprehensive learning and development strategy and the firm's goals.
• Build and maintain relationships with internal stakeholders to understand their training needs and provide ongoing support.
• Stay up-to-date with industry trends and best practice to ensure training content and coaching styles and methodologies remain current and relevant.
• Collaborate with external training and coaching forums, universities, and professional bodies to leverage external expertise and resources.
• Assist Head of L&D in the design of our career development programmes.
• Assist with internal PR and promotion of L&D training programmes and initiatives.

Internal training

• Collaborate with subject matter experts to create and update training materials, including presentations, handouts, and e-learning modules for internal training programmes.
• Design innovative and engaging skills training content tailored to the needs of our legal professionals and central teams to cover professional and business skills and compliance and regulatory requirements.
• Present high-quality skills training sessions, workshops, and seminars to work experience students/interns, trainees, junior to mid-level lawyers and central team staff, both in-person and virtually.
• Work with L&D Co-ordinator to create and maintain a library of training materials, resources, and e-learning modules to support ongoing learning initiatives.
• Support Head of L&D with training needs assessments to identify skill gaps and develop appropriate training solutions.
• Utilise various instructional techniques and adult learning principles to ensure effective knowledge transfer and skills development.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of training programmes through assessments, feedback, group coaching/action learning sets, and make necessary improvements to training content and programmes.

Client training

• Work with BD teams, Client Partners (and wider client team) and Knowledge Lawyers to design and develop innovative and engaging skills training programmes tailored to the needs of our clients as part of our Key Client Programme.
• Collaborate with and support subject matter experts to create and update skills-based training materials, including presentations, handouts, and e-learning modules for client training programmes.
• Work with members of the firm to support them in delivery of training sessions that form part of our key client training programmes.

Essential & Desirable Criteria

• Bachelor's degree and/or CIPD professional qualification is desirable.
• A coaching qualification is desirable.
• Proven experience as a business skills trainer (preferably within a law firm, legal or professional services environment) is essential.
• Ability to deliver training in the following areas is desirable:
• People skills: leading, managing, supervising, delegating, coaching techniques, building professional relationships, teamwork, understanding personality/behavioural styles, communication skills, resilience & wellbeing, managing time, building personal impact, networking, presentation skills, giving feedback and effective appraisal discussions.
• DE&I: core topics eg unconscious bias, inclusive interviewing skills etc; and ensuring that all skills training content uses gender neutral language and is free from biases and dated terminology or scenarios.
• Time & change management: organisation, prioritisation & time management, managing & communicating with key stakeholders, persuading & influencing, dealing with resistance and navigating challenging conversations/situations.
• Business skills: preparing & running effective meetings, core business writing skills including grammar, spelling and effective report writing/layout/formatting.
• Psychometric/personality models: Insights Discovery or DISC (training can be provided).
• Strong facilitation and presentation skills, with the ability to engage and inspire learners.
• Excellent collaboration and listening skills along with clear written communication skills, with the ability to adapt your style to different audiences.
• Proven experience in designing and delivering using a variety of approaches, including e-learning, in-person and virtual workshops and on-the-job training/coaching.
• Confident IT skills, in particular with MS Word, Outlook, Zoom, Excel, PowerPoint and familiarity with learning management systems (LMS) and other training software.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify specific training needs and develop effective continuous learning solutions which help drive change.
• Excellent organisational skills and accurate attention to detail.
• Commercially astute with proven ability to manage multiple projects, prioritise tasks effectively and to work collaboratively with colleagues and teams from across the business in an organised and efficient way.
• Energetic and enthusiastic team player.

At our firm, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is a priority and at the heart of everything we do. We actively want to attract a diverse workforce and welcome applications from everyone, from all backgrounds. We are committed to promoting an inclusive culture where everyone can be their full selves and experience being seen and heard.

We ensure that there are equal opportunities and treatment for all job applicants and employees, at all stages of the recruitment process and employment, regardless of age, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, disability, race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and social background. We aim to provide adjustments for people who have a disability, long-term health condition (including mental health) or neurodiversity. If you would like to request an adjustment, please contact Sam.Austin@penningtonslaw.com.