Learning and Development Specialist

Learning & Development Specialist

Cambridgeshire - £40-45k pa

The Role

This is a great role for someone who genuinely believes good Learning & Development should make a difference.

Not just courses for the sake of courses. Not a training calendar nobody looks at. And definitely not ticking a box because someone said “we should probably do some development”.

You’ll take ownership of the whole L&D piece across the organisation, working closely with managers and stakeholders to understand what people actually need, where the skills gaps are and how development can support both individuals and the wider business.

You’ll also take ownership of the company's entry level trainees - making sure trainees are progressing as they should, getting the right support, completing what they need to complete and, importantly, not getting lost somewhere between their trainers, their managers and the day job.

This is a role for someone who enjoys building relationships, solving problems and being the person managers trust when they need advice around learning, development and growing their people.

What You'll Be Doing

• Take ownership of Learning & Development activity across the organisation.

• Work with managers and stakeholders to understand development needs across different teams.

• Identify skills gaps and help put practical development plans in place.

• Support managers with conversations around development, progression and capability.

• Coordinate and oversee internal and external training activity.

• Make sure learning initiatives are relevant, useful and actually delivering value.

• Build strong relationships with managers across the business.

• Manage relationships with external training providers.

• Keep track of trainees progress, reviews, milestones and completion requirements.

• Make sure trainees are receiving the support, learning and workplace exposure they need.

• Pick up quickly when a trainee is falling behind and work with the right people to get things back on track.

• Support managers who are responsible for trainees and help them understand what good support looks like.

• Act as a link between trainees, managers, training providers and internal stakeholders.

• Maintain accurate L&D and apprenticeship records.

• Review feedback and outcomes to understand what is working and what needs improving.

• Help build a culture where development is part of everyday management rather than something that only happens on a training day.

What You’ll Need

• You’ll already have experience working within Learning & Development, training or people development.

• You’ll be comfortable taking ownership of L&D rather than simply supporting somebody else’s agenda.

• You understand how to turn business needs into practical learning and development activity.

• You’re confident working with managers at different levels of an organisation.

• You know how to build credibility with stakeholders and aren’t afraid to challenge when needed.

• You can support managers without simply doing everything for them.

• You understand the importance of good communication when people are learning, developing or struggling.

• You’ll be organised enough to keep several programmes, people and deadlines moving at the same time.

• You’re comfortable monitoring progress and following things through properly.

• You can build good relationships with training providers while still holding them accountable for delivery.

• You genuinely care about whether people are getting something useful from their development.

• You’re approachable, practical and comfortable being the person people come to when they need guidance.

• You can spot when something isn’t working and are prepared to do something about it.

What You Might Not Like

If you’re looking for a role where you simply deliver training sessions and somebody else worries about the bigger picture, this probably won’t be for you.

There’s ownership here.

You’ll be expected to keep things moving, follow up with people and sometimes chase managers, providers or trainees when progress isn’t where it needs to be.

And yes, occasionally you may feel like you’re trying to get several different people to have the same conversation at the same time. Welcome to apprenticeships.

This also isn’t an L&D role that sits quietly in the background.

You’ll need to build relationships across the organisation, understand what different teams need and be confident enough to tell someone when the answer isn’t simply “book them on a course”.

But if you like having autonomy, building something meaningful and seeing people genuinely progress because of the work you’ve put in, there’s a lot to get your teeth into.

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