Early Careers Learning and Development Advisor (12-month FTC)

The Early Careers L&D Advisor is responsible for delivering a seamless and proactive learning and development experience for all new trainees and their line managers, including Partners, across the firm as well as with training providers and the professional bodies. This role is an excellent opportunity to ensure trainees receive the support, guidance, and resources needed to excel in their qualifications and professional growth while also equipping line managers with the tools to effectively develop and mentor their teams. Acting as a key liaison between these different groups, the candidate for the role will have excellent experience of professional services qualification processes and a focus on continuous improvement, data‑driven decision‑making, and fostering a culture of learning, this role is instrumental in maintaining the firm’s reputation as a leading employer for early‑career professionals.

Responsibilities

• Execute a workforce planning and engagement process to ensure all new trainees are able to onboard with confidence, ensuring a meaningful trainee experience.
• Build excellent internal relationships, including with Partners, to ensure both practical L&D pathway structures are in place and with an eye to pastoral support to the growing number of trainees joining Saffery.
• Work closely with professional bodies and external training providers to ensure a cohesive and engaging process for trainees throughout their traineeship.
• Deliver sessions around study with the firm at the trainee induction.
• Develop and ensure Saffery’s study policies are up to date and make recommendations to the EC L&D Team Lead.
• Engage with the EC L&D Team Lead in relation to the apprenticeship levy to maximise usage.
• Work closely with the EC L&D Team Lead to develop the Trainee Development Programme (TDP) – liaising with external and internal speakers etc.
• Liaise with the ED&I team and EC Talent Acquisition team to collect and analyse data to ensure the firm is fair and in line with current legislation and working towards the firm’s ED&I goals.
• This role will work closely with the Head of EDI to look at initiatives to encourage a fair and equitable experience for the whole trainee cohort.
• This role has a good working relationship with the whole EC team, the broader People Experience team, the fee‑earning line managers and partners delivering excellent client service.
• There is an opportunity to get involved in projects across all areas of Early Careers to ensure a joined‑up approach.
• Coordinate all deliverables for student results day process.
• Support the Talent Management team in relation to resits etc and advise on technical questions in relation to exam passes.
• Manage and creatively develop the L&D student sections of the intranet.
• Manage the process of a trainee achieving their qualifications and handle any enquiries from our student population directly.

You

• Strong knowledge of professional qualifications and apprenticeships gained from working within the Early Careers space.
• Experience of interpreting policy and developing procedures/systems.
• Ability to analyse and interpret complex information/data and understand the impact on their discipline and the wider firm.
• Able to establish and maintain strong and credible working relationships, and influence others.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; including communicating with technical and non‑technical clients and staff at all organisational levels.

Reward And Benefits

• A 35‑hour working week with a hybrid working policy with the flexibility to work from home for up to three days per week (our core hours are 10‑4).
• Excellent benefits including contributory pension scheme, 25 days annual leave, Life Assurance cover and great flexible benefits and family‑friendly policies.
• Eligibility for the firm’s Profit‑Sharing Plan. Paid in December.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Equality, diversity and inclusion is a top priority for us. With our ED&I strategy, Everyone Belongs, we are building on our positive work culture and implementing initiatives to improve diversity and strengthen our equitable culture of inclusion, led from the top. We hope you will apply to us, whatever your background, ethnicity, gender, age, sexuality, disability or neurodivergence, because individual differences equal collective strength. Built on values of excellence, integrity, enthusiasm and collegiality, Saffery is where Potential meets Personal.