Work Package Manager - Skills & Competency

Location: Belfast, United Kingdom

Thales is a global technology leader with more than 83,000 employees on five continents. With over 7,500 people in the UK, operating across defence, space, aerospace, and digital security, we help build a future we can all trust. Thales supports the security and stability of our nation by providing extraordinary technology to our customers, as well as delivering social value to the UK with our products and services.

Primary Purpose of the Role: The Work Package Manager Skills and Competency is responsible for maintaining and evolving the IAS Skills Referential, collaborating closely with Job Function Managers, key stakeholders, and Function Academies to define and articulate core capabilities for each Job Function within IAS. This role ensures the identification and continual assessment of function and domain-specific skills and competencies required at every level, delivering clear competency and skill roadmaps that guide role-relevant learning journeys. The Work Package Manager (WPM) balances strategic and hands-on delivery to design, coordinate, and embed structured learning pathways, fostering a skilled, competent, and SQEP (Suitably Qualified and Experienced Personnel) workforce aligned with current and future organisational capability needs.

Principal Relationships: The jobholder will report to the Academy Manager. The jobholder is required to develop networks & build key relationships to obtain buy-in and cooperation in order to achieve objectives and fulfil responsibilities. Interfaces and communication shall be with all stakeholders and include, but are not limited to:

• Key Stakeholders
• Academy and People Team
• Heads of Functions & Function leads
• Technical Directorate & Specialists & Experts
• Engineering Trainer
• SCP lead
• Operations Director
• UK TLC team

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead on IAS Skills Referential, assigning owners, gathering and structuring learning content for each skill from Level 1 beginner to Level 4 Mastery.
• Define core capabilities and competency requirements for each Job Function, detailing skills needed across all competency levels.
• Lead structured training needs analysis activities across job functions and translate TNA outputs into actionable learning and development plans.
• Guide and coach job function heads through the TNA process, ensuring they understand how to identify skills gaps and development priorities.
• Identify skill gaps and development needs at function and domain levels, driving strategies to develop and sustain SQEP within IAS.
• Create, publish and maintain a Knowledge Map for IAS to include S&Es, Skill owners, SMEs, PDAs, PLMs.
• Provide clear, visible competency and skill roadmaps to ensure employees at all levels have defined, role-relevant learning and development journeys.
• Align learning and development initiatives with business objectives, future capability requirements, and organisational standards.
• Monitor, track, and report on skill development progress and effectiveness of learning pathways, recommending continuous improvements.
• Engage proactively with cross-functional teams to foster a culture of continuous learning, capability building, and performance excellence.
• Support strategic workforce planning by identifying emerging skill requirements and advising on upskilling and reskilling priorities.
• Ensure all competency and skill management activities comply with relevant governance, policy, and quality standards.
• Manage learning and capability initiatives as structured projects, including timelines, dependencies, and stakeholder engagement.
• Design and coordinate life after induction learning experiences to support employees beyond onboarding.
• Partner with HR and People teams to integrate learning pathways into wider talent and performance processes.
• Ensure effective communication and alignment across IAS, multiple functions and academies.
• Establish standards, governance, and best practices for learning pathway design and capability development.
• Monitor the effectiveness of learning pathways and recommend improvements based on feedback and outcomes.
• Ensure training established on the learning pathway follows JSP822 standard.
• Use data and insight to track skills coverage, learning uptake, and capability maturity.

Skills:

• Proven experience in learning & development, training project management, or organisational capability roles.
• Strong understanding of training needs analysis methodologies and practical application.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain and develop competency frameworks, job role mappings, and learning roadmaps.
• Analytical and problem-solving capabilities with attention to detail and a methodical approach.
• Experience working with senior stakeholders to define skills, capabilities, and development priorities.
• Ability to translate skill gap insights and business needs into actionable learning and development solutions.
• Adaptable and proactive, with a commitment to continuous improvement and organisational capability building.
• Excellent project management, communication, and facilitation skills.

At Thales, we ensure equal opportunities, pay and working conditions for all. The benefits we offer include private medical insurance, buying or selling annual leave, cycle to work schemes, employee discounts, paid volunteering day, stocks and shares, annual bonus and much more depending on the role.

We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued for who they are and the unique strengths they bring.

If this role isn't quite right for you, we encourage you to join our talent community where your details will be shared with our recruitment teams for other potential opportunities.

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