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- Tasks: Shape organisational capability and support career growth through innovative learning initiatives.
- Company: Join Thatcham Research, a leader in automotive research with a collaborative culture.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, generous holiday, health perks, and flexible working options.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on people's careers while driving organisational success.
- Qualifications: Strong communication skills and experience in learning design and facilitation.
- Other info: Dynamic hybrid work environment with excellent career development opportunities.
The predicted salary is between 45000 - 45000 £ per year.
Are you excited by the opportunity to shape organisational capability and support people to grow in their careers? Thatcham Research is looking for a Learning & Development Specialist to join our L&D team and help drive learning initiatives that align with our People Strategy and wider business goals. This brand-new role offers the chance to influence how we identify skills gaps, design career pathways, and deliver meaningful learning experiences across the organisation. You’ll play a key role in strengthening our organisational capability, while also supporting the wider L&D team through facilitation, coaching, and stakeholder engagement. Your ability to blend data-driven insights with creative learning design will help us develop a forward-looking, skilled workforce.
As the new Learning & Development Specialist, you’ll:
- Partner with People Partners and Managers to carry out training needs analyses and create tailored development plans for teams, including conducting skills gap analysis where required.
- Analyse workforce and learning data to inform workforce and succession planning, support updates to the L&D strategy, and recommend targeted L&D interventions.
- Support the L&D Manager in designing our approach to competency frameworks and career pathways, providing guidance, coaching and constructive feedback to both managers and learners.
- Work closely with individuals, managers, and the wider L&D team to identify learning opportunities aligned to roles and career aspirations, contributing to the design and facilitation of learning events.
- Document key L&D processes and workflows, producing clear process maps that support efficiency, consistency, and wider business understanding.
- Assist in creating and updating high-quality learning materials and resources to support a wide range of development initiatives.
Skills & experience that will set you up for success:
- Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills, with the ability to collaborate confidently across teams and levels.
- Strong coaching and advisory capabilities to support individuals through their professional development journeys.
- A proactive, collaborative and adaptable approach, with the ability to build trusted relationships and respond to evolving business needs.
- Knowledge or experience working with competency frameworks and career pathways.
- Experience of strategic workforce planning would be beneficial.
- Experience in learning design and facilitation, creating engaging and accessible learning experiences.
- Previous experience in an L&D environment, ideally within a generalist or specialist capacity.
- Analytical thinking, with the ability to interpret performance and competence data to inform learning needs analysis.
- An understanding of core HR processes, with confidence using MS Office and HRIS systems.
- Ability to evaluate learning outcomes, translating insights into meaningful, actionable improvements.
Perks & Benefits:
- Salary - Circa £45,000, dependent on skills & experience.
- 10% non-contributory pension
- 29 days holiday (inclusive of Christmas shutdown) + public holidays
- Group Life Assurance (equal to 4 x basic salary)
- Group Income Protection (after 6 months’ service)
- Salary Sacrifice schemes (cycle to work, home & tech scheme)
- Enhanced and competitive parental leave for all parents, regardless of gender or family structure
- Moneyhealth’s Financial Coaching & Wellbeing Platform
- Health Cash Plan (cash back on eligible medical treatments)
- Benenden Health Care (opt-in benefit)
- Reward & Recognition Programme
- Discounted gym membership
- Sports & Social club
- Payroll charitable giving
- Subsidised on-site restaurant
- Free on-site parking
When we work:
Our standard working hours are 8:30 - 16:30 Monday - Thursday, early finish on Friday - 8:30 - 15:45 (Talk to us about flexible working if this doesn’t quite suit you – we take work-life balance seriously!)
How we work:
We understand the benefits of remote and in-person collaboration and therefore have a hybrid working model – you’ll be expected to work from our office in Thatcham at least two days per week.
What we do:
At the cutting edge of automotive research in the UK, Thatcham Research has a unique role in shaping the design of new vehicles and influencing ever higher standards of safety, security and repair. With an on-site Crash Laboratory, Repair Technology Centre and Training Academy, our research expertise is driving some of the very latest automotive developments in technology, materials and standards in this fast moving and highly technical industry. Our Gamston facility is one of the UK’s leading sites for active safety, trialling and assessing the latest crash avoidance and driver assistance technologies.
Our Values:
As an organisation that believes a strong set of Values are key to our organisational success and a sense of belonging for all colleagues, we ask that you understand, represent and apply our Values of Fearless, Inquisitive, Resourceful, Supportive and Trusted and demonstrate these Values throughout the recruitment process.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging:
We are dedicated to fostering an inclusive workplace which values diversity and embraces each individual’s authentic self. We are proud to champion a culture where colleagues freely share their diverse perspectives, recognising that these contribute to our innovative spirit. Our journey of growth and understanding is continuous as we actively invest in diversity training, workshops, and partnerships to ensure positive change.
Recruitment process:
We’re proud to manage our recruitment in-house and believe this direct approach enables us to give you the best possible Employee Experience we can – which starts right here, your application! We’re continuously striving to improve the candidate journey, and transparency (or communication) is a key area of focus – yes, even with salary & benefits.
What can you expect from our recruitment process?
- Regular updates on the progress / outcome of your application
- An initial telephone screening call with a Talent Acquisition Partner
- First interview with the hiring manager, usually via Teams
- Second/Final interview, in-person at our office (we may give you a role specific task to present on!)
- Personalised feedback following your interview – because everyone deserves that!
- An opportunity to give us your honest feedback in a short survey on all of the above
All applicants must have Right to Work in the UK.
Learning & Development Specialist employer: Thatcham Research
Contact Detail:
Thatcham Research Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Learning & Development Specialist
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current employees at Thatcham Research on LinkedIn or through mutual connections. A friendly chat can give you insider info and might just get your foot in the door.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by researching the company’s values and recent projects. Show us how your skills align with their mission and how you can contribute to their learning initiatives.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your storytelling skills! Be ready to share specific examples of how you've tackled challenges in L&D before. We love hearing about real experiences that showcase your problem-solving abilities.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after your interview! A quick thank-you email reiterating your enthusiasm for the role can leave a lasting impression. Plus, it shows us you’re genuinely interested!
We think you need these skills to ace Learning & Development Specialist
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight how your skills and experiences align with the Learning & Development Specialist role. We want to see how you can contribute to our L&D team, so don’t hold back on showcasing your relevant achievements!
Showcase Your Communication Skills: Since this role involves a lot of stakeholder engagement, it’s crucial to demonstrate your excellent communication abilities. Use clear and concise language in your application, and feel free to share examples of how you've successfully collaborated with others in the past.
Highlight Your Analytical Thinking: We’re looking for someone who can blend data-driven insights with creative learning design. Make sure to mention any experience you have with analysing workforce data or conducting skills gap analyses, as this will show us you’re the right fit for the job!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website for a smoother application process. This way, you’ll ensure your application gets to the right people, and you can keep track of your progress easily. Plus, we love seeing applications come in through our own platform!
How to prepare for a job interview at Thatcham Research
✨Know Your Stuff
Before the interview, dive deep into Thatcham Research's mission and values. Understand their approach to Learning & Development and be ready to discuss how your skills align with their goals. This shows genuine interest and helps you connect your experience to their needs.
✨Showcase Your Coaching Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully coached or facilitated learning in the past. Highlight specific instances where your coaching made a difference in someone's career development. This will demonstrate your ability to support individuals through their professional journeys.
✨Data-Driven Insights
Since the role involves analysing workforce and learning data, come prepared with examples of how you've used data to inform decisions in previous roles. Discuss any tools or methods you’ve employed to identify skills gaps and recommend targeted interventions.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
Think about how you've built relationships with stakeholders in the past. Be ready to share strategies for effective communication and collaboration across teams. This is crucial for the role, so showing that you can engage confidently will set you apart.