Head of Learning and Insight in Birmingham

Provide senior strategic leadership for LeO’s Learning and Insight function, translating organisational strategy into clear priorities, standards and delivery frameworks that generate actionable insight, drive learning and support sector-wide improvement. Lead the design and development of LeO’s Learning and Insight operating model, bringing together complaints data, casework evidence, research and complaint-handling expertise to strengthen local complaint resolution, service improvement and intelligence-sharing with sector regulators. Build a mature, sustainable Learning and Insight centre of expertise within the CEI team, ensuring insight is systematically identified, synthesised, communicated, acted upon and evaluated for impact, while providing joint functional leadership of the Casework and Complaint Handling centre of expertise alongside the Head of Strategic Engagement and Communications. As a member of LeO’s Senior Leadership Team, contribute to organisational strategy, corporate governance, business planning, transformation, risk management and collective leadership, using evidence and insight to influence decisions and deliver meaningful organisational and sector impact.

The role will shape and embed a coherent Learning and Insight operating model, creating consistent approaches to identifying and prioritising themes, exploring underlying causes, recognising emerging risks and opportunities, and translating evidence into clear and practical outputs. This will include oversight of thematic insight, data publications, case studies, guidance and other learning products, ensuring they meet high standards of quality, are targeted to the needs of different audiences, and lead to demonstrable impact for providers, regulators, partners and other stakeholders.

A key purpose of the role is to establish Learning and Insight as a mature and sustainable centre of expertise within the Communications, Engagement and Impact team. This includes creating the right governance, standards, resources, performance measures and feedback mechanisms to ensure insight is not simply produced, but understood, communicated, acted upon and evaluated. The role will strengthen the flow of learning across LeO, connecting evidence from complaints and casework with service design, policy, operational practice and continuous improvement.

Working closely with the Head of Strategic Engagement and Communications, the role will ensure that evidence and learning are effectively connected to LeO’s engagement, communications and intelligence-sharing activity. Together, they will provide joint functional leadership of the Casework and Complaint Handling centre of expertise, ensuring specialist knowledge is effectively harnessed and translated into organisational and sector learning. The role will also provide leadership, coaching and direction to the Learning and Insight Manager and wider function, alongside line management responsibility for designated Senior Legal Services Specialist resource.

As a member of LeO’s Senior Leadership Team, the role will make a significant contribution to corporate leadership and organisational decision-making, including strategy, business planning, performance improvement, transformation and risk management. It will provide senior assurance on the delivery, quality, risks and impact of the Learning and Insight portfolio, ensuring that the Executive Director, Executive Team and Board have confidence in the organisation’s evidence base and its contribution to strategic outcomes. The role will deputise for the Executive Director when required, providing visible and effective leadership across LeO.

Essential Skills & Experience

Significant experience of leading insight, research, learning, analytical, intelligence or evidence-based improvement activity in a complex, high-profile or regulated environment.

Proven ability to develop and deliver strategies, programmes or interventions that translate insight, learning, research or data into measurable improvements in practice, service quality, policy, behaviour or other practical outcomes.

Strong understanding of qualitative and quantitative insight methods, evidence synthesis, and thematic analysis, with the ability to draw robust conclusions from complex information and use these to inform strategic priorities.

Experience of developing learning, guidance, knowledge-sharing or improvement frameworks that support capability-building, behavioural change, service improvement and continuous improvement.

Strong relationship-building and influencing skills, with experience of advising senior leaders and working credibly with operational, policy, regulatory or external stakeholders to shape priorities and drive improvement.

Experience of leading and developing professional teams, managing resources and building capability, accountability and engagement within a specialist function.

Ability to work with a high degree of autonomy in producing high-quality outputs, consistently taking deliverables to near-completion - minimising senior review, improvement and sign-off.

Ability to blend strategic leadership/vision with the operational grip to oversee delivery of business-as-usual team objectives and commitments.

Desirable Skills & Experience

Experience of working in an Ombudsman, regulator, legal services organisation, consumer redress body or comparable public-service setting.

Experience of overseeing or contributing to the publication of high-profile insight reports, thematic reviews, statistical releases, learning materials or sector-facing guidance.

Experience of commissioning, managing or evaluating research, insight or evidence programmes.

Experience of developing, overseeing or evaluating digital learning products, online learning platforms or structured learning programmes.

Experience of building effective partnerships with regulators, professional bodies, consumer organisations, academics or other external stakeholders to support shared improvement objectives.

Experience of leading multidisciplinary teams, specialist resources or collaborative working arrangements across organisational boundaries.