Learning & Development Manager

We are looking to appoint a Learning & Development Manager to develop, implement, and lead the design, implementation, and management of employee training and development programs, covering all roles within our organisation including the ongoing delivery of the leadership development programmes. The newly created role will require the post holder to support our Competency & Assurance Manager and Human Resources Director with the ongoing implementation and expansion of our Competency Management System and any other HR related programmes.

The successful candidate will need to be passionate about professional growth and continuous learning, with the ability to assess organisational needs and develop innovative learning strategies that align with business objectives. The post holder is required to have excellent knowledge of current learning and development processes, educational and accreditation structures, and regulatory training practices relevant within the High Hazard Industry. OPA operates within the MAH industry and is engaged in the operational and maintenance management of a number of UK OFD’s (Oil Fuel Depots) and oversees strategic assets owned by the MOD. Regular travel to our UK sites will be a regular feature of this role, with some overnight stays. Therefore, a full (preferably clean) driving licence is essential for the successful candidate. There will also be occasional overseas travel when required.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute a comprehensive Learning and Development Strategy aligned with company goals and workforce needs.
• Use project management to manage the development and deployment of training solutions and programs.
• Design and deliver high impact learning programs and workshops.
• Lead Graduate, Gap Year, and student placement programmes.
• Develop and implement a leadership development roadmap within the OPA to prepare middle managers to become future Senior Managers.
• Act as an internal lead to support managers in coaching and developing their teams.
• Assist in the design and preparation and lead on the delivery of targeted individual development plans for all employees.
• Develop assessment tools to select and evaluate emerging leaders within the OPA on identified core and leadership competencies.
• Set and report against metrics for tracking leadership development and talent management effectiveness.
• Measure and evaluate training solutions to determine effectiveness and return on investment.
• Analyse Training Evaluation Feedback and take action where issues are identified.
• Oversee and assist in evaluating the progress of program participants.
• Design and implement coaching/mentoring methodologies to facilitate leadership development.
• Engage with functional leaders (Operations, Asset Technical, Maintenance Engineering, Business Services, HSSEQ, Major Projects, Air Command & HR) to align training and development programmes with succession planning and career progression strategies.
• Design, deliver, and evaluate in-house learning programmes, particularly in management and leadership development.
• Act as a generalist Learning and Development Practitioner, supporting a variety of development needs.
• Interact with HR and the Executive Team to support talent management strategies and career progression.
• Support apprenticeship programmes, mentoring, and other experiential learning initiatives.
• Contribute to building organisational capability through tailored development solutions.

Candidate Requirements:

• Experienced Learning & Development Manager, holding a relevant degree or equivalent level qualification in L&D (or related field e.g. Human Resources, Education, Organisational) with a strong working knowledge of L&D in relation to Major Accident Hazard Industries.
• Demonstrated successful delivery of both technical and management development training programmes.

Knowledge/Skills:

• Over five years of experience in Learning & Development or talent development roles with experience of leading training and development within the High Hazard Industries.
• Proven experience in designing and implementing training programs at scale.
• Strong understanding of adult learning principles, instructional design, and learning technologies.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Knowledge and experience of both technical and management training and development.
• Experience designing and delivering internal learning programmes, with a strong focus on management and leadership development.
• Experience supporting succession and talent development strategies.
• Project Management skills.
• Understanding of business drivers and how various functions interact within the organisation.
• MS Office Application Proficient.
• Ability to build strong internal and external business relationships.
• Ability to work independently - lead a complex project with little supervision.
• Ability to influence and drive change.
• Enthusiastic about competency, training, and human performance.
• Excellent organisational skills – self-starter.
• Ability to deal with ambiguity and strong personalities.
• Proven record in meeting goals consistently.
• Solid analytical and computer skills.