Digital and Future Skills Strategy Lead

Digital and Future Skills Strategy Lead (12 Months FTC)

Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract (Full Time)

Location: Bradford, Chatham, Petersfield or London

Working Pattern: Hybrid (usually a couple of days a week in the office). We welcome part-time and flexible arrangements and will aim to match your current flexibility where possible.

What We Offer

We care about your wellbeing, not just your work. Our benefits are designed to support your life, your health and your growth:

• Holidays: 25 days (rising to 30) + buy/sell up to 5 days + swap up to 4 bank holidays.
• Pension: Up to 10% employer contribution.
• Enhanced Leave: Enhanced maternity (post-probation), 4 weeks’ paternity, and paid neonatal & carers leave.
• Workations: Work abroad for up to 20 days a year in approved countries.
• Birthday Leave: Your birthday off—paid.
• Learning: Access to LinkedIn Learning for all colleagues.
• Financial Wellbeing: Free Snoop Premium subscription.
• Healthcare: Self-pay Denplan & optional Private Medical Insurance.

The Role

As a Digital and Future Skills Strategy Lead you’ll play a key role in shaping Vanquis’s workforce for the future. Working within the People team and reporting to the Senior Manager, Leadership, Culture and Engagement, you’ll lead the development of strategies and learning solutions that build critical capabilities across the organisation, such as data literacy, digital fluency, and adaptive thinking. You’ll work closely with senior leaders and external partners to deliver blended learning programmes, leading and developing future-focused skills and competencies that enable sustainable performance and growth alongside the apprenticeship strategy, early careers and talent frameworks. With a focus on performance measurement, stakeholder engagement, and continuous improvement, you will ensure Vanquis stays skilled, agile, and future‑ready.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development of Vanquis’s future skills strategy by identifying emerging capability needs through skills gap analysis, workforce planning, and monitoring industry and technological trends.
• Design and deliver innovative, blended learning programmes focused on future‑critical skills—such as data literacy, digital fluency, and adaptive thinking—by partnering with internal and external providers to meet diverse learning needs across the business.
• Collaborate with senior leaders, business managers, and People partners to align future skills development with strategic priorities and diagnose capability needs across the organisation.
• Build strong partnerships with training providers and industry bodies, lead internal campaigns to engage colleagues in their development, and act as a trusted advisor on future skills and workforce transformation.
• Establish and apply evaluation frameworks to measure the impact of future skills initiatives, using data and outcomes to refine learning programmes and inform strategic decisions.
• Lead the design and delivery of technical skills programmes, leadership development initiatives, and bespoke business learning aligned to career frameworks and talent strategies.
• Develop and facilitate content including competency frameworks, team interventions, webinars, and programmes that support Talent Acquisition and strategic business priorities.
• Lead the design and delivery of the organisation‑wide apprenticeship strategy, ensuring alignment with business needs and embedding future skills into early careers and leadership pathways.
• Oversee apprenticeship levy management, provider performance, and programme reviews to ensure value for investment and compliance with service level agreements.

What We’re Looking For

• Demonstrates deep subject matter expertise in future skills strategy, technical capability development, and best practice learning solutions.
• Experienced in designing and delivering impactful L&D programmes, including competency frameworks and leadership development initiatives.
• Skilled in managing apprenticeship programmes, with a solid understanding of government schemes and levy optimisation.
• Proficient in leveraging learning technologies to enhance delivery and outcomes, with a continuous improvement mindset.
• Builds strong, credible relationships across all levels of the organisation, with excellent communication, emotional intelligence, and commercial awareness.
• Accredited in Insights Discovery, with the ability to apply behavioural insights to enhance team dynamics, leadership development, and personal growth is beneficial.
• Previous experience working in a regulated environment is highly beneficial.

Offers are subject to standard background checks (credit, fraud and employment references).

Who We Are

At Vanquis, our purpose is simple: to deliver caring banking that helps people make the most of life’s opportunities. Founded in 1880, we’re now a FTSE All Share specialist bank supporting over 1.7 million UK customers with responsible, tailored lending.

We’re proud to be certified as a Great Place to Work and recognised by the Financial Times as one of the UK’s Best Employers 2025 – ranked top 50 nationwide and seventh in Banking & Financial Services.

We’re also proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant, actively supporting veterans, reservists and military families.

Guided by our values—caring for people, pulling together, finding better ways and getting the right things done—we’re building a workplace where colleagues feel connected, valued and empowered. Alongside competitive pay, we offer meaningful benefits, salary reviews, a discretionary bonus scheme and continued recognition.

We’re invested in your development too. With the right support and hands‑on learning, you’ll grow your skills, shape your career and realise your ambitions.

How We Hire

We use AI to help organise applications and surface early matches, but all decisions are made by humans. Please apply authentically—especially during interviews.

Equal Opportunity

Vanquis Bank is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value everyone’s unique background, identity and experience, and we’re committed to a workplace where all colleagues can thrive.

If you need any adjustments or support during the recruitment process, please contact careers@vanquis.com and we’ll be happy to help.