Head of Learning & Development

Virgin Active are committed to changing people’s lives for the better through wellness. Our team are dedicated to delivering a unique leisure and relaxation experience throughout all our clubs. All our team members pride themselves on incorporating Virgin Active values and ensuring the highest Brand Standards into their work, so our members can experience the finest facilities and service. We take value in recruiting the very best team members who work behind the scenes to support our clubs in delivering a world class member experience.

We are looking for a Head of L&D to join our People Team. The Head of L&D is responsible for leading the design, delivery, and evaluation of learning strategies that drive business performance, leadership excellence, and employee growth across Virgin Active. Reporting to the Head of People, this role will champion a culture of continuous learning, with a strong focus on leadership and management development, world-class induction, compliance training, Apprenticeship Levy optimisation, and embedding Unreasonable Hospitality principles throughout the organisation. Managing a team of L&D professionals, you will play a key role in shaping capability, strengthening culture, and ensuring our people are equipped to deliver exceptional member experiences every day.

The Role

• Develop and implement a company-wide Learning & Development strategy aligned to Virgin Active’s business goals and people priorities.
• Partner with senior leaders to identify current and future capability needs, with a strong focus on leadership and management development.
• Design and deliver high-impact leadership and management programmes to build confident, future-ready leaders.
• Create clear development pathways for aspiring leaders and embed coaching and mentoring across the business.
• Lead the design and delivery of training that embeds Unreasonable Hospitality principles across all teams and member touchpoints.
• Oversee a world-class induction programme that ensures new starters feel engaged, connected, and productive from day one.
• Ensure all compliance and mandatory training is up to date, engaging, and meets legal and regulatory requirements.
• Maximise the value of the Apprenticeship Levy by introducing relevant programmes, managing provider relationships, and demonstrating ROI.
• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing L&D team, fostering innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Oversee learning technology and digital platforms, championing modern, blended learning approaches.
• Manage the L&D budget, using data and insight to measure effectiveness and inform decision-making.
• Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders and external learning partners.

Experience

• Proven experience leading Learning & Development at a senior level, ideally within a multi-site, customer-focused or luxury environment.
• Strong track record of building, leading, and developing high-performing L&D teams.
• Expertise in leadership and management development, induction, compliance training, and apprenticeships.
• Experience managing budgets, suppliers, and external learning providers.
• Strong knowledge of learning technologies and modern L&D practices.
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication, and influencing skills.
• Data-driven mindset, with experience measuring impact and ROI of learning initiatives.

Our Perks

• 25 days (excluding bank holidays) annual leave, plus a Celebration Day – and we want you to take them.
• Access to Scottish Widows Pension with us matching contributions up to 5%.
• Complimentary Virgin Active membership for you and a buddy. You can also get free membership for your children too, ability to take advantage of our Club V.
• Private Dental and Healthcare Insurance – your physical health is important, and we want you to have access to healthcare should you require it.
• Life Assurance 4x your salary – which we hope you will not need.
• Discounts across Virgin Active – everything from guest passes to 50% off PT sessions.
• Join Virgin Family - communicate with colleagues across Virgin Group, with many discounts (including Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Holidays and Virgin Media / O2).
• 20% off food and drink at our KAUAI branches located in clubs.
• Access to Salary Finance for loans and savings plans, as well as personal finance expertise.
• BUPA employer assistance programme with 4 free counselling sessions.
• Complimentary corporate letting services with Dexters – meaning no tenant charges.
• Access to ePoints, offering online discounts to retailers.
• Discount on all Academy courses, trained by the very best instructors.