Learning and Development Assistant (12mth FTC)

About Withers: A law firm focused on people, performance, and collaboration. For the past 130 years, we have supported some of the world’s most remarkable people and organizations at defining moments in their lives. We are united in our commitment to integrity, quality and collaboration. We have a culture of high performance and deliver excellent service consistently across the firm. We provide tailored solutions built on trust and partner with our clients to achieve their goals. Many of our clients are shaping the future and creating solutions to tackle many of the world’s problems. It makes for a fascinating and challenging practice. Our role is to get to know each individual client, find out where they want to be, and help them to get there – whether they are building a business, buying a home or protecting and defending their interests. To meet their unique needs we are exceptionally collaborative, working together across teams and time zones. And we are agile – focusing on strategy rather than rigid ideas and traditional hierarchy. Join us to be part of a team that is always looking to the future. Where initiative, big ideas and bold moves are always encouraged. Where you can truly be yourself.

What are we looking for? We are looking for a bright, proactive and confident assistant to join our busy Learning and Development team. Ideally you will be a graduate with experience at assistant level and particularly with organising offsite events within a professional services organisation. Working closely with the Global Head of L&D, the purpose of this role is to assist with the learning and development aspects of a new change programme (our 5 Star initiative). This is a great opportunity for an enthusiastic individual to gain varied, hands-on experience, supporting a high-profile initiative. Excellent attention to detail and organisational skills are essential, together with first class written and verbal communication skills.

Areas Of Focus And Responsibilities:

• Initiative working group: Coordinating working group meetings – attending, taking notes and distributing notes, decisions and action points shortly after meetings. Supporting the Global Head of L&D and the Programme Manager with tracking progress on different strands of the initiative and any related administrative tasks.
• Event coordination: Drafting and sending invitations. Tracking responses – following up on responses with each participant and supporting with travel arrangements accommodation, travel and dietary requirements, tracking attendance in a spreadsheet. Finding venues and organising venue requirements. Liaising with programme designers to confirm participant information, materials required, table plans. Liaising with local teams (L&D team, office managers, HR managers) on the ground in locations the events are being held. Sourcing accommodation and organising accommodation requirements. Sourcing venues for dinner, making reservations, getting pre-orders. Attending the event and dinner to provide support where needed. Setting up post-event meetings (such as check-in sessions). Drafting comms such as joining instructions, pre-reading and essential program information.
• Coordinating workshops related to 5-star initiative: Liaising with external consultants (and/or internal L&D team) to find dates for workshops. Drafting invitation for workshops – running by comms team and sending. Tracking acceptances and following up on responses. Setting up Zoom links. Sending pre-work. Attending workshops in the ‘admin’ role – setting up breakout rooms, polls, posting information in chat. Sending feedback forms and collating feedback.
• Tracking invoices: Receiving invoices, checking invoices/payments approval. Sending invoices for processing. Tracking invoices in cost tracking spreadsheet.

This list of duties and responsibilities is not exhaustive. It is intended to describe the general content of, and requirements for the performance of this job, and as such, the role may also include undertaking additional tasks as required.

Skills And Experience:

• Degree level qualification.
• Previous experience in a learning and development assistant level role at a professional services firm.
• Experience of organising events on and offsite.
• First class written and verbal communication skills.
• Highly organised.
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to check own work.
• Can work to deadlines and under pressure.
• Ability to use own initiative and carry out duties with minimum supervision but also willing to participate fully within a cohesive and supportive team environment.
• Adaptable, flexible and enthusiastic.

The Essentials:

• 12 month fixed term contract.
• 930am to 530pm but flexibility is a must.
• Hybrid working policy with a minimum of 2 days per week in the office.
• 12 week probation period.
• 4 week notice period.
• Flexible benefit package including pension, private medical insurance, denplan, season ticket loan, discounted gym memberships, lifestyle discount scheme, the ability to buy and sell holidays, flu jabs, doctors consultation service, cycle to work scheme, on site café and more.

Equal Opportunities Employment Statement: It is the policy of Withers to provide equal opportunities for all employees in relation to recruitment, training and promotion. Decisions in these areas will be made only by reference to the requirements of the job and shall not be influenced by any consideration of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race (including colour, nationality and ethnic and national origin), religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.