Head of Learning and Development

Job Title: Head of Learning and Development Starting: ASAP Duration: Ongoing, with no end date yet confirmed Location: North Central Longfin Hours: Monday – Friday, 9 – 5:30 Band: 8A Pay: £26ph – £30ph PAYE Inclusive of Holiday Pay – pay dependent on skill, experience and pay type Duties: * Lead the strategic planning and operational delivery of the Trust’s Learning and Development function. * Develop and implement innovative, evidence-based education strategies aligned with workforce goals and national priorities. * Build a learning culture that supports high performance, clinical excellence, and career progression at all levels. * Design and deliver a comprehensive in-house leadership and management development framework. * Develop and manage the Trust’s apprenticeship strategy, including creation of career pathways and optimisation of the levy. * Oversee the design, delivery and evaluation of learning interventions covering mandatory training, appraisal quality, onboarding, digital learning, and service improvement. * Drive equality, diversity, and inclusion through all education and training initiatives in line with Trust values. * Lead the Learning and Development Team, providing mentorship, performance management and succession planning. * Commission, negotiate and evaluate external training providers, ensuring value for money and quality assurance. * Collaborate with key stakeholders, including Health Education England, professional bodies, and partner universities. * Develop and monitor learning KPIs (including compliance rates), providing strategic insights to Trust leadership. * Oversee the management of the Learning Management System and integration with wider workforce systems. * Ensure continuous service review and innovation in line with current educational research and digital advancements. * Provide leadership for the design, accreditation and delivery of professional and clinical training programmes. * Embed mechanisms to evaluate training effectiveness and organisational impact. * Develop policies and protocols related to education, learning and development. * Represent Learning and Development on Trust-wide committees and external stakeholder groups. * Manage budgets effectively, aligning L&D spend to organisational priorities and workforce plans. * Contribute to talent management strategies and succession planning at a senior level. * Stay up to date with national workforce and education policy, translating it into Trust practice. * Lead projects to improve workforce capability, employee engagement and retention through development initiatives. Essential Knowledge & Experience: In-depth understanding of challenges within the health and social care workforce. Proven leadership experience in unionised environments. Demonstrated success in developing, implementing and evaluating workforce and OD plans. Experience in senior learning & development leadership roles within large, complex organisations. Strong ability to interpret employment law and regulatory frameworks into learning strategies and policy. Track record of evaluating workforce development interventions for measurable impact. Skilled in stakeholder management, collaboration and influencing across organisational levels. Deep commitment to advancing equality, diversity and inclusion. Experience working in culturally diverse settings and delivering inclusive programmes. Competence in strategy execution, project delivery and outcome monitoring. Skills: Ability to lead and deliver strategic L&D objectives aligned to Trust and ICS ambitions. High personal resilience, adaptability and ability to work effectively in complex environments. Able to contribute to standards of practice and policy development collaboratively. Persistent and driven with the ability to motivate others without compromising wellbeing. Strong communication and presentation skills across formal and informal settings. Ability to harness digital learning tools to drive innovation and engagement. Financial acumen with budget management experience. Desired Education: * Master’s degree in Learning and Development, Workforce, Organisational Behaviour or equivalent. * Chartered CIPD Member or Fellow. * Honours Degree / Level 7 qualification in HRM, L&D or comparable HR experience. * Evidence of continued professional development via portfolio and revalidation. * Project management or service improvement qualification. Personal Qualities: Self-motivated, proactive, and solutions-focused. Resilient under pressure with emotional intelligence and tact. A collaborative team player who can also work independently. Honest, open and trustworthy—demonstrating integrity in all actions. Committed to continuous learning—for self and others. Passionate about education, equity, and improving patient care through people development