Learning & Development Director (12 months FTC)

Zilch is a payment tech company on a mission to create the most empowering way to pay for anything, anywhere. Combining the best of debit, credit and savings, we give our customers the option to earn instant cashback or spread the cost of pricier purchases, completely interest free and with no late fees. We started in 2018 with a small team and a big dream - to make credit accessible to all. Since then, we’ve achieved double unicorn status and taken on more than 5 million customers. There are some exciting projects coming up and we’ve got big growth plans.

We are seeking a standalone strategic Director of Learning & Development on a 12 month fixed term contract to lead and shape the learning agenda across our entire organisation consisting of approximately 250 people. This is a unique opportunity for a seasoned Senior L&D Manager ready to take the next step in their career, or for a current L&D Director seeking a high-impact, high-visibility role. As a senior individual contributor, you will be accountable for designing, driving, and embedding a holistic L&D strategy spanning entry-level through to executive development. This includes early careers, manager capability, leadership growth, and fostering a culture of continuous learning across the organisation.

Day to day responsibilities:

• Design and deliver a forward-thinking L&D strategy aligned with business goals and long-term talent development needs.
• Define what excellent L&D looks like across all levels—from junior employees to senior executives.
• Collaborate closely with the VP of People and Talent and senior leadership to ensure alignment between L&D initiatives and overall business strategy.
• Drive engagement with our learning platforms (e.g. LinkedIn Learning), boosting visibility through internal campaigns, championing key learning pathways, and increasing adoption across the business.
• Build campaigns around soft skills, technical skills (for example Excel, data literacy and usage), and cross-functional competencies aligned to strategic business needs.
• Raise awareness of available learning resources, including professional qualifications, seminars, conferences, and individual/departmental training budgets.
• Champion a proactive, data-driven learning culture, positioning L&D as a strategic enabler of performance and growth.
• Support managers in taking ownership of their team’s development—raising awareness of training budgets, professional development opportunities, and how to access these.
• Proactively facilitate, organise, and coordinate attendance at seminars, qualifications, external courses, and industry events.
• Launch and host engaging internal learning events such as innovation sprints, learning days, and hackathons.
• Maintain accurate, accessible records to monitor utilisation, track progress, and demonstrate the value and compliance of all L&D initiatives.

Early Careers and Emerging Talent:

• Lead the strategy, design, and delivery of early careers programmes: graduate schemes, apprenticeships, work experience placements, and university/school partnerships.
• Organise scheduling, business collaboration, and coordination across departments to deliver meaningful experiences.
• Maximise the use of the apprenticeship levy and oversee operational activities including career fairs, onboarding, rotations, mentoring, and shadowing programmes.

Leadership Development:

• Evolve our foundational manager training by developing or sourcing more advanced learning programmes tailored to growing business needs.
• Design and implement development journeys for mid-level and senior leaders, including VPs and SVPs, using a blend of in-house resources, online training, and external providers—subject to alignment with the VP of People and Talent.
• Apply creativity and a personalised approach to identify and support the individual learning needs of high-potential leaders.
• Deliver impactful, high-calibre executive learning interventions that help shape the organisation’s future leadership.
• Coordinate bespoke executive coaching (1:1 and group), peer-to-peer learning, leadership forums, and facilitated sessions tailored to C-suite and senior leadership challenges.
• Position executive development as a core driver of business transformation, ensuring high visibility and measurable impact.

Requirements:

• Proven experience in L&D at a senior level—ideally a Senior L&D Manager ready to step up, or an existing Director-level professional.
• A track record of successfully designing and delivering L&D strategies at scale, covering both early careers and leadership development.
• Strong knowledge of L&D technologies, platforms, and vendor management.
• Experience in managing apprenticeship levy-funded programmes and implementing early careers schemes (e.g. graduate or apprenticeship programmes).
• Ability to develop L&D strategies that support wider business transformation and talent development goals.
• Strong analytical and delivery mindset—able to track data, evaluate effectiveness, and iterate on programmes.
• Exceptional stakeholder management skills, with the ability to engage and influence across all levels of the business.

Benefits:

• Income Protection.
• Share Options Scheme.
• 5% back on in-app purchases.
• £200 for WFH Setup.
• Private Medical Insurance including; GP consultations (video, telephone or face-to-face), prescribed medication, in-patient, day-patient and out-patient care, mental health support, physiotherapy, advanced cancer cover.
• Employee Assistance Programme including: Unlimited mental health sessions, 24/7 remote GP & physiotherapy, 24/7 helpline for emotional & practical support, savings & discounts on everyday shopping, 1:1 personalised well-being consultations.
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption, and shared parental leave.
• Professional Qualifications and Memberships.
• Learning Suite for e-courses and Internal Training Programmes.
• FCA & Regulatory training.
• Hybrid Working and Casual dress code.
• Workplace socials.

To apply for this role, please submit your CV along with a cover letter. We acknowledge receipt of your resume for a position at Zilch and we appreciate your interest in joining our business. We will screen all applicants and select candidates whose qualifications meet our requirements. We will carefully consider your application during the initial screening and will contact you if you are selected to continue to the next stage of the recruitment process. We wish you every success. Zilch Technology is an equal opportunities employer and we encourage all applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief.