Head of Learning and Development Jobs
Organizations that fail to take learning and development seriously stagnate in their marketplace and lose their best talent to rival companies. Fortunately, all large forward-looking companies not only have L&D at the heart of their HR strategies, they have teams of people dedicated to that end alone. The head of L&D oversees the team, which could be anything from one or two L&D specialists in an office to dozens around the country.
The head of learning and development’s main task is designing and executing coaching strategies that are custom made for the needs of the company and its employees. For maximum impact this is a two-way street, so employees at all levels are appraised but are also given the chance to air their own views on the most contentious and defining subjects, and this information is then fed back into their personal development programmes. The ultimate aim is to increase productivity by enhancing engagement and reducing employee churn.
The skills required
The typical head of L&D companies are looking for are already a senior learning and development professional or are someone who has a proven track record of delivering L&D to teams of employees. Sometimes a blank canvas is preferred as the company is able to instil its values and culture into the role, but a deep experience of a challenging L&D execution is usually preferred.
A firm background in HR is a requirement for most positions, so that the candidate needs to be aware of how learning and development fits into the bigger picture. Experience of dealing with the sector in which the company operates will also be advantageous to the applicant, as all fields have different expectations.
Head of Learning and Development Jobs in Cheltenham
Cheltenham is a historic spa town (sometimes called Cheltenham Spa) in Gloucestershire, about 7 miles (12 km) to the east of the county town, Gloucester. The town grew in popularity after a royal visit in the late 1700s, which brought its mineral waters national renown. It is known internationally as a site of festivals. There are the Literature, Jazz, Science and Music festivals to occupy the locals and bring in tourists, but most famous of all is the one simply called the Cheltenham Festival, a week-long National Hunt horse-racing event culminating in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
The town is a hotbed of high-tech industry, too, with electronics and aerospace playing their parts in the local economy. Tourism is and important wealth creator too. The west of the town is dominated by the UK’s national intelligence and eavesdropping centre, the GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters), an organisation that dates back to the First World War and has been at Cheltenham since 1951. During the Second World War it was located at the famous Bletchley Park.
The blend of hi-tech industry, an affluent populace and a thriving retail sector make Cheltenham a prime location for a variety of supply chain, logistics and procurement positions, and Head of Learning and Development jobs will appear in and around the time from time to time, although GCHQ will probably know about it before we do!
Popular locations
Find Head of L&D Jobs with Cast UK
With offices in London, Birmingham and Manchester and a client list that covers the whole of the UK, Cast UK is the first place many HR professionals contact when they are ready to take the next step in their careers.
Similarly, many companies now come direct to us the moment they deduce that they need a head of learning and development. That’s how we are able to provide a fast, high quality service to clients and candidates alike. We can only put your name forward if we have your details, however.
That’s why you should call us today on 0333 121 3345 so that we can get your name in our system and let you know of any openings that could be attractive to you.
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