Head of Learning and Development

This role leads and manages the Learning and Development (L&D) function at force, region or team level.  They ensure that the force develops and maintains the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to provide an outstanding service.

This is a leadership and management role, acting as an internal consultant and advisor to the force senior leadership team.  The role has line management responsibilities for a team of professional staff – who design, and sometimes deliver, a blend of classroom and online learning products.

The leadership role aligns L&D strategy with the force’s strategic aims and priorities.

Management functions include coordinating all aspects of the training cycle from learning needs analysis, design and delivery through to assessment and evaluation.

• Develop, secure agreement to, and communicate an L&D strategy that is aligned with the force’s strategic aims and priorities.

• Lead, develop, motivate and engage the L&D team, ensure that staff are engaged with the force’s strategy and values.

• Manage and report on the performance of the L&D function, lead on the evaluation strategy for learning products, set performance objectives, holding staff accountable and ensuring the objectives are met.

• Lead the development, implementation and continuous improvement of L&D policies, standards and operating procedures to support and enable effective L&D practice and ensure compliance with regulatory and statutory requirements including national developments and initiatives.

• Lead the development, delivery and continuous improvement of L&D services that meet organisational needs and objectives.

• Provide strategic L&D advice and guidance to the senior leadership team, Police and Crime Commissioner and other key stakeholders to support them in their planning and decision making.

• Develop the L&D function’s organisation and management processes to ensure that these are aligned with and resourced to deliver agreed functional priorities and objectives within the L&D strategy.

• Contribute to the development of the force’s HR strategy and annual operating plan.

Prior Education and Experience:

• Experience in L&D leadership and management including designing and delivering innovative, high quality L&D solutions that successfully deliver their intended outcomes.

• Experience of successful tutoring, mentoring and/or coaching individuals to improve their performance and outcomes.

Skills:

• Has a broad and deep understanding of adult learning theory and best practices.

• Has a deep understanding of the impact that L&D can make on organisational culture and performance.

• Skilled in engaging a diverse range of stakeholders to build relationships that are based on trust, to work collaboratively and to resolve issues.

• Able to use a range of communication and influencing techniques including methods to successfully negotiate, collaborate and/or enable change.

• Able to identify opportunities for innovative L&D concepts and technologies to enhance the delivery of L&D solutions.

• Outcome focused demonstrated by being able to apply or devise specialised concepts and methods of analysis (or commission them from others), to clarify and/or solve complex problems.

• Able to plan to medium and long-term cycles, to coordinate a complex range of activities, to identify the financial, people and materials resourcing requirements, to identify and act on dependencies with other parts of the force and to identify and mitigate known risks to delivery.

• Able to allocate resources appropriately across the function and utilise commercial acumen to make risk-based decisions that deliver effective outcomes within the available budget.

• Skilled in setting function, team and individual objectives, assessing progress, identifying emerging risks, issues and opportunities, and taking corrective steps as required to ensure that the right results are achieved.

• Able to lead, develop and motivate a diverse team; creating strong engagement with the function’s performance objectives and with Force values and behaviours. Able to hold individuals to account for their performance and behaviours.

• Able to initiate organisational change to deliver appropriate responses to emerging trends and issues.

• Maintain an understanding of force priorities and the external factors that may influence these.

• Horizon scan the professional landscape to identify new developments in L&D practice which may be of value to the force.

• Network with senior L&D practitioners within the police service and externally to exchange ideas and examples of good practice.

• Maintain and develop leadership skills through appropriate leadership learning and development activities. e.g. CIPD membership

Not applicable

• Coach/Mentor
• Assessor
• Internal Verifier
• Learning Designer
• Trainer
• Instructor
• Tutor/Tutor Constable