Hr Professional Training Specialist

Job Role: HR Professional Training Specialist

Location: London

Employment Type: Permanent

Salary: circa 48k but more may be available for exceptional candidates

We are pleased to advertise a vacancy for a Professional Training Specialist, Band 2.

This role is responsible for all aspects of the NAO’s professional accountancy training schemes for graduates and apprentices. Approximately 85 trainees join the office each year with around 220 trainees on the scheme at any one time.

Our accountancy trainees are an integral part of the NAO’s workforce and form our main pipeline to more senior grades. Ensuring that we have a high quality, well run programme in which trainees receive support, advice and guidance to progress through their ACA exams and achieve ICAEW membership is a key strategic priority for the NAO. This is a high profile, exciting role with the opportunity to work with multiple stakeholders and make a real difference to trainees as they start their career with us.

Reports to: Director responsible for Professional Training

Internal relationships: The post holder will work closely with a range of internal colleagues, including the NAO’s QPRT, the Trainee Experience Programme manager, the wider HR team, Learning and Development; service line leadership, including Executive Directors, trainees, and performance coaches.

External relationships: The post holder will also work closely with external partners including our college provider and the ICAEW.

Staff resources managed: Supervising 2 junior colleagues.

Main responsibilities

• Overseeing all operational elements of the NAO’s graduate and school leaver training schemes.
• Ensuring that NAO trainees receive high quality support from the training team and that all elements of the scheme, including college bookings, processing exam results and responding to queries are completed quickly and accurately and with an emphasis on customer service.
• Designing and implementing developments to enhance the training scheme, ensuring trainees receive support and training to put them in the best position to pass their exams and achieve their ICAEW qualification.
• Managing communication and engagement with trainees including running forums and drop in sessions and responding to staff survey feedback.
• Managing relationships and contracts with external bodies, including our college provider and the ICAEW to ensure a high-quality service.
• Ensuring HR Business Partners have the information they need to implement workplace adjustments and amended exam pathways for trainees.
• Provide direct support to trainees on reasonable adjustments and exam pathways as required.
• Undertaking analysis of data (including exam pass rates and campaign data) to identify trends and put forward recommendations for action.
• Communication and liaison with Performance Coaches regarding the trainees training pathways as and when required.
• Liaison, and consultation, with leadership regarding any changes in curricula or introduction of new/amended programmes.
• Liaising and working in collaboration with the internal Learning & Development team to ensure co-ordination between internal learning and college learning.
• Managing team budgets.
• Briefing other colleagues, including senior management, on elements of the training scheme, including pass rates, college timetables, and trainee engagement.
• Management of two junior colleagues.

Skills, experience, attributes and qualifications

Successful candidates will be able to demonstrate: -

• Experience of managing a Professional Training scheme of a similar size and scope to the NAO’s programme.
• Experience of managing and developing junior colleagues.
• Customer focused with the experience of providing a high quality service to multiple stakeholders.
• Strong excel skills and ability to analyse data to identify trends and key risks.
• Experience in managing online systems.
• Proactive in identifying improvements in how we do things and opportunities to add value.
• Ability to plan, prioritise and deliver high quality services and advice in a timely and efficient way to meet business needs.
• Works collaboratively with others to achieve the best outcome and service to clients.
• Communicates clearly and succinctly and is credible and influential in meetings with a range of stakeholders.