Learning And Development Lead

Learning and Development Lead

Reports to: Head of Apprenticeships

Location: West London – currently operating an agile working policy with two core days (Mon and Weds) in the office

Contract: Permanent

Pattern: Full Time (standard hours 9am – 5.30pm)

Closing date: 11/03/2024 at 10am

1^st round interviews: 14^th or 15^th March

2^nd round interviews: 20/03/2024

Salary: £50,000 to £55,000 (depending on experience)

Join us in our mission to give every young person a great education and real choices in life, irrespective of their background.

Ark Institute is the centre of excellence for professional development for Ark – a network of 39 schools. We design and deliver pioneering development programmes to develop all ~4000 colleagues across the entire organisation. From our Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ initial teacher training programme; to our transformative approach to developing teachers and leaders and the central team; to our mission-driven apprenticeship and operations offer as well as delivery of golden thread qualifications. We also work with over 200+ schools nationally via the work of our Teaching School Hub and strategic partnerships.

About the role:

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Learning and Development professional to join our team. In this role, you will be responsible for collaborating closely with schools-based Operations Leads, School Business Managers and Central Support to identify learning needs, develop training programmes, and implement strategies to enhance skills knowledge and progression within the organisation. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in Learning and Development, excellent communication skills, and a passion for fostering professional growth.

The Learning and Development Lead will be responsible for the delivery of a comprehensive Learning and Development plan for the operational staff within our schools as well as the Ark Schools central office team.  This will include working with internal and external stakeholders to design, scope, manage and implement training, ensuring the specific needs of the network and individual schools are met.

Key Responsibilities: 

• Develop a sector-leading vision for an enhanced Operations Development offer that is based on organisational need with input from key stakeholders, as well as building out a strategy to detail how this will be delivered
• Collaborate closely with key stakeholders at Schools and the Central Support team to identify and analyse learning needs, aligning programmes with organisational priorities
• Evaluate the effectiveness of learning initiatives through assessments, feedback mechanisms, and key performance indicators, ensuring continuous improvement and alignment with organisational priorities
• Stay current on sector trends and best practices in Learning and Development and incorporate innovative approaches into training strategies
• Oversee the development of a Learning and Development offer addressing operations skill development needs surfaced by the LNA
• Work with the Head of Apprenticeships to identify areas where further operations development can be leveraged, utilising apprenticeships as part of the wider operations development offer to create enhanced career pathways
• Design, develop and deliver engaging training workshops and materials tailored to the specific needs of schools-based operations staff
• Build and nurture relationships with external training vendors, educational institutions and subject matter experts to enhance the quality and robustness of the learning offer
• Create a timeline and communication plan of key milestones for the rollout out of the new offer
• In collaboration with the Communications Team, create a communications plan that helps the organisation understand the value of the offer and how to access it
• Provide regular reports and updates on the progress of Learning and Development initiatives as required

Key Requirements:

• CIPD qualified or equivalent L&D/HR professional qualification or experience
• Proven track record in designing and implementing successful Learning and Development programmes, preferably within the educational or operations sectors
• Proficient in various training methodologies and technologies, with an understanding of learning management systems and e-learning platforms
• Knowledge of the education sector
• Good project management skills with excellent attention to detail (multiple projects/ stakeholders (internal and external)
• Excellent general IT skills, with specific skills in using Microsoft Office applications (especially excellent PowerPoint skills for the design of training materials and Excel) and SharePoint
• Demonstrated leadership experience with the ability to collaborate across diverse teams and levels within a multi-site organisation
• Experience of working and managing relationships with subject matter experts and senior stakeholders to support training delivery

About Ark

We’re an international charity, transforming lives through education. We exist to give every young person, regardless of their background, a great education and real choices in life. In the UK, we’re a network of 39 schools, educating around 30,000 pupils in areas where we can make the biggest difference and we’re recognised as one of the highest achieving academy groups in the country. We want to change the lives of children everywhere, not just in our own schools. So, we create and incubate Ventures designed not only to help pupils in Ark schools, but also to improve education systems.

You’ll be joining a group of like-minded, ambitious individuals who work collaboratively and are all committed to our core mission, that every child has the potential to succeed. Having just celebrated our 20^th anniversary, we are shaping our goals for the next 20 and there has never been a more exciting time to join us.

Benefits

• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays, rising with each year of service up to 30 days after 3-years’ service. This entitlement is pro rata for part time employees. This entitlement excludes bank holidays
• Full office closure between Christmas and New Year
• Hybrid working, with currently two days a week in our state-of-the-art office in West London working alongside colleagues
• Regular social events, monthly free breakfast, and daily fruit
• A flexible approach to working with understanding and consideration for work life balance and personal commitments
• As an Ark employee, you will have the opportunity to be part of the TPT (The Pension Trust) scheme, our workplace pension scheme where we make an 11% contribution; you are not required to contribute towards this scheme unless you choose to. Depending on your role you may also be entitled to LGPS which is a defined benefit scheme where you contribute a percentage based on how much you earn (as do we) in exchange for a guaranteed amount in your pension pot every year
• Access to high-quality professional learning throughout your career, offering both face-to-face sessions and a bespoke online learning platform
• Access to Ark Rewards scheme offering savings from over 3,000 major retailers, interest-free loans available for season tickets or a bike, gym discounts offering up to 40% off your local gym and free eye tests

How to Apply:

Apply with a CV and cover letter on our online recruitment portal. Applications to be submitted by Monday 11^th March 2024 at 10am but please note: we will be reviewing applications on an on-going basis and this advert may close earlier than advertised depending on the level of response.

This ATS application form should take no longer 20 minutes to complete. At any time, you can pause, save, and log back in. If you have any difficulty with meeting the deadline for application, please contact recruitment@arkonline.org

Interviews will be arranged as suitable candidates are identified, so early application is strongly advised.

Ark is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people in its academies. In order to meet this responsibility, its academies follow a rigorous selection process to discourage and screen out unsuitable applicants.  

Ark requires all employees to undertake an enhanced DBS check. You are required, before appointment, to disclose any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. Non-disclosure may lead to termination of employment. However, disclosure of a criminal background will not necessarily debar you from employment - this will depend upon the nature of the offence(s) and when they occurred. To read more about Ark’s safer recruitment process, please click this link. 

We aim to build a diverse and inclusive organisation where everyone – staff and students – can do their best work and achieve their full potential. We want to reflect and represent diverse perspectives across our organisation because we know that doing so will make us stronger and more effective. To know more about Ark’s diversity and inclusion commitments, please click on this link.