Head of Learning and Development - Essex

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 Essex

Situated in the East of England, Essex is bordered by Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Suffolk and Kent. It's also a Home County and is considered part of the London commuter belt, making it a great location for those seeking Head of Learning and Development vacancies.

Largely an agricultural area, for most of Essex's past, it comprised farmland and market towns. Significant development occurred during the Victorian era when the railways arrived.

After the second world war, two new towns - Harlow and Basildon - were created. These were built mainly to provide housing for the growing London population.

These days, the region is still predominantly agricultural, although places like Harlow are known for scientific innovation, technology and pharmaceuticals. Marconi - the world's first wireless factory - had a factory in Chelmsford. Part of the facility is now used by BAE Systems.

Companies based in Essex include Britvic, e2V Technologies, M&G Group and ebm-papst UK. Ford's European headquarters is located in Brentwood, while banknotes are manufactured in Loughton.

Stansted Airport is located in Essex, and it is served by airlines like Ryanair and EasyJet. It also processes cargo from a variety of companies including FedEx, British Airways World Cargo and UPS.

What's more, Lakeside Shopping Centre is one of Europe's largest retail areas. It's located a stone's throw from the north side of the River Thames and includes an indoor mall, as well as an IKEA, B&Q and outlets for Next and Marks & Spencer.

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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