Head of Leadership and Learning

Head of Leadership & Learning

Why this role is important

The Home Office needs great people with relevant professional skills and capabilities to achieve the mission of building a safe, fair and prosperous UK. The Home Office learning function is at that heart of the Home Office becoming a listening learning organisation and our vision for learning is that we learn as individuals, grow as an organisation and succeed for our citizens. The learning function ensures that the organisation can successfully develop and support capable, confident people through the design of quality learning activity and use of specific targeted Leadership and Learning strategies.

The Head of Leadership and Learning is accountable and responsible for ensuring that the function provides deep Leadership and Learning expertise and best practice knowledge to the business and drives a learner-centric culture that empowers individuals and leaders to take ownership of their own, tailored learning pathways. This role is responsible for developing highly skilled resources to provide expert services, methodologies and approaches that fully meet business learning needs and are able to define the future of learning strategy; shaping the culture; and directing, advising and guiding our customers to the optimal solutions.

Job Responsibilities

You will be responsible for ensuring that the Home Office Learning function is aligned to cross-government strategy and initiatives and developing a Home Office offer that is consistent, inclusive and accessible and best in class across government. You will need to demonstrate strong leadership and relationship management skills, with an agile approach and an ability to network with managers and stakeholders at all levels. You will need to understand Whitehall-wide initiatives and the impact on Home Office service of these, adapting and integrating for the Department as required.

You will report directly to the Deputy Director Leadership, Learning, Capability and Talent and be responsible for managing a large expert team.

Key Accountabilities include; Not an exhaustive list

• Overall accountability for leading the development of expert strategies, services, methodologies, standards and approaches in leadership and learning to meet business needs
• Provision of consistent & accessible learning offerings that maximise positive and effective learner experience
• Ownership of the relationship with Civil Service Learning ensuring that the Home Offices influence on services and curriculum is maximised; services, products and contracts are delivered that meet in department requirements; and that quality, service delivery and VfM are maximised
• Maintaining oversight of broader Learning and Leadership, curriculum across Civil Service HR and wider Home Office to ensure a joined-up development approach that delivers holistically on departmental strategy and aims
• In collaboration with organisation leaders, interrogate organisational strategy and plans to determine learning requirements to ensure organisational performance and growth
• Be recognised, in department and cross government, as a learning expert and be able to offer advice, guidance and support to the business in both procurement and addressing the departments complex and specialist leadership and learning requirements

You will have the following skills and experience

Essential Criteria

• Strong knowledge of learning and development theory and a proven track record of developing and embedding effective learning design and assurance in practice across a large organisation
• Strong track record of service improvement built around business needs
• Experience of developing and implementing leadership and learning interventions that underpin behavioural change
• Be able to think strategically and translate that into workable, pragmatic approaches
• Proven ability to shape and lead an expert team partnering in to the organisation with a focus on tangible business deliverables and outcomes
• Strong analytical skills to diagnose the root cause of organisational capability gaps and develop high quality solutions to address them
• Proven ability to collaborate, engage and influence colleagues and senior stakeholders to deliver shared business outcomes
• Experience of business planning and monitoring performance
• Proven people and budget management experience and a collaborative and positive leadership approach
• Strong intellect and excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work under pressure when faced with competing demands from the business.

Desirable Criteria

• Be CIPD qualified.

What’s on offer

This role is flexible on location and can be based in either of the below locations on a full-time basis with flexible working available.

*You will be able to select your location preference upon completion of your formal application form.

Manchester/ Liverpool/Sheffield/Durham/Croydon

 As an employer of choice, the Home Office offers an extensive benefits package including:

• A competitive salary of;

National; £63,256 up to £69,578 London; £68,699 up to £75,566

• Market leading pension scheme
• 25 days annual leave (rising to 30 after 10 year’s service in the Home Office) plus 1 additional day for the Queen’s Birthday and 8 bank holidays
• Flexible working to support a work life balance

• A range of benefits focusing on health and wellbeing
• Extensive training and development opportunities

Applying through this advert is an expression of interest and you will be given further onscreen instructions to complete your application form where you will be provided full details about the role.

For a confidential discussion about this role or any opportunities with the Home Office please contact Claire Steyn on 02082598824 or Claire.Steyn@hays.com