Learning & Development Manager

Opportunity Brief:  Learning & Development Manager

Ford & Stanley Executive Search (Part of the Ford & Stanley Group) are a leading Executive search firm to the UK, North American and European Engineering, Technology, Sustainability & Heavy Manufacturing industries.

Our search directors, search consultants and research teams specialise in all horizontal functions of our client’s organisation with expertise spanning engineering, commercial, procurement, HR, IT, finance, HSQE, sales, projects, operations and c-suite.

We are trusted by over 100 leading organisations when they seek to make a leadership appointment, be that a permanent appointment or an interim solution.

Our services have been enlisted by our very own talent services group to deliver the search for a L&D Manager.

Below candidates will find an ‘opportunity brief’ developed from notes taken during the scoping meeting (Situational Discovery) held between the Research Manager Ford & Stanley Executive Search and the Director of Genius Performance of Ford & Stanley Talent Services Group. This brief is designed to give candidates a deeper insight into the opportunity inherent within the role, the challenges the role presents and provide access to the detail that sits behind the job specification.

Client Opportunity Statements:

“Here at Ford and Stanley, our people are the heart of everything we do. Without our people, we wouldn’t be able to provide the exceptional service that we do for our clients.”

“This role will play a pivotal part in our ambition for all employees to discover their a-game performance and maintain this through various programmes and methods. We want everyone to come to work to be the best versions of themselves.”

“The new L&D Manager will be given free rein to shape the learning and development strategy which will ultimately shape the development and career paths of our current and future leaders.”

Company Overview: Ford and Stanley

Ford & Stanley Talent Services Group are in the business of people and performance. Our mission is to create one million better workdays through facilitating great recruitment, leadership and occupational mental fitness. We support our clients in their most challenging business areas - recruiting, developing and retaining the best talent from shop floor to boardroom.

1. Ford & Stanley TalentWise - Business specialising in blue collar trade & technical services – permanent and temporary.
2. Ford & Stanley Recruitment - Business specialising in white collar spanning all company functions with specialist verticals within Digital, Rail Engineering, Civils & Infrastructure, General Manufacturing, Supply Chain & Logistics both permanent and contract.
3. Ford & Stanley Executive Search – Business specialising in Executive Search & Executive Interim Solutions in the UK, North America, Middle East and Europe.
4. Ford & Stanley Genius Performance - Performance is always accelerated when good people are coached, inspired, trained and focused in the right way.

GENIUS Performance is designed to give people access to the same level of performance support traditionally reserved for top performers in the world of sport – helping them develop the sort of focus that turns ambitions into tangible achievements.

The team of passionate experts work in collaboration with clients to deliver positive change. By identifying issues and providing the tools and techniques needed to address and overcome any obstacle to high performance, they support clients to help them to enhance their reputation and drive their ambition.

As a group, our mission is to create One Million Better Workdays because Better Workdays lead to Better Everydays. Ford & Stanley Group designs its services, people development, business processes and measures to ensure that we help our customers achieve this, consistently across the business and in a sustainable way.

The below link will take you to the company page where you can see videos of what it is like to be part of the Ford and Stanley team:

(url removed) expected within the first 12 months include:

• The L&D role is a lone function where you will be given the autonomy to drive initiatives. To be successful in this role, you will need to find the right balance between the day-to-day operations and working and implementing ideas independently.
• Although we have built some strong foundations in L&D, it is important that you work with the team and not for or against them. You will need to create buy-in from the team and take them on a journey, creating a development environment to suit everyone’s individual needs.
• Having an understanding and the patience that it will take time to see the overall success from the new initiatives, so it is important to be able to measure the small successes and developments to the overall goal.
• Working with a stakeholder who has the creativity to innovate lots of new ideas. Your role will be to digest, allow reflection time and then establish whether to take through to implementation. It will be solely your responsibility to act and create a plan for execution.

 Key deliverables within the first 12 months include:

• Build on the foundations which the previous incumbent has applied and use this as a platform to develop and grow the L&D function across all 3 recruitment businesses.
• Run and implement Genius Performance with our existing client base which will allow the business to grow and make use of World Class Materials.
• Implement new processes and development strategies, taking ideas to reality, which the team find beneficial to their development.

Essential Hard Skills (Skills & Experience)

• CIPD Level 5 qualified
• Understanding and experience of HR administration.
• Previous experience working in a Learning and Development role, focussing on professional or leadership development.
• Practical experience working outside of L&D which has provided you with different learning experiences, which can also be applied to the role.

Essential Soft Skills (Attributes & Behaviours)

• Pioneering skills to innovate new ideas, being able to take risks but always having the rationale to observe and change direction if required to meet the initiative.
• An analytical mindset who is a firm believer in structure, whilst keeping an eye on opportunities for marginal gains through tweaks or change. 
• Self-discipline and self-motivation are critical as you will working as a standalone L&D function, and it will be your sole responsibility to build and drive the function.
• Demonstrate a balance of calm, patience with tenacity and desire to ‘get things done’ driving under their own self-motivation.
• A genuine and trustworthy individual who can create buy-in from the team who are working in a very fast paced environment.

Working Arrangements & Location:

 The position is based at Head Office on Pride Park, Derby and the successful candidate will be expected to show present leadership in the office 5 days per week. (unless of course at client meetings, delivering training courses etc.)

Recruitment Process:

• 1st Stage – Candidate Discovery: An open, conversational and consultative discussion where interested candidates are assessed on their suitability for the role in the context of the above and challenged on how the opportunity lines up with their career aspirations, motivations, financial expectations and personal circumstances.
• 2nd Stage – The ‘shortlist’: Candidates are asked to reflect on the candidate discovery discussion, take time to reflect on the opportunity and undertake subsequent research on the client business reporting back on their thoughts, questions and providing additional specific information on their suitability (if applicable). Final checks of role, package and logistical alignments made.

Interview Process:

• 1st Stage interview to be held Face to Face with Pete Schofield – Chairman & Director of Ford & Stanley Genius Performance. (Relaxed / Informal)
• 2nd Stage interview will be held Face to Face again with Pete Schofield in addition to other directors and stakeholders/team members. This will be more formal / an opportunity to discuss what you can bring to the organisation and demonstrate why you are the best candidate for the role.  

Good to know:

• Ford & Stanley were incorporated in 2010 and since then have launched into the Rail sector being one of the leading talent suppliers in the industry, service as exclusive recruitment partner to over 100 leading organisations in both the UK and North American transportation industries.
• The role has been newly developed for 2024 and a short-term appointment made to ‘breathe life into the role’, develop the foundations and pilot the function. We are now at a point that we see the value it brings to the group and make it a full-time permanent appointment.
• No other business can offer a bespoke suite of services comprising expert recruitment brands covering every level, leadership development training, performance coaching and mental fitness support, all through a single point of relationship management. 
• The group is circa £20m T/O and currently comprises of 52 employees (30% up on this time last year) with further plans for growth in 2024/2025. 
• Outside of HR and internal L&D, you will also be given the opportunity to run with the Genius Performance in collaboration with the Chairman, to offer the service to our clients' HR stakeholders.
• Our culture makes us unique. Everyone in the business works together as a team to deliver on our mission and to celebrate each other’s success. We have a lot of optional socials which contributes to the friendly feel the organisation has, with employees saying they haven’t felt like this anywhere else.
• The environment is fast-paced, ever-changing and evolving and would suit candidates who embrace and enjoy change.
• The recruitment business isn’t designed like a stereotypical recruitment agency environment. We have structured the business in a unique way that enables us to play individuals to their strengths. We need a world-class L&D function to underpin our endeavours.
• As an employee of Ford and Stanley, the successful candidate will also have access to one of our Mental Fitness Coaches, enabling you to remain on top of you’re a-game.

Budget:

Competitive Salary

Supporting benefits:
Personal pension scheme
Private healthcare provider 
Holiday package
Life assurance
Mental Fitness and Performance Coach Access

Likely Job Titles:

L&D, L&D Manager, Learning and Development Business Partner, Senior Learning and Development Specialist, HR Business Partner, Learning & Development Manager L&D Coach, Training Manager. HR Manager, Head of People, Head of Learning & Development.  

 Executive Search Delivery Team:

• Oliver Nunn – Research Manager (Headhunting, Networking, Search, Interviews, Shortlisting)
• Laura Harris – Senior Consultant (Longlisting, Networking, Research, Interviews, Shortlisting, Data & Market Intel)
• Ralitsa Kuzeva – Executive Assistant (Diary Management, Coordination, Candidate Experience)

Ford & Stanley Talent Services Group Ltd is a Disability Confident employer that is committed to a policy of equal opportunities for all opportunity seekers. We shall always adhere to such a policy and will review on an on-going basis all aspects of recruitment to avoid unlawful or undesirable discrimination. We will treat everyone equally irrespective sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, age, disability, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief or political beliefs and we place an obligation upon all staff to respect and act in accordance with the policy.

Services advertised by Ford & Stanley are that of an employment consultancy business.