Talent & Development Specialist

Location: Grange Moor, Wakefield (WF4). We''re a multi-site organisation, so travel to other sites will be required where support is needed.
Hours: Full time, 37.5 hours per week, 9am to 5pm with a half hour unpaid lunch. We''re happy to discuss start and finish times.
Working pattern: Some flexibility to work from home following successful onboarding (around one day per week).

About the role

This is a rare chance to build something rather than inherit it. Across a Group of around 700 people, you''ll own both recruitment and learning and development - and you''ll be shaping how both are done, not maintaining someone else''s framework.

You''ll work directly with the Head of HR, HR Business Partners, line managers and senior leadership to identify what capability the business needs now and in the future, then build the plans, training materials and talent pipelines to deliver it. That means real exposure to SLT and ELT, and real ownership of the outcome.

There''s also scope to bring AI and digital tools into how the Group recruits, trains and develops people. If you''ve been waiting for a role where your ideas get built rather than filed, this is it.

What you''ll be doing

Recruitment and talent acquisition

• Lead the full recruitment lifecycle, from vacancy briefing and attraction through to selection, offer and onboarding
• Partner with managers to understand current and future workforce needs and build recruitment plans around them
• Develop direct sourcing strategies, talent pipelines and employer branding to improve candidate quality and reduce agency reliance
• Build relationships with colleges, universities and apprenticeship providers
• Report on recruitment KPIs including time-to-hire, cost-per-hire, quality of hire and vacancy trends
• Ensure recruitment follows the Group''s authorisation process, with approvals and documentation retained correctly

Learning and development

• Own the Group learning and development plan, working with line managers, SLT and ELT to identify capability requirements
• Design and maintain Group training and skills matrices covering mandatory, technical, role-specific and development needs
• Translate skills gaps into practical training and personal development plans
• Create internal training materials, toolkits and learning resources, working with subject matter experts
• Support Health & Safety and other functions with e-learning, mandatory and compliance training

Talent, careers and succession

• Support the Head of HR to develop and embed Group talent and succession frameworks
• Coordinate talent reviews and help managers identify high-potential employees
• Build career pathways and matrices that give people clear routes to progress
• Link personal development plans to training, career pathways and succession activity
• Manage apprenticeship programmes and Apprenticeship Levy spend, alongside graduate, apprentice and early-careers attraction

AI, technology and continuous improvement

• Identify and implement ways to use AI and digital technology across recruitment, learning and talent
• Use technology to improve productivity, candidate attraction and the quality of learning content
• Explore new learning technologies and support the wider HR team to adopt AI-enabled ways of working
• Review processes for opportunities to simplify and automate

You''ll also work with the wider HR team on Group people initiatives, workforce planning and organisational development projects, and keep recruitment, learning and talent records accurate and compliant with employment legislation, GDPR and Group policy.

What you''ll bring

Essential

• Proven experience managing end-to-end recruitment and building effective attraction strategies
• Practical learning and development experience, including identifying training needs and developing training plans
• Experience designing or implementing training or skills matrices
• Experience creating internal training materials, toolkits or learning resources
• Demonstrable experience of using AI or digital technology to improve processes, productivity or service delivery
• Strong stakeholder management
• Strong project management, organisational, analytical and communication skills
• Strong IT skills and confidence picking up new systems and digital tools
• Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel between Group sites as required

Desirable

• Experience managing apprenticeship programmes and Apprenticeship Levy funding
• Experience of succession planning, talent reviews, career pathways or capability frameworks
• Experience within a multi-site or Group organisation
• Experience using an LMS, ATS or HRIS
• CIPD, L&D or a relevant professional qualification, or working towards one

About you

You''ll be well organised, comfortable juggling competing priorities across several sites, and happy working independently as well as with the wider team. You''ll need the credibility to influence managers and senior leaders, and the confidence to challenge where it''s needed. Curiosity about AI and new technology matters here, as does discretion.
What we offer

• 25 days'' annual leave, with the option to purchase a further five (subject to eligibility)
• Healthcare cash plan from day one
• 2x death in service benefit from day one
• Store discount
• Free car parking
• Company sick pay on completion of your probation period
• Some flexibility to work from home following successful onboarding (around one day per week)
• Flexibility to discuss your start and finish times

You may have experience of the following: Talent & Employee Development Business Partner, Recruitment & L&D Advisor, Talent Acquisition & Development Specialist, Learning & Development Advisor, Recruitment and Training Specialist, Resourcing & Development Specialist, Learning and Talent Coordinator, etc.

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