Learning & Development Manager – Retail Jobs in Dubai, UAE

Uae Job Alert; Dubai; On-site; AED 250,000 - 400,000; Full time

Job summary

UAE Job Alert seeks an experienced Learning & Development Manager to lead the learning, talent, leadership and competence development agenda for the retail business. You will partner with business leaders, HR partners, store L&D teams and internal learning functions to build capabilities, support growth and drive succession planning across the organisation.

The role focuses on designing and implementing leadership development programmes, identifying high-potential talent and delivering learning

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Psychology, Business Management, or a related field.
• CIPD qualification is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic support in identifying, developing, and positioning talent across retail stores and back-office functions.
• Develop and implement leadership development programmes for employees and emerging leaders.
• Support the identification and development of high-potential employees.
• Work with HR Business Partners and business leaders to establish effective succession plans for critical positions.
• Develop individual development plans aligned with business requirements and employee career aspirations.
• Support talent review activities and ensure appropriate development actions are implemented.
• Develop and implement learning and development strategies aligned with business objectives.
• Conduct annual business needs analysis to identify current and future capability requirements.
• Maximise the use of available learning programmes and internal learning resources.
• Coordinate learning programmes across retail operations and support functions.
• Ensure learning initiatives address both individual capability development and broader organisational requirements.
• Review and improve L&D processes to increase effectiveness and business impact.
• Develop and support competency frameworks and leadership capability initiatives.
• Identify critical competencies required to support business growth and expansion.
• Build capability across different levels of the retail organisation.
• Support department trainers in improving programme delivery, facilitation, and learning methodologies.
• Ensure learning programmes are effectively integrated into day-to-day business operations.
• Support talent review processes and maintain accurate employee talent profiles.
• Facilitate talent identification using established talent assessment frameworks.
• Develop action plans for successors in critical and high-risk roles.
• Establish flexible and assignment-based succession approaches for key competencies.
• Work with business leaders to ensure capable successors are identified for important positions.
• Support long-term talent development and workforce continuity.
• Partner with business leaders, HR Business Partners, store L&D teams, and internal learning teams.
• Provide guidance to managers on employee development and capability-building initiatives.
• Collaborate with relevant stakeholders to ensure L&D activities support business priorities.
• Support initiatives focused on developing and retaining UAE Nationals.
• Build strong relationships with stakeholders across different levels of the organisation.
• Promote effective use of learning management systems and digital learning tools.
• Monitor and report on learning and development activities.
• Analyse training outcomes and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Develop appropriate measures to evaluate the effectiveness and business impact of learning programmes.
• Promote continuous improvement in learning delivery and talent development practices.

Skills

Learning & Development Strategy

Talent Management

Leadership Development

Succession Planning

Competency Frameworks

Career Development

Individual Development Planning

Training Needs Analysis

Learning Programme Design

Training Budget Management

Data Analysis and Reporting

Project Management

Change Management

Stakeholder Management

Business Acumen

Communication and Presentation Skills

Planning and Coordination

Talent & L&D Process Audits

Learning Systems and Digital Tools

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Psychology, Business Management, or a related field

CIPD qualification desirable

Job description

Role Purpose

The Learning & Development Manager will lead the learning, talent, leadership, and competence development agenda for the retail business. The role focuses on building the capabilities required to support business growth, workforce planning, performance, succession, and commercial objectives.

The position will work closely with business leaders, HR Business Partners, store L&D teams, and internal learning functions to identify talent, strengthen leadership capabilities, develop succession plans, and deliver effective learning programmes aligned with business priorities.

Key Responsibilities

Talent & Leadership Development

• Provide strategic support in identifying, developing, and positioning talent across retail stores and back-office functions.
• Develop and implement leadership development programmes for employees and emerging leaders.
• Support the identification and development of high-potential employees.
• Work with HR Business Partners and business leaders to establish effective succession plans for critical positions.
• Develop individual development plans aligned with business requirements and employee career aspirations.
• Support talent review activities and ensure appropriate development actions are implemented.

Learning & Development Strategy

• Develop and implement learning and development strategies aligned with business objectives.
• Conduct annual business needs analysis to identify current and future capability requirements.
• Maximise the use of available learning programmes and internal learning resources.
• Coordinate learning programmes across retail operations and support functions.
• Ensure learning initiatives address both individual capability development and broader organisational requirements.
• Review and improve L&D processes to increase effectiveness and business impact.

Competency & Capability Development

• Develop and support competency frameworks and leadership capability initiatives.
• Identify critical competencies required to support business growth and expansion.
• Build capability across different levels of the retail organisation.
• Support department trainers in improving programme delivery, facilitation, and learning methodologies.
• Ensure learning programmes are effectively integrated into day-to-day business operations.

Succession & Talent Management

• Support talent review processes and maintain accurate employee talent profiles.
• Facilitate talent identification using established talent assessment frameworks.
• Develop action plans for successors in critical and high-risk roles.
• Establish flexible and assignment-based succession approaches for key competencies.
• Work with business leaders to ensure capable successors are identified for important positions.
• Support long-term talent development and workforce continuity.

Stakeholder Management

• Partner with business leaders, HR Business Partners, store L&D teams, and internal learning teams.
• Provide guidance to managers on employee development and capability-building initiatives.
• Collaborate with relevant stakeholders to ensure L&D activities support business priorities.
• Support initiatives focused on developing and retaining UAE Nationals.
• Build strong relationships with stakeholders across different levels of the organisation.

Learning Systems & Analytics

• Promote effective use of learning management systems and digital learning tools.
• Support the use of learning platforms for training, succession, and employee development activities.
• Maintain accurate employee development and talent information.
• Monitor and report on learning and development activities.
• Analyse training outcomes and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Develop appropriate measures to evaluate the effectiveness and business impact of learning programmes.

Training Budget & Programme Management

• Support annual learning and development budget planning.
• Guide relevant teams in identifying training requirements and associated costs.
• Monitor training budgets and support efficient utilisation of available resources.
• Coordinate learning projects and development programmes from planning through implementation.
• Support special talent and leadership development projects as required.

Programme Evaluation & Continuous Improvement

• Evaluate learning and development programmes based on business and workforce needs.
• Adapt programmes to changes in the business environment and organisational priorities.
• Review L&D processes and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Support the development of systems and processes that measure learning effectiveness.
• Promote continuous improvement in learning delivery and talent development practices.

Key Accountabilities

• Build a strong talent pipeline for current and future business requirements.
• Strengthen leadership and technical capabilities across the retail organisation.
• Ensure succession plans are established for critical positions.
• Support effective implementation of individual development plans.
• Improve employee capability through targeted learning initiatives.
• Ensure L&D activities are aligned with business strategy and workforce requirements.
• Support the retention and development of high-potential employees.
• Monitor the effectiveness and business impact of learning programmes.
• Drive efficient utilisation of L&D budgets and resources.
• Support continuous improvement of talent and learning processes.

Education & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Psychology, Business Management, or a related field.
• CIPD qualification is desirable.

Experience

• Minimum 5 years of experience in Training and Learning & Development.
• At least 12 months of experience in a Training Management role.
• At least 12 months of experience in a Store Learning & Development role.

Technical & Functional Skills

• Learning & Development Strategy
• Talent Management
• Leadership Development
• Succession Planning
• Competency Frameworks
• Career Development
• Individual Development Planning
• Training Needs Analysis
• Learning Programme Design
• Training Budget Management
• Data Analysis and Reporting
• Project Management
• Change Management
• Stakeholder Management
• Business Acumen
• Communication and Presentation Skills
• Planning and Coordination
• Talent & L&D Process Audits
• Learning Systems and Digital Tools

Why This Role Matters

This role plays an important part in building the organisation’s future capabilities by connecting talent development, leadership development, succession planning, and learning programmes with business growth objectives. The successful candidate will help create a strong talent pipeline and support employees in developing the skills and capabilities needed for long-term business success.