Learning and Development Advisor (Early Careers)

UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology; City of Edinburgh; Hybrid; GBP 38,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading environmental research institute in the UK is seeking a passionate individual for a role focused on learning and development. You will coordinate early careers programs, design training opportunities, and manage e-learning initiatives. The ideal candidate will thrive on collaboration, possess strong organizational skills, and have a genuine passion for helping others succeed in their careers. This hybrid position allows for flexibility with a commitment to creating inclusive and engaging learning experiences.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Professional development opportunities

Inclusive workplace initiatives

Qualifications

• Experience or keen interest in learning and development.
• Passionate about helping others learn and succeed.
• Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple projects.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate early careers programs in collaboration with other teams.
• Map future skills requirements and build plans to address skills gaps.
• Build e-learning modules and manage Learning Management System.

Skills

Learning and development experience

Strong communication

Organizational skills

Relationship-building

Digital skills (MS 365, SharePoint)

Job description

Overview

Salary - £38,939 to £41,321

Hybrid working (50/50). Permanent, full-time or part-time (80%). Location: Wallingford, Edinburgh, Lancaster or Bangor (Wales).

We will start reviewing applications from Monday, 20 October 2025. We reserve the right to close this advert early if we find the right candidate, so we encourage you to apply early.

Passionate about people, learning and the environment? Join us in shaping the future of learning and early careers at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.

You’ll be joining our forward-thinking and collaborative Talent Development team in Wallingford, part of the wider People team at UKCEH. A friendly, values-driven team who care deeply about helping others grow and succeed — always working with integrity, striving for excellence, and supporting one another along the way.

We’re looking for someone who shares that ethos: a natural networker who’s genuinely passionate about inspiring and attracting the next generation of environmental scientists. Someone who will enjoy building meaningful relationships with colleges, universities and charities, and who’s excited by the idea of exploring fresh, creative pathways into science careers.

In this role, you’ll help ensure every learning experience at UKCEH is engaging, inclusive and high quality - supporting colleagues, line managers and early careers alike. Together, we’ll shape the future of learning and development, and help UKCEH remain a place where people and ideas truly thrive.

Your main responsibilities will include:

Early Careers

• Coordinate early careers programmes (postgraduate researchers, research associates, internships etc.) in collaboration with other People Development peers such as apprenticeships, university placements, and internships
• Good understanding of how to deliver apprenticeships within England, Scotland and Wales
• Design and build training opportunities and events for early careers communities at UKCEH to get the most out of their time in the organisation
• Build and maintain strong relationships with external partners such as local colleges, universities and charities to explore new/better diverse early careers pathways
• Maintain high quality records of early careers numbers within UKCEH and evaluate initiatives delivered to boost engagement through surveys and focus groups

Learning and Development

• Contribute to mapping out the future skills requirements of the organisation and building a multi-faceted plan to address skills gaps
• Co-lead on building and maintaining a Learning Management System and lead on modernising our Learning and Development processes
• Coordinate L&D activities, such as events, across the portfolio including ensuring high engagement, quality, and attendance
• Build e-learning modules from start to finish and launch these with creative communications campaigns
• Manage the internal skills exchange to help connect project managers with skilled employees
• Co-lead the further education process end-to-end from receiving the internal applications, managing the stakeholders in evaluating the priority applications and processing successful requests

You’ll thrive in this role if you’re organised, curious, and confident juggling multiple projects, from coordinating engaging L&D events and building e-learning modules with creative communication campaigns, to helping shape the future skills strategy for UKCEH. You’ll play a key part in mapping out the skills we’ll need for the future, supporting the development of our Learning Management System, and modernising our learning and development processes to make them more intuitive and impactful.

Candidate profile

• Has experience or a keen interest in learning and development or early careers (such as internships or apprenticeships)
• Is genuinely passionate about helping others learn, grow and succeed
• Communicates clearly and empathetically, both in writing and in person
• Thrives on collaboration and connection, building strong relationships at every level
• Is highly organised, with the ability to manage multiple projects at once
• Handles confidential matters with integrity, discretion
• Brings strong digital and organisational skills, including confident use of MS 365 and SharePoint

Working for UKCEH is rewarding

In this varied and rewarding role, you’ll have the chance to make a real impact, ensuring every learning experience is engaging, inclusive and high quality, and helping UKCEH remain a place where people and ideas truly thrive.

You’ll be joining a leading independent, not-for-profit research institute that’s committed to recruiting talented people like you, progressing your career and giving you the support you need to thrive at UKCEH. Our science makes a real difference, enabling people and the environment to prosper, and enriching society. We are the custodians of a wealth of environmental data, collected by UKCEH and its predecessors over the course of more than 60 years.

Apply today!

If this opportunity resonates with you and aligns with your personal career goals, the team would love to receive your application. Please apply by submitting your CV along with a covering letter that highlights any qualifications, skills or experience you believe are relevant to this role.

At UKCEH, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace where everyone—regardless of background, identity, ability, or circumstance—has the opportunity to thrive. As a Disability Confident employer, we actively encourage applications from neurodivergent candidates and those with disabilities. We are happy to provide any adjustments or support you may need throughout the application process—please don’t hesitate to reach out. So, if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every requirement, we’d love to hear from you anyway. You may be just the right fit for this role or another within our wider team.

Please note: Unfortunately, we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role and this does not qualify for endorsement to support a Global Talent Visa application. If you are considering pursuing self-sponsorship, please indicate this in your application so we can take it into account during the recruitment process.