Learning & Development Manager

Howells Solutions Limited; Cambridgeshire and Peterborough; On-site; GBP 41,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

Howells Solutions Limited is seeking a Learning & Development Manager to design and drive an apprenticeship programme near Luton, maximising the Apprenticeship Levy and other funding streams. You will partner with HR to create a talent pipeline across trades and sites, overseeing progress and ensuring strong relationships with external training partners.

The role requires a background in managing apprenticeships, budgeting and compliance, with the ability to influence senior stakeholders and

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing apprenticeships or early careers programmes.
• Strong knowledge of apprenticeship funding and administration.
• Experience managing colleges and training providers.
• Confidence managing budgets, claims, funding records and compliance requirements.
• Genuine interest in developing people and helping early-career talent succeed.
• Ability to challenge managers and providers when standards or progress aren’t meeting expectations.
• Excellent organisation and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience working across multiple sites or departments.

Responsibilities

• Recruitment & workforce planning: identify future skills needs and build an annual apprenticeship recruitment plan.
• Funding & budgets: manage and maximise apprenticeship funding, budgets, claims and grants.
• Progression: ensure apprentices are supported through qualifications and have a route into longer-term roles.
• Apprentice management: be the go-to person for apprentices, support development, attendance, performance and wellbeing.
• Training & development: ensure apprentices receive the right work experience, mentoring, college training and off-the-job learning.
• Provider management: build relationships with colleges and training providers and ensure delivery quality.
• Programme improvement: use data, feedback and insights to improve retention, completion and apprentice experience.

Skills

Apprenticeships management

Funding & budgeting

Stakeholder management

Multi-site collaboration

Training & development

Job description

Learning & Development Manager

Bedfordshire Up to 45k

We're working with an established, multi-site business who are investing in their future talent pipeline and looking for a Learning & Development professional to join them.

The key responsibility of this role is to develop an apprenticeship scheme, maximising funding via the Apprenticeship Levy and other funding streams, working alongside HR to build a pipeline of trades to support their growing workforce.

You’ll have the opportunity to shape the programme, influence senior stakeholders and build strong relationships across the business and with external training partners. Please note: This role is based near Luton, and is full time in the office.

Key responsibilities

• Recruitment & workforce planning - identifying future skills needs and building an annual apprenticeship recruitment plan.
• Funding & budgets - managing and maximising apprenticeship funding, budgets, claims, grants and the apprenticeship service account.
• Progression - ensuring apprentices are supported through their qualifications and have a clear route into longer-term roles.
• Apprentice management - becoming the go-to person for apprentices, supporting their development, attendance, performance and wellbeing.
• Training & development - ensuring apprentices receive the right work experience, mentoring, college training and off-the-job learning.
• Provider management - building effective relationships with colleges and training providers and holding them accountable for delivery.
• Programme improvement - using data, feedback and insight to improve retention, completion and the overall apprentice experience.

You’ll work closely with HR, Finance, operational leaders, managers and mentors, while also being the key link between the business and external training providers.

We're looking for someone who already understands the apprenticeship landscape and can hit the ground running.

You’ll ideally have:

• Proven experience managing apprenticeships or early careers programmes.
• Strong knowledge of apprenticeship funding and administration.
• Experience managing colleges and training providers.
• Confidence managing budgets, claims, funding records and compliance requirements.
• A genuine interest in developing people and helping early-career talent succeed.
• The confidence to challenge managers and providers when standards or progress aren't where they need to be.
• Excellent organisation and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience working across multiple sites or departments.

Construction, property maintenance or social housing experience would be a real advantage, particularly knowledge of trade apprenticeships and CITB funding.

This is a chance to take ownership of a programme that has a direct impact on the organisation's future workforce.