Learning & Development Partner

Ison Harrison Solicitors; Leeds; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Ison Harrison Solicitors in Leeds seeks a Learning & Development Partner to lead IH Academy, building structured learning pathways and leadership programmes to support growth across the firm.

Working with Partners, Directors and HR, you will align learning to business strategy, nurture an employee-owned culture, and deliver engaging development initiatives through diverse methods.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in Learning & Development or Organisational Development.
• Experience within Law / Legal Industry.
• Leadership development programme design and delivery.
• Strong coaching and relationship-building skills.
• Excellent facilitation and presentation skills.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead IH Academy into a centre of excellence for learning across the firm.
• Create structured development programmes for apprentices, trainees and early-career professionals.
• Design clear learning pathways that support career progression from entry-level through to senior roles.
• Develop engaging induction and onboarding programmes that immerse new colleagues in the firm’s culture and expectations.
• Ensure learning programmes reflect the firm’s commitment to client service and professional excellence.
• Work with department heads to identify skills gaps and create targeted learning solutions.
• Measure programme effectiveness through feedback, engagement and outcomes.
• Design and deliver a leadership curriculum for current and aspiring leaders.
• Coach and support managers in developing high-performing teams.
• Facilitate workshops and leadership forums across the business.

Skills

L&D strategy

Organisational development

Talent development

Law industry experience

Coaching

Facilitation

Stakeholder influence

Project management

Curriculum design

Content creation

Education

CIPD Level 5 or Level 7

Job description

Ison Harrison Solicitors, the Yorkshire Law Firm, employs 450+ people across 27 offices.

Recently recognised as one of the UK’s top 10 employers in The Sunday Times Best Big Places to Work 2026, there’s never been a better time to join the team at Ison Harrison.

We are 100% employee-owned, so each employee has a part to play in shaping the future of the firm. Employee-ownership also means that profit share payments are distributed, tax-free, to employees with 12+ months’ service at the end of our financial year. Employees are encouraged to Join in, Influence and Benefit.

Please see Benefits page for details of our profit share scheme and other Employee Benefits.

Our values are: 100%; Responsible; Supportive; Adaptable; Open & Transparent; Progressive; Community and Authentic. These values are at the heart of everything we do, when dealing with both clients and colleagues.

Learning & Development Partner

Purpose of the Role

The Learning & Development Partner will lead the vision, development and delivery of IH Academy, creating an engaging and innovative learning culture that supports the firm’s continued growth.

The role has three key areas of responsibility:

• Developing and delivering structured learning pathways for our emerging talent and younger colleagues, equipping them with the skills, confidence, and behaviours to build successful careers at Ison Harrison.
• Designing and leading leadership and management development programmes that inspire, support and strengthen leaders across the business.
• Working closely with Partners, Directors, Heads of Department and the wider HR team, Recruitment, the Learning & Development Partner will ensure that learning is aligned to our business strategy, supports our employee-owned culture and reinforces the values that make Ison Harrison unique.

Key Responsibilities

IH Academy

• Lead and develop IH Academy into a recognised centre of excellence for learning across the firm.
• Create structured development programmes for apprentices, trainees, paralegals and early-career professionals.
• Design clear learning pathways that support career progression from entry-level through to senior roles.
• Develop engaging induction and onboarding programmes that immerse new colleagues in the firm’s culture, values and expectations.
• Ensure learning programmes reflect the firm’s commitment to delivering outstanding client service and professional excellence.
• Work with department heads to identify skills gaps and create targeted learning solutions.
• Measure programme effectiveness through feedback, engagement and performance outcomes.

Leadership & Management Development

• Design and deliver a leadership curriculum for current and aspiring leaders.
• Develop programmes covering topics such as:
  • People management
  • Coaching and mentoring
  • Performance management
  • Communication and influence
  • Emotional intelligence
  • Employee ownership and commercial awareness
  • Change leadership
• Coach and support managers in developing high-performing teams.
• Facilitate workshops, leadership forums and development events across the business.
• Create succession planning and future leadership initiatives.

Learning Strategy

• Build a firm-wide learning and development strategy aligned with business objectives.
• Promote a culture of continuous learning and professional development.
• Manage learning platforms, external providers and training budgets where appropriate.
• Ensure regulatory and mandatory training requirements are met.
• Introduce modern learning methods including digital learning, blended learning, coaching and peer learning.
• Regularly evaluate learning outcomes and continually improve programmes.

Stakeholder Partnership

• Build strong relationships with Partners, Directors and Heads of Department.
• Act as a trusted advisor on learning and organisational development.
• Support talent development, succession planning and employee engagement initiatives.
• Champion the firm’s values and employee-owned culture through every learning experience.

Skills & Experience

Essential

• Proven experience in Learning & Development, Organisational Development or Talent Development
• Experience within Law / Legal Industry
• Experience designing and delivering leadership development programmes.
• Strong facilitation and presentation skills.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders.
• Excellent coaching and relationship-building skills.
• Experience creating engaging learning content using a variety of delivery methods.
• Strong project management and organisational skills.
• Passion for developing people and creating positive learning experiences.

Desirable

• CIPD qualification (Level 5 or Level 7) or equivalent.
• Coaching qualification.

Salary

The salary for this role will be based on experience, therefore please indicate your current salary and expectations for this position.

Location

Duke House, 54 Wellington St, Leeds LS1 2EE

Job Type:Full-time

Ison Harrison is an equal opportunities employer and does not discriminate on any grounds other than the ability to carry out the job specification.