Learning & Development Specialist

Cintra HR & Payroll Services Ltd; Newcastle upon Tyne; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work arrangements

Employer matched pension 5%

Health plan and wellbeing support

Onsite parking

Job summary

Cintra HR & Payroll Services Ltd in Newcastle upon Tyne is seeking a Learning & Development Specialist to own the full learning journey, from a new starter’s induction to a line manager’s difficult conversations. You will design and deliver technical payroll training, run the Aspiring Managers programme and coordinate Cintra’s Apprenticeship Programme.

This role values development-minded leaders, offers a competitive bonus structure, hybrid working, and the chance to contribute to Cintra’s

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience designing and delivering learning programmes across technical, behavioural and management subjects for diverse audiences.
• Strong coaching and mentoring skills to build confidence as well as competence.
• Payroll knowledge to credibly support technical payroll learning, including key payroll legislation, statutory payments and pensions.
• Experience delivering management or leadership development with core leadership skills.
• Ability to give honest, constructive feedback early and to receive it in the same spirit.
• Strong planning and organisational skills for multiple priorities around operational requirements and peak periods.
• Strong written skills for clear guides, exercises and assessments.
• Highly resilient and calm in a pressurised environment.

Responsibilities

• Design and deliver learning programmes across technical, behavioural and management subjects.
• Own the new starter learning experience with induction and role-specific programmes.
• Evaluate learning effectiveness using feedback and continuously improve content and delivery.
• Maintain an annual learning and development calendar balancing priorities and peak periods.
• Design and deliver payroll training for Outsourced Payroll, Payroll Support and Payroll Onboarding.
• Coach new payroll colleagues through their development and address early concerns.
• Own the payroll competency framework and career pathway and the training matrix.
• Design, coordinate and deliver Cintra's Aspiring Managers programme.
• Coordinate Cintra's Apprenticeship Programme with providers and managers.

Skills

Learning design

Coaching & mentoring

Payroll knowledge

Leadership development

Feedback

Planning & organisation

Written communication

Education

CIPD qualification

Level 3 Award in Education and Training

CIPP qualification

Tools

Articulate

Job description

Learning & Development Specialist

Application Deadline: 23 October 2026

Department: Operations

Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time

Location: Newcastle upon Tyne

Compensation: £50,000 - £60,000 / year

Description

Join our Operational Readiness Team as a Leadership & Development Specialist! We are Cintra. Known for our award-winning software that delivers payroll solutions to over 1000 clients. If you're passionate about payroll and are eager to join a dynamic team of seasoned professionals, this is the opportunity for you. As the proud recipient of the Payroll Service Provider of the Year 2026 award at the CIPP Annual Excellence Awards, we offer exciting opportunities for professional development, competitive bonus structures, and a collaborative work environment. Our modern offices are located in Hoults Yard, nestled on the outskirts of the vibrant Ouseburn Valley. This area boasts a thriving creative community, rich local heritage, and a lively social scene.

Why This Role Is Different

If you are someone who finds real satisfaction in watching a colleague grow in confidence, who takes as much pride in a well-designed competency framework as in the session itself, this role was built for you.

As Learning and Development Specialist at Cintra, you will own the full learning journey for colleagues across the business, from a new starter's first day to a line manager's first difficult conversation. You will design and deliver technical payroll training, run our Aspiring Managers programme, coordinate our Apprenticeship Programme and keep the skills, knowledge and confidence of our people growing.

This is a role for someone who genuinely invests in people and has the breadth and rigour to make that investment count. In this role you will:

Learning and development

• Design and deliver engaging learning programmes across technical, behavioural and management subjects, selecting the most appropriate method for each audience — face-to-face, virtual, coaching, workshops or self-directed learning.
• Own the new starter learning experience, with structured induction and role-specific programmes that take colleagues from their first day to sign-off as competent.
• Evaluate learning effectiveness using colleague, manager and performance feedback, and continuously improve content and delivery as a result.
• Maintain an annual learning and development calendar that balances business priorities with operational requirements and peak periods.

Payroll capability

• Design and deliver technical learning for Outsourced Payroll, Payroll Support and Payroll Onboarding colleagues, including new starter, refresher and legislative update training.
• Coach new payroll colleagues through their initial development, raising concerns constructively and early where further development is required.
• Own the payroll competency framework and career pathway, and the payroll training matrix, ensuring colleagues have a clear picture of what good looks like at each level.

Management development and apprenticeships

• Design, coordinate and deliver Cintra's Aspiring Managers programme, giving colleagues preparing for their first management role the practical skills and confidence to manage people effectively.
• Own and coordinate Cintra's Apprenticeship Programme, acting as the principal point of contact with providers and working with managers to monitor progress and support completion.

What We’re Looking For

You are genuinely interested in developing people, not as a job function but as something you find rewarding. You bring patience and adaptability to every audience, the coaching instinct to build confidence as well as competence, and the credibility to work effectively with both new starters and experienced payroll professionals. You are also organised enough to hold multiple programmes together without dropping the quality of any of them.

Essential

• Demonstrable experience designing and delivering effective learning programmes across technical, behavioural and management subjects to a range of audiences.
• Strong coaching and mentoring skills, with the ability to build confidence as well as competence and encourage individuals to own their development.
• Sufficient payroll knowledge to credibly support technical payroll learning, including a good working understanding of key payroll legislation, statutory payments, pensions and automatic enrolment.
• Experience delivering management or leadership development, with a good understanding of the core skills line managers need.
• The ability to give honest, constructive feedback early, including where development is not progressing and to receive it in the same spirit.
• Strong planning and organisational skills, managing multiple priorities around operational requirements and peak periods.
• Strong written skills, producing clear guides, exercises and assessments.
• Highly resilient and calm in a pressurised environment.

Desirable

• A recognised L&D, training, coaching or HR qualification such as CIPD or a Level 3 Award in Education and Training.
• A CIPP qualification or other recognised payroll qualification.
• Experience coordinating apprenticeship programmes and managing relationships with external providers.
• Experience designing blended learning and using e-learning authoring tools such as Articulate.

Why Join Cintra?

At Cintra we know our colleagues are our biggest asset and an investment in them is an investment into the company. We offer:

• Hybrid and flexible working arrangements supporting your work-life balance
• Employer matched pension contribution to 5%
• Wellbeing support through our company-funded health plan, health checks and employee assistance program
• Onsite parking
• And more!

We go the extra mile to strategically invest in our employees by providing them with invaluable learning opportunities to propel their careers forward. Our commitment to continuous employee training ensures that knowledge remains up-to-date, skills stay sharp, and confidence continues to grow. We firmly believe in empowering our workforce with the tools they need to thrive and succeed.