Learning and Development Lead

On behalf of Sussex and Brighton Strategic Authority, we are looking for a Learning and Development Lead - (Inside IR35) for a 5 month contract based working on a remote basis and with an expectation office attendance when required

Role purpose

Lead the development of the skills, knowledge, leadership and behaviours SBSA needs to deliver its strategic priorities. Establish a proportionate, effective learning and development offer for a new and growing authority, combining strategic planning with practical design, facilitation and delivery.

Help colleagues joining through recruitment, secondment or transfer to understand SBSA’s purpose, responsibilities and ways of working, and build a shared organisational identity.

Develop confident managers and leaders who can work across organisational boundaries, build consensus and deliver change with partners across Sussex and Brighton.

Work with the Strategic Leadership Team, managers and partner organisations to identify capability needs, embed the Authority’s values and evaluate the impact of learning on performance, inclusion and delivery.

Scope and working relationships

The role leads workforce learning and development, induction, management and leadership development, and the coordination of mandatory learning. It supports wider organisational development, culture and workforce planning activity.

Key relationships include the Strategic Leadership Team, HR and OD colleagues, managers, employees, communications colleagues, subject matter experts, constituent councils, other strategic and combined authorities, and learning providers. Support member induction and development where agreed, working with governance colleagues and maintaining clear accountability for member development

As a Learning and Development Lead - (Inside IR35) , your main responsibilities will be:

- Learning strategy and workforce capability
- Develop and implement a learning and development strategy and prioritised delivery plan aligned with SBSA’s strategic priorities, operating model and workforce plans.
- Assess current and future capability needs at organisational, team and individual levels, using manager discussions, development plans, workforce information and feedback.
- Advise senior leaders on learning priorities, distinguishing needs best addressed through learning from those requiring changes to structures, processes, management or resourcing.
- Build a proportionate offer that can grow with the Authority, making effective use of shared provision, internal expertise and partnerships with constituent councils and other authorities.

Induction and organisational integration

- Establish a consistent induction offer for employees, secondees and transferring colleagues, with role-specific learning and clear expectations of managers.
- Ensure induction explains SBSA’s purpose, governance, public accountability, values and ways of working, alongside essential systems, policies and relationships.
- Support teams coming together from different organisations to share expertise , establish common practices and build a sense of belonging.

Leadership culture and change

- Design and deliver management and leadership development that strengthens people management , collaboration, accountability, inclusive leadership and delivery.
- Develop system leadership capability, including influencing without direct authority, building consensus, navigating competing interests and working across political, professional and organisational boundaries.
- Work with HR colleagues to embed values and behaviours through team development, facilitated conversations, reflective practice and practical workplace learning.
- Support organisational change by identifying learning needs, helping managers lead through uncertainty and evaluating whether new skills and practices are being applied.

Learning design and delivery

- Design, facilitate and commission accessible learning using workshops, digital resources, coaching, mentoring, peer learning and learning through work.
- Build managers’ ability to hold effective development conversations and support colleagues to apply learning in their roles.
- Develop career pathways and early careers opportunities, including apprenticeships where appropriate, with HR colleagues and service leads .

Mandatory learning and learning systems

- Agree a mandatory learning framework with relevant subject matter leads , identifying requirements, audiences, renewal periods and arrangements for tracking completion.
- Coordinate appropriate provision covering areas such as information governance, safeguarding where relevant, health and safety, equality and public sector responsibilities, with content assurance from responsible specialists.
- Monitor completion and overdue learning, report exceptions and support managers to address gaps; managers remain accountable for their teams’ completion.
- Establish and maintain reliable learning records and administer or develop a learning management system appropriate to SBSA’s size and needs.

Resources commissioning and evaluation

- Set and manage the allocated learning and development budget, prioritise expenditure and demonstrate value for money.
- Commission and manage external providers in accordance with procurement requirements, ensuring clear outcomes, accessible delivery and effective quality assurance.
- Evaluate learning through feedback, participation, changes in capability and behaviour, and contribution to organisational outcomes, rather than relying on completion rates alone.
- Provide clear management information on learning access, capability gaps, expenditure, mandatory learning and impact to inform decisions and workforce planning.

Team leadership and partnerships

- Manage any agreed resources, setting clear objectives and supporting performance, wellbeing and professional development.
- Build trusted relationships with leaders , managers and colleagues, encouraging shared ownership of learning and continuous improvement.
- Develop partnerships and learning networks with constituent councils, other authorities and providers to share expertise and avoid unnecessary duplication.
- Work with communications colleagues to promote learning opportunities and share learning across the organisation.

Inclusion and professional responsibilities

- Ensure learning is accessible and inclusive, with reasonable adjustments and equitable opportunities across working patterns, locations and employment arrangements.
- Use workforce and participation information to identify barriers to development and support a diverse talent pipeline.
- Handle personal information appropriately, maintain confidentiality and follow the Authority’s policies and governance arrangements.
- Undertake other duties reasonably consistent with the purpose and grade of the role as SBSA develops.

Essential

- Learning and Development experience
- Experience of implementation and planning of structures
- Transition planning experience
- Stakeholder engagement experience
- Implementing systems

Desirable

- CIPD or a relevant coaching or facilitation qualification.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.

In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following "this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different".