Group Head of Learning and Development at Culina Group

Warrington, England, United Kingdom -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

24 Jun, 26

Salary

0.0

Posted On

26 Mar, 26

Experience

10 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Strategic Leadership, Talent Development Strategy, Learning Program Design, Blended Learning Design, Operational Capability, Compliance Training, Organisational Adaptability, Leadership Development, Budget Management, Apprenticeship Levy Management, Change Management, Data Analysis, LMS/LXP Proficiency, Coaching, Mentoring, Problem-Solving

Industry

Logistics;Transportation;Supply Chain and Storage

Description

Company Description Culina Group is a leading UK 3rd party food & drinks logistics provider offering dedicated and shared user warehousing and distribution solutions. At Culina we have a winning culture, we believe that our culture is one of the reasons our company continues to thrive… A place where you're valued, challenged, and inspired! Job Description We have a brand new opportunity to join the team as Group Head of Learning and Development. We are looking for a candidate to be preferably based in the Midlands or North West. This role will be vital in establishing the learning strategy for organisational training and accelerated management and leadership development pathways to ensure the skills, knowledge, and development opportunities needed to perform effectively, grow professionally, and support the organisation’s strategic goals and promote our culture to generate high performance outcomes for our customers. Key responsibilities of the Group Head of Learning & Development: Strategic Leadership: Working with ODR peers (Head of Talent, Head of Reward) and guidance from HR Directors, develop and lead the Group-wide Learning & Development strategy aligned to business priorities and future skills needs. Collaborate with senior leaders across Chilled & Fresh Logistics, Contract Logistics, Networked Transport, CoPacking, Specialist Operations, and Central Support to identify capability gaps. Champion a learning culture that supports cultural alignment, continuous improvement, safety, and operational excellence. Translate organisational goals into clear annual and multi‑year learning priorities and roadmaps. Talent Development Strategy: In collaboration with the Head of Talent and Director of Centre of Excellence, develop and implement strategies to develop new talent into key pipeline and critical‑skills roles. Gaining insight from the Head of Talent to understand talent mobility frameworks, design appropriate learning strategies to support progression and movement of internal talent across all levels of the organisation. Align external talent attraction, apprenticeships, early careers, and internal talent development into an integrated Group-wide learning strategy to support Talent across the Group. Learning Program Design & Delivery: Oversee the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of learning programs including onboarding, compliance, leadership development, technical and operational skills. Ensure learning solutions are scalable and accessible across multi‑site, shift‑based, and deskless workforce environments. Lead blended learning design, using digital, classroom, on‑the‑job and coaching approaches. Partner with internal SMEs and external providers to deliver high‑impact, learner‑centred training programs. Working in collaboration with the Head of Talent and EHRBPs, design and oversee specific training programs, performance review processes, and career development initiatives that support the internal progression of professional and managerial employees. Operational Capability & Compliance: Work closely with Health & Safety, Compliance and CI teams to embed mandatory training requirements across all business units. Ensure all training programs meet regulatory and audit requirements for operational sites. Monitor training completion, training currency, and audit readiness, ensuring robust governance processes are in place. Use data to identify compliance risks and implement corrective actions where training gaps exist. Enabling Organisational Adaptability & Growth: Ensure the organisation is equipped with the skills, capabilities, and leadership required to respond effectively to change. Promote a culture of continuous professional development, high performance, and employee engagement. Provide insight and data to support strategic decision-making on workforce capability and future skill requirements. Diversity and inclusion: Promote a diverse and inclusive workplace through targeted initiatives Leadership & Career Development: Co-design and deliver leadership development pathways with the Head of Talent emerging leaders and accelerated leaders. Support internal mobility and career progression through structured development plans, coaching, and capability frameworks. Ensure alignment between L&D, Talent Management, Succession Planning, and performance processes. Embed leadership behaviours that reinforce the organisation’s culture and strategic priorities. Team & Budget Management: Lead, develop, and performance‑manage a team of L&D professionals. Manage the L&D budget and optimise use of the company’s Apprenticeship Levy to maximise ROI. Oversee selection, management, and quality assurance of external training providers. Ensure efficient resource deployment and cost‑effective delivery of all learning initiatives. Collaboration Across Departments: Work closely with HR, Operations, H&S, CI, Compliance, Finance and other key stakeholders to ensure L&D activities are aligned with organisational goals. Integrate learning support into organisational change initiatives, new systems deployment, and process improvement activities. Act as an advisor and strategic partner to senior leaders on capability building, workforce development, and leadership effectiveness. Qualifications Learning Expertise: experienced L&D qualified professional, well versed and practised in applying modern learning ecosystems and have successfully embedded program evaluation models; linking learning to operational metrics. Strong leadership and interpersonal skills to inspire trust and collaborate effectively with senior management and employees. Apprenticeships & UK Levy: Knowledge and experience of standards selection (L2–L7), provider governance, EPA readiness, Ofsted/ESFA compliance, funding rules, ILR basics. Compliance & Operational Context (Logistics/Manufacturing): Health & Safety fundamentals, Food Safety where relevant, Transport compliance, MHE training regimes, audit readiness, evidence trails. Understanding of shift‑based workforces and deskless enablement constraints. Change & Continuous Improvement: Change management (sponsor roles, adoption planning, hypercare) and CI/Lean principles to align learning with process improvement. Exceptional communication skills to build relationships, facilitate discussions, and provide feedback constructively. Data Savvy: Can demonstrate proficiency in working with analytics (both in systems and the ability to interpret data and draw logical conclusions), specifically: Analytical Skills: Proficiency in analysing workforce data to identify trends, assess talent gaps, and evaluate the effectiveness of succession plans. Digital Learning & Data: LMS/LXP capabilities (curricula, roles/permissions, automation, multi‑site hierarchies), content libraries, mobile learning. People analytics: data quality, dashboards, linking training records to HRIS/ops data; data privacy basics. Talent & Leadership Architecture: Knowledge and experience of working with/introducing competency/behaviour frameworks, leadership levels, assessment methods (180/360, centres), succession integration. Expertise in developing coaching and mentoring programmes that can guide leaders and upcoming talent in their development journey and prepare them for leadership roles. Problem-Solving Skills: Ability to tackle challenges related to learning design and evaluation, learner engagement/uptake, lagging retention, and L&D solutions for operational performance improvement. Knowledge of HR Tools and Practices: Familiarity with talent and learning management systems, performance evaluation techniques, and industry best practices. Cultural Sensitivity: Awareness and respect for diversity to ensure inclusive learning and development strategies. Additional Information As part of our drive to make Culina Group a great place to work. We are proud to be an inclusive and diverse organisation where we are committed to employee development and recognising success for hard working performers. Our dedicated learning and development programmes are open to every employee to give you the opportunity to shape your own future within logistics and continue to work in an environment where team culture thrives. Our People are the driving force behind our success, which is why we offer a wide range of benefits which include: Annual Leave – Competitive holiday entitlement of 25 days plus 8 Bank Holidays Company Bonus – We do our best work to succeed together. When we achieve our goals you'll be rewarded through our bonus scheme Private Medical Cover – This gives you peace of mind, you have choice, flexibility and speed of access to the most clinically appropriate care via Bupa Car Allowance Pension scheme – we want colleagues to enjoy a comfortable retirement so we offer a great contribution of 5% employee and 8% employer Life Assurance - x4 your annual salary Wellness – Via our Employee Assistance Programme we offer immediate access to a confidential telephone counselling and legal information service that operates 24 hours a days, 365 days a year Eye Care Vouchers – We can provide you with substantial savings with free eye tests and discounts on prescription glasses Reward & Recognition – We recognise that employees have gone the extra mile via Employee of the month and year, special recognition and long service awards. Everyday discounts - via our benefit platform you will have access to over 50 retailer discounts for everyday savings! If you meet the requirements for the above role and are looking for your next career opportunity please apply now and become a part of our #WinningTeam!

Responsibilities

This role is vital for establishing the group-wide Learning and Development strategy, focusing on organizational training and accelerated management/leadership pathways aligned with business goals. Key duties include collaborating with senior leaders to identify capability gaps and championing a learning culture that supports continuous improvement and operational excellence.