Group Learning & Development Manager

Location: Manchester (with regular travel to our branch network)

Department: Value Creation Team

Reporting to: Chief Operating Officer

At Operam Education Group, what drives us isn't just growth - it's impact.

As our business continues to grow, so does our investment in our people. That's why we're creating this brand-new Learning & Development Manager role, that reflects our ambition to build exceptional careers, strengthen leadership capability, and create a consistent, high‑performing learning culture across our Group.

Every consultant we develop, every manager we coach, and every capability we build has a direct impact on how we support schools and deliver meaningful outcomes in education.

This is a unique opportunity to shape our learning and development function from the ground up. You'll have the autonomy to design scalable learning programmes, influence how we develop talent across multiple brands, and work alongside senior leaders to build the capability that will support the next stage of our growth.

As our Learning & Development Manager, you'll be responsible for creating, delivering and continuously evolving learning across our education recruitment businesses.

You’ll combine structured programme design with hands‑on coaching, ensuring learning is practical, commercially focused and embedded into everyday recruitment activity. Whether you’re facilitating a workshop, coaching consultants on live desk activity or partnering with leaders to improve performance, your work will directly influence individual success and business growth.

This isn't a role where learning sits in a classroom. It's about being visible, building credibility with recruitment teams, and creating development that genuinely improves performance.

You’ll create structured, engaging learning programmes that support every stage of the recruitment journey, including:

• Consultant onboarding and inductions
• Core recruitment capability
• Sales and business development skills
• Leadership and management development
• Clear learning pathways that support career progression

You’ll continually review and enhance programmes based on business priorities, performance data and industry trends, ensuring learning remains relevant, engaging and commercially impactful.

You’ll facilitate high‑quality learning experiences across the Group, including:

• Classroom and workshop delivery
• Small group learning sessions
• Structured onboarding programmes
• Team development sessions

You’ll adapt your approach to suit different audiences, creating an engaging learning experience for both new starters and experienced recruiters.

You’ll spend time alongside our recruitment teams, helping translate learning into improved performance by:

• Coaching consultants and managers through regular one‑to‑one development
• Supporting live desk activity through call listening and observation
• Delivering role plays and practical coaching
• Providing real‑time feedback
  
  Working with high performers to capture and share best practice
• Supporting underperforming colleagues with targeted coaching and development plans
• Helping managers strengthen their own coaching capability

Working closely with managers and senior stakeholders, you’ll identify capability gaps, recommend development solutions and act as a trusted partner on learning, coaching and performance improvement.

You’ll also support compliance and process training where required, ensuring consistent standards across the Group.

We're looking for someone who understands recruitment, enjoys developing people and wants the opportunity to build something with real influence.

You’ll already have experience designing and delivering learning within a recruitment environment and be equally comfortable facilitating a workshop as you are coaching consultants on a live desk.

You’ll bring:

• Proven experience in a Learning & Development or Training role within recruitment
• Experience designing and delivering structured learning programmes
• A strong…