Senior Learning & Development Adviser

About us

Stone King is an ambitious and friendly firm specialising in the Business & Social Enterprise, Charity, Education, Faith and Private Client sectors.  Our collaborative culture and core values are intertwined with our ethos of doing the right thing by our clients, communities, and our people. Our passion for the sectors we work in and the purpose-driven work we do with our clients has resulted in SK being recognised as national leaders in our specialist fields across the country.

The Opportunity

The Learning & Development Adviser will be responsible for designing, implementing and evaluating learning initiatives to support the professional development needs of our people. The postholder will collaborate with senior stakeholders around the firm and HR to ensure our Learning and Development (L&D) Strategy aligns effectively with business needs and that this is well communicated across the firm. They will take the lead on initiatives promoting the Learning and Development function within the firm.

The postholder will report to the Head of HR.

Reasons to apply

• Opportunity to gain invaluable experience across our highly regarded HR Team, you’ll have the opportunity to work closely with our specialists across the firm.
• To be part of an ambitious, collaborative and friendly national firm where our culture and values are at the heart of everything we do. We believe our people are our greatest asset and strive to create the best place to work.
• Excellent benefits for our people, with a focus on wellbeing and development at the forefront.
• Hybrid working - Stone King are proud to be signatories of the Mindful Business Charter as part of our commitment to mental health and wellbeing. We want to support all of our people in achieving a healthy work/ life balance, and would be happy to speak with prospective candidates about flexible working arrangements.

Key responsibilities

General duties include, but are not limited to:

• Act as the first point of contact providing advice and guidance on all aspects of L&D.
• Conduct thorough assessments to identify skill gaps and training needs across teams.
• To work closely with Heads of Team to identify training requirements ensuring that these are relevant, beneficial and accessible.
• Related to the above, work alongside the Talent Acquisition and Early Careers Manager for our annual talent mapping review with Heads of team. 
• Develop strategies to promote a culture of continuous learning and knowledge sharing. Encourage participation in learning activities through effective communication and engagement initiatives.

• Strategic development of L&D processes and procedures, such as performance reviews and development frameworks.
• Working closely with the Training Principal to support the development of Trainee Solicitors and Apprentices across the firm, including the facilitation of the Junior Fee Earner Forum.
• Responsibility for and the strategic and tactical management of the L&D budget, including monitoring of training requests.

• Design comprehensive training programmes utilising a variety of methologies, including workshops, e-learning modules and coaching sessions.
• Coordinate logistics and scheduling the delivery of training programmes on relevant legal and business topics, ensuring accessibility for our people.
• Supervision of the Knowledge and Learning Co-ordinator.
• Analyse performance data and feedback to inform training priorities, establishing metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of training programmes and initiatives.
• Related to above, preparation of L&D related reports, with support from our HR Data & Reporting Coordinator.
• Manage the firm’s mentoring scheme.
• Manage external suppliers, facilitate workshops and business events.

Essential

• Previous experience in Learning and Development, ideally in a legal or professional services context.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills and ability to communicate with varying levels of stakeholders.
• Sufficient organisation skills and ability to meet multiple deadlines in a timely manner.
• Able to work under their own initiative and be proactive.

Desirable

• Experience in identifying learning needs and designing and delivering training courses.
• Previous experience in supervisory or management role.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Individual differences are embraced at Stone King, and we strive to create an environment in which people feel supported and able to be themselves. We have a partner-led Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategy Group, and a dedicated DE&I Adviser. We are committed to promoting an inclusive working environment that supports the growth and development of all our people, and we welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and identities. As part of our continued commitment to an inclusive working environment, we are proud to be part of the Race Fairness Commitment, the Age Friendly Employer Pledge and a Disability Confident Employer.

Stone King are signatories of the Mindful Business Charter as part of our commitment to mental health and wellbeing. We want to support all of our people in achieving a healthy work/ life balance and would be happy to speak with prospective candidates about flexible working arrangements.

As part of our commitment to DE&I, we want our recruitment practices to be as inclusive as possible, which means we will make reasonable adjustments to help you perform to your best, so please let us know if you need us to make any reasonable adjustments during the application or interview process. Our recruitment team are on hand to discuss any reasonable adjustments with candidates and can provide full job details and applications in alternative formats if required. You can contact our recruitment team via email at Recruitment@stoneking.co.uk or 01225 326770.

As a Disability Confident employer, Stone King LLP is committed to offering an interview to any job applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the role as defined by the job description and person specification. A full copy of the person specification and job description can be provided by contacting our Recruitment team.  In some recruitment situations such as high-peak times, we might need to limit the overall numbers of interviews we offer. This will include the number of interviews offered to disabled people who meet the minimum criteria. When that happens, we’ll still aim to offer a proportionate number of interviews to disabled applicants.

• Competitive salary
• Profit Share Scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee Benefit Platform
• Private Medical Insurance
• Life assurance (4 x salary)
• Pension scheme
• 28 days holiday (in addition to statutory UK holidays)
• Additional day allocated for CSR activities per annum

Closing date: 3 January 2025

Adverts normally close at midday on the closing date, however vacancies may close early if sufficient applications have been received. Therefore we would encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible.

Stone King LLP is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to ensuring equality of opportunity by encouraging all our staff to achieve their full potential and guaranteeing that all employment decisions are taken without reference to irrelevant information or discriminatory practices.

Recruitment agencies – please do not send us unsolicited CVs. If you do so, we reserve the right to contact the candidate directly and your T&Cs will not apply

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