[Hiring] Talent & Learning Manager @Action for Children

Role Description

Help us build the talent, leadership and learning that will shape our future. At Action for Children, we want every child and young person to have a safe and happy childhood. Our people make that possible, and we’re looking for an experienced Talent & Learning Manager to help ensure they have the skills, leadership, and opportunities they need to thrive.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead our Talent & Learning team and shape the delivery of an integrated approach to learning, leadership development, talent, and succession across a large and complex organisation.

A bit about the role:

• Lead a team of talented professionals, taking responsibility for the effective day-to-day delivery of our Talent & Learning Services.
• Shape our longer-term approach, providing strong leadership and ensuring high-quality service delivery during core operating hours of 9am–5pm, Monday to Friday.
• Work closely with senior leaders and colleagues to bring together organisational priorities, workforce needs, and innovative approaches to learning and talent.

What you’ll be doing:

• Lead, support, and develop our Talent & Learning team, ensuring high-quality and responsive service delivery.
• Shape and continuously improve our learning and talent offer, ensuring it delivers a great employee and volunteer experience.
• Lead our organisational approach to learning needs analysis, translating priorities into effective learning plans.
• Strengthen our approach to talent management, succession planning, career pathways, and internal mobility.
• Partner with senior leaders to build pipelines for critical roles and strengthen organisational resilience.
• Help build our leadership culture through high-quality leadership development and coaching.
• Use insight, data, and measures of impact to demonstrate the value and return on our investment in learning.
• Champion inclusive talent and development approaches that help create greater opportunity for underrepresented colleagues.
• Make smart use of technology and innovation to create accessible and engaging learning experiences.
• Manage external partners and provider relationships, as well as a significant L&D budget and external funding.

Qualifications

• CIPD membership (MCIPD or higher).
• Significant experience of learning and development within a large and complex organisation (approx. 3000+ workforce).
• Experience of developing and delivering successful talent and learning strategies.
• Strong people leadership skills and experience of managing professional teams.
• Experience of leadership development and coaching approaches.
• The ability to influence and build credible relationships with senior stakeholders.
• Experience of managing large learning budgets (circa £750,000 plus).
• Experience of using evidence and data to understand needs, evaluate impact and inform decisions.
• Strong facilitation, presentation, and communication skills.
• A track record of developing innovative, practical, and cost-effective learning solutions.

Requirements

Please see the Job Description attached below for the full list of accountabilities and requirements.

Please note we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role.

Benefits

• Over 7 weeks inclusive paid leave which includes bank holidays and the option to buy or sell leave.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Flexible maternity, paternity, and adoption packages.
• Up to 5% employer contribution and life assurance cover.
• Blue Light Card eligibility with discounts at 15,000 national retailers.
• A paid annual Wellbeing Day to support a healthy balance between work and life.

Company Description

At Action for Children, we are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels respected, valued, and able to thrive. We know that racism and discrimination create barriers, and we are taking active steps to challenge these inequalities in our organisation and in the communities we serve.

• We strongly welcome applications from people who are Black, Asian, or from other racialised and ethnically marginalised communities, as well as disabled people, who are currently under-represented in our workforce.
• We are committed to removing barriers in our recruitment processes and ensuring fair access to opportunities.

Want to know more about Action for Children? Find us on LinkedIn, Facebook or YouTube to get to know us better.

Closing Date: Tuesday 3rd November 2026.

Initial interviews will be week commencing 9th November 2026 by MS Teams.