Learning and Development Coordinator/Manager – Human Resources – Colchester
About us
Thompson Smith and Puxon LLP (TSP) is a long-established regional law firm serving individuals, families, businesses, farmers, landowners and organisations across Essex, Suffolk and beyond.
Our mission is to Transform, Succeed, and Prosper for our clients, our people and the wider community.
Through TSP2030, we continue to invest in our people, technology and working environment, creating opportunities for our teams to develop, grow and thrive. We want our people to develop, progress and build long-term careers with us, while delivering a high standard of service to our clients.
The role
We are looking for a proactive Learning and Development professional to help drive capability, continuing competence and career development across the firm.
This is not a traditional training administration role. You will work directly with Team Leaders, lawyers and operational and support teams to identify skills gaps, anticipate future development needs and make sure appropriate learning and development takes place. You will also play an important role in graduate recruitment, trainee development, professional accreditations, mandatory learning and making effective use of our LawNet membership.
The role sits within the Human Resources team and reports to the Human Resources Manager.
Hours: Approximately 20 to 35 hours per week, depending on the successful candidate.
Depending on qualifications and experience, the appointment may be made at either Learning and Development Coordinator or Learning and Development Manager level.
Key responsibilities
Learning & capability development
- Work with Team Leaders to identify current and future skills and capability requirements.
- Support individuals and managers to create practical career and development plans.
- Develop and maintain a firm-wide learning and development plan aligned to business priorities, workforce planning, progression and succession.
- Identify skills gaps arising from changes in legal practice, regulation, technology, artificial intelligence and client expectations.
- Support development across legal, operational and support teams.
Professional development & continuing competence
- Drive a proactive approach to continuing professional development and continuing competence across the firm.
- Identify learning needs through performance, supervision, client feedback, complaints, file reviews and regulatory developments.
- Maintain accurate learning and development records and support Solicitors Regulation Authority continuing competence requirements.
- Work with Human Resources and Professional Standards to turn recurring quality, risk or complaint themes into practical development activity.
- Monitor professional accreditations, memberships and renewal requirements.
- Manage Learning and Development budgets at both firm-wide and team level, including training requests, spend and value for money.
- Evaluate whether learning activity is improving knowledge, behaviour, capability and performance.
LawNet learning and engagement
- Take ownership of driving engagement with LawNet across the firm.
- Act as a LawNet Learning Administrator and support the administration of LawNetConnect.
- Proactively identify relevant LawNet learning, events, resources, communities and Discussion Groups for individuals and teams.
- Build appropriate LawNet opportunities into development plans and continuing competence activity.
- Support registrations, profiles, bookings and learning administration.
- Introduce LawNet as part of new starter induction and help colleagues make effective use of the wider network.
Graduate & trainee development
- Coordinate the firm's graduate recruitment programme and future trainee pipeline.
- Support the trainee solicitor programme alongside the Training Principal.
- Coordinate trainee seat planning, reviews and development records.
- Work with supervisors and mentors to support trainee and junior lawyer development.
- Connect early-career development with the firm's longer-term workforce and succession needs.
Induction & mandatory learning
- Coordinate the learning and development elements of new starter induction.
- Maintain oversight of mandatory learning and compliance training across the firm.
- Make sure required training is completed, recorded and followed up.
Learning governance improvement
- Maintain a clear overview of learning priorities and capability needs across the firm.
- Provide updates and recommendations to the Human Resources Manager and relevant leaders.
- Manage relationships with external training providers.
- Help develop TSP's wider learning and development approach.
Experience, skills & attributes
Essential
- Hold, or be actively working towards, the CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma in Organisational Learning and Development.
- Experience in learning and development, training, professional development, graduate recruitment or a related people role.
- A proactive approach, with the confidence to identify needs and follow actions through.
- Strong organisational skills and attention to detail. • Clear written and verbal communication skills.
- Confidence working directly with Team Leaders, lawyers and colleagues across different functions.
- The ability to translate business, regulatory and client-service needs into practical learning solutions.
Desirable
- Experience within a law firm, professional services business or other regulated environment.
- Experience of graduate recruitment, trainee programmes or early-career development.
- Experience connecting learning and development with workforce planning, succession, progression or performance development.
The package
We offer a competitive salary, depending on the level of appointment, experience and ability.
Other benefits include:
- 22 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays, with an additional three days for the Christmas to New Year closure, pro-rated for part-time staff.
- Death in service and Group Income Protection.
- Workplace pension scheme with Scottish Widows after three months' service, including enhanced and salary sacrifice options.
- Health cash plan and Employee Assistance Programme.
- Firm sick pay policy.
- Additional holiday linked to long service.
Equal opportunities
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all communities and backgrounds. Recruitment is based on merit, skills, and suitability for the role.
To apply
Please send your covering letter and curriculum vitae to recruitment@tsplegal.com. View the full role and person specification here.