People Development Manager

People Development Manager Full Time or Part Time | Permanent | Competitive Salary + Company Car Are you an experienced Learning & Development professional looking for the opportunity to build something from the ground up? Our client is a well-established, independently owned UK business with a strong reputation for delivering specialist products and services across a range of industries. As part of their continued growth, they are investing in their people and are looking to appoint an ambitious People Development Manager to shape and lead their learning and development strategy. This is a newly created role offering genuine autonomy, senior-level exposure and the opportunity to make a lasting impact across the organisation. Working closely with senior leaders, you'll play a key role in developing the skills, leadership capability and career progression of employees while embedding a culture of continuous learning. The Role Reporting to one of the Directors, you will develop and implement a company-wide people development strategy that supports business growth and aligns with long-term organisational objectives. This is a strategic role with a hands-on approach, giving you the opportunity to design and deliver engaging learning programmes, identify development needs, and work closely with managers to build capability across the business. You'll lead initiatives including leadership development, succession planning, career pathways, performance management and employee development, while overseeing apprenticeship and graduate programmes and managing relationships with external training providers. As the Learning & Development function evolves, there will also be the opportunity to build and lead a small team. The ideal candidate We're looking for an experienced Learning & Development professional who combines strategic thinking with a practical, collaborative approach. You will have experience in: • Designing, delivering and evaluating learning and development programmes. • Leadership development, talent management and succession planning. • Training needs analysis, stakeholder engagement and project management. • Performance management and creating effective development frameworks. • Using data and insight to measure learning outcomes and drive continuous improvement. You will also possess excellent communication and relationship-building skills and be confident working with stakeholders at all levels. A qualification in Learning & Development, Human Resources or a related discipline (or equivalent experience) is essential, along with a full UK driving licence and the flexibility to travel between company locations when required. Additional Information • Competitive salary plus company car. • Full-time or part-time permanent opportunity. • The chance to create and shape a brand-new Learning & Development function. • Genuine influence across the business, working closely with senior leadership. • Excellent long-term career progression within a successful and growing organisation. If you're passionate about developing people and creating learning solutions that make a real difference, we'd love to hear from you. Apply today to find out more about this exciting opportunity.