Head of Technical Training and Skills

If you’d like to be considered for this opportunity we encourage you to apply promptly to avoid disappointment as if applications are high the role will close before the closing date given.

We are seeking an experienced leader to shape and deliver AWE's Technical Training and Skills strategy, ensuring our workforce has the skills, competence and capability required to safely meet current and future business needs. Working closely with senior stakeholders, you will drive learning innovation, workforce capability planning, regulatory compliance and digital learning solutions, supporting the delivery of AWE's long-term workforce strategy.

Location: Located in Reading, with free on-site parking.

Package: A competitive salary aligned with the seniority and impact of this role.

Working Pattern: AWE operates a 9-day working fortnight, with every other Friday as a non-working day. This role is eligible for hybrid working, meaning employees typically spend three days on site in a long week and two days on site in a short week. We support flexible working where possible, including part-time and varied working hours, so please let us know if you would like us to consider an alternative working arrangement when you apply.

Ready to play your part?

At AWE, it’s not just a job, it’s far more than that. Our shared purpose is to help keep the nation safe. Could this role be the opportunity for you to play your part

As the Head of Technical Training and Skills, you will be accountable for the technical training and skills strategy for AWE, ensuring technical training and skills requirements are aligned to requirements that meet the Strategic workforce plan. The role will lead the development of technical training and skills linking to the enterprise learning and skills framework. It will oversee digital learning services, licence condition compliance and ensures SQEP compliance to enable AWE to safely operate.

As part of the leadership team, key accountabilities for this role will include:

• Accountable for the Technical Training and Skills for AWE. Develop and implement a comprehensive technical training and skills strategy aligned with business objectives, people plans and future workforce needs for both technical training and skills.
• Collaborate with the Head of Workforce Planning to translate the Strategic workforce plan into future skills requirements and ensure learning programmes are designed to close capability gaps proactively
• Accountable for the governance and reporting on the delivery of training through agreed learning frameworks, ensuring consistency, quality, and relevance.
• Design and deliver technical training and skills solutions aligned to current business priorities and future capability requirements, ensuring the workforce has the knowledge, skills and competence required to safely and effectively deliver organisational objectives and supports a high-performance culture.
• Accountable for the digital learning strategy, LMS management and Digital training solutions for AWE
• Accountable for the governance structures to oversee training investment, delivery, effectiveness and ROI
• Tier 2 owner and accountable for compliance with License Conditions 10, 12 and 36 and DSC 2 and 3 including the development and maintenance of auditable training records and evidence of competence.

In the role you will also:

• Lead a team of learning professionals and collaborate with senior leaders to identify skills gaps and development priorities, putting the customer requirements at the heart of the strategies
• Leading, coaching and developing a team of leaders and influencing others at specialism or functional level to create and deliver operational plans
• Lead an effective and efficient technical training and skills team to work in partnership with the organisation.
• Build strong relationships with regulatory bodies, training providers, and internal stakeholders to ensure alignment and compliance.
• Provide insight and reporting on learning and training at AWE to relevant stakeholders on a regular basis.

To be successful in this role, ideally you should have the following skills/experience:

• Strategic thinking and the ability to develop long-term training and skills strategies aligned to organisational objectives.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence senior leaders and build collaborative relationships across the business.
• Leadership and people management experience, including coaching, developing and leading high-performing teams.
• An ability to develop deep understanding of organisational requirements and to develop strategies and solutions to drive business performance.
• Experience of governance, assurance and performance reporting.
• Strong analytical skills, including workforce capability analysis and identifying future skills requirements.
• Experience working within complex, matrix structured organisations at a Senior level.
• Significant experience leading learning, technical training, skills,  or workforce capability functions within a complex organisation.
• Demonstrable experience working with senior stakeholders to identify skills gaps and future workforce needs.
• Experience translating workforce plans into capability, training and skills solutions.

Some reasons we think you’ll love it here:

AWE has wide range of benefits to suit you. These include:

• 9-day working fortnight – meaning you get every other Friday off work, in addition to 270 hours of annual leave.
• Market leading contributory pension scheme (we will pay between 9% and 13% of your pensionable pay depending on your contributions).
• Family friendly policies: Maternity Leave - 39 Weeks Full Pay and Paternity Leave - 4 Weeks Full Pay.
• Opportunities for Professional Career Development including funding for annual membership of a relevant professional body.
• Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services.
• Life Assurance (4 x annual salary).
• Discounts – access to savings on a wide range of everyday spending.
• Special Leave Policy including paid time off for volunteering, public service (including reserve forces) and caring.

The 'Working at AWE' page on our website is where you can find full details in the 'AWE Benefits Guide'.

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Next steps:

Everyone who works at AWE brings unique skills and perspectives to the table. We recognise that great people don’t always ‘tick every box’. That’s why we focus on your potential, your fit with our values, your transferable skills as well as your experience. Even if you don’t meet every point above, but you feel that this role and AWE are a great fit for you, please go ahead and apply, we’d love to receive your application.

Important things you need to know:

• We encourage you to apply promptly to avoid disappointment if applications are high and the role therefore closes.
• You will need to obtain and maintain the necessary security clearance for the role. This will be funded by AWE. The nature of our work does mean you need to be a British Citizen who has been resident in the UK for the past 5 years in order to apply for SC clearance and 10 years for DV. 
• We want you to feel comfortable and able to shine during our recruitment process. Please let us know on your application form if you need any adjustments/accommodations during the process.
• Our interviews typically take place over Teams and for most roles are a 1 stage process.

Our ambition is to create workplaces where we recognise and celebrate differences, encourage diverse contributions and our employees feel able to be themselves at work. We strive to create a genuine culture of openness and inclusion and encourage diverse applicants. Any inclusion information you provide will be stored in accordance with GDPR and kept separate from your application form and CV, and the information will not be shared with anyone involved in interviewing or making hiring decisions.

Please note that you must be a British Citizen to apply for a role with us.