Summary of Your Role

The purpose of this role is to coordinate, promote, initiate and evaluate a range of learning and development opportunities which help to develop our peoples’ knowledge, skills and behaviours.  By doing so our aim is to help our people grow and develop in their roles, thereby enabling them to make a contribution to the Trust’s vision of improving lives and enhancing communities.

The Learning and Development Officer will also lead on casual staff recruitment and support the HR Manager on the recruitment process including, advertising of roles, screening of applicants, interview arrangements, processing of new starter paperwork, preparation of casual contracts and all onboarding schedules.

Your Roles and Responsibilities, but Not Limited To

Learning & Development Responsibilities:

Work closely with colleagues to identify current and future learning and development needs for full-time, part-time, sessional workers and volunteers through the PDR process and by undertaking a skills audit. From the audit, produce individual learning plans for colleagues as appropriate.

• Source internal and external training for all staff.


• Research online workplace learning and development platforms making recommendations to the senior leadership team as appropriate.


• Work on developing a learning and development strategy for the Trust, to include ‘Learning Pathways’ to support career progression.


• Conduct a review of management and leadership skills to inform the creation of a management training pathway.


• Monitor and evaluate feedback and effectiveness of all learning and development activity.


• Regularly update and communicate to colleagues the learning and development opportunities available via the training directory.


• Ensure that statutory training requirements are met.

HR Responsibilities:

Be the Trust’s lead regarding the apprenticeship levy and the opportunities which it presents for the Trust to support colleagues’ learning/development and apprenticeship opportunities.

• Manage the Trust’s graduate/internship placements, from initial communication to ongoing supervision. Liaise with both Trust and Club staff to ensure the individual gets the best possible experience whilst with the Trust.


• Manage onboarding of new staff members, identifying any training needs during this process.


• Ensure colleagues’ training/qualifications are recorded on the HR System.


• General Business support to the HR Manager and Business Services Department colleagues.


• Lead on all casual staff recruitment.

You Must Have

• Relevant experience in the field of learning and development.


• Previous experience of working within a HR/Office Administration role.


• Good working knowledge of training and development solutions.


• An awareness of individual learning styles and the importance of catering for these when providing learning and development opportunities.


• Ability to identify training needs, develop and implement training strategies and evaluate learning outcomes.


• Ability to source and create bespoke and innovative learning and development opportunities based on the needs of the Trust.


• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.


• Ability to work collaboratively to build and facilitate strong internal relationships.


• Able to work under pressure, prioritise workload and meet deadlines.


• Attention to detail and accuracy in completing tasks.


• Good organisational, planning and time management skills.


• Understanding of the Trust’s commitment to EDI & Safeguarding

You Ideally Would Have

• CIPD Qualified


• Experience in staff contracts/employment law and recruitment processes.

About Us

Watford Football Club’s Community Sports and Education Trust is a registered charity that has been proudly supporting people and communities for over thirty years, as originally established by Graham Taylor OBE and Sir Elton John. We continue this legacy today by engaging people of all ages and backgrounds through high-quality community-based initiatives and services.

Our Vision: Improving lives, enhancing communities.

Our Mission: Making a positive difference for all through sport, physical activity, and learning.

Our Values: To be honest, reliable, and trustworthy – Integrity.  To be inclusive in all our decision-making – Inclusivity. To be bold and creative in the way we work – Innovation.

Our Culture: We are a values-based and vision-driven charity, who put our people and our beneficiaries at the heart of everything we do and why we do it.

Benefits of Working for Us

• Chance to join an award-winning charity and work alongside colleagues who are determined to utilise the positive power of sport, physical activity and learning for social good.


• Friendly working environment


• Employee Assistance Programme


• Investors in People accreditation


• Opportunity to benefit from a range of training and development opportunities


• Free gym usage at our two Community Centres


• Flexible working environment


• Staff kit


• 25 days of Annual Leave entitlement plus bank holiday’s


• Trust pension scheme


• Birthday leave


• Milestone recognition awards


• On-site parking available

Our Commitment to You

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI):

We are dedicated to fostering a diverse and dynamic working environment by building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

Safeguarding:

We provide a safe and secure environment for all.  We believe Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children & adults is everyone responsibility.  Everyone in the organisation has a role to play, to ensure that Trust policies, procedures and practices in regard to safeguarding are followed.