Information about the role of head of learning and development, including the role purpose, key responsibilities and the skills required.
About the role
Head of learning and development sits within the business support sector of policing. It's a service function leader role in the policing professional profiles.
Role purpose
This role leads and manages the learning and development (L&D) function at force, region or team level. It ensures that the force develops and maintains the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to provide an outstanding service. This is a leadership and management role, acting as a strategic consultant and advisor to the senior leadership team.
The role has management responsibilities for a team of professional staff who design, and deliver, a blend of classroom and online learning products. The leadership role aligns L&D strategy with the force’s strategic aims and priorities.
Key responsibilities
Key responsibility statements show the accountabilities for someone in this role. They focus on what is done, not how it is done.
- Providing strategic advice and guidance to senior stakeholders to develop and agree an L&D strategy to meet strategic aims and priorities.
- Leading and developing teams within L&D function. Embedding strategies to protect and promote continuing professional development and professional standards to enable high-performing teams.
- Managing and reporting on the performance of the L&D function; leading on the evaluation strategy for learning products, setting performance objectives and holding staff accountable to ensure that appropriate standards and force objectives are met.
- Leading the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of L&D policies, standards and operating procedures, to support and enable effective L&D practice. Ensuring compliance with regulatory and statutory requirements, keeping up to date with national developments and initiatives.
- Leading the development and delivery of L&D services, driving continuous improvement to meet organisational needs and objectives.
- Ensuring sufficient resources to develop and deliver L&D management processes aligning with agreed functional priorities and objectives within the L&D strategy.
- Protecting and promoting wellbeing and welfare within area of responsibility. Embedding wellbeing strategies to protect and enhance the working environment.
- Creating an inclusive organisational climate where people role model ethical behaviours and combine diverse perspectives and experiences. Supporting people to contribute, challenge, and share feedback so that the team operates in line with the force’s values and ethics, enabling successful policing.
Competencies, values and core skills
The competency and values framework (CVF) provides clear expectations for everyone working in policing. It describes the behaviours required by police officers and staff to be effective in their roles and uphold the Code of Ethics for policing.
Competencies
The CVF has six competencies, which are split into levels. These levels can be used flexibly to allow for a better fit with frontline and non-frontline policing roles, and at different levels of seniority. This ensures that there is consistency throughout all the policing professional profiles. Some roles may contain different CVF levels due to the specialist nature of the role. Those working at higher levels should also fulfil the requirements of the lower levels.
This role should be operating at or working towards the following competencies.
- We are emotionally aware – Level 3: senior manager or executive
- We take ownership – Level 3: senior manager or executive
- We collaborate – Level 3: senior manager or executive
- We support and inspire – Level 3: senior manager or executive
- We analyse critically – Level 3: senior manager or executive
- We are innovative and open-minded – Level 3: senior manager or executive
Values
The CVF has three values that apply to everyone in policing, regardless of their role or seniority.
Core skills
All roles in policing have nine core skills in common. These are split into levels that represent the different levels of policing. This role should be operating at or working towards the following core skills.
- Communicating and influencing – Level 4
- Problem solving – Level 4
- Performance management – Level 4
- Relationship management – Level 4
- Change management – Level 4
- Managing people – Level 4
- Managing resources – Level 4
- Planning – Level 4
- Use of IT – Level 4
Education, qualifications and experience
- Experience in an L&D leadership role.
- Substantial L&D management experience, including designing and delivering innovative L&D solutions that successfully deliver their intended outcomes.
Continuing professional development
Continuing professional development (CPD) enables everyone in policing to develop and gain recognition for their professional skills, knowledge and competence. CPD ensures that we continue to provide high-quality policing to keep the public safe and help to drive career aspirations. Discussion of CPD is usually included as part of professional development review (PDR)conversations.
Learning and accreditation
- Complete all annual and mandatory training.
- Any exemptions to learning and accreditation requirements are at chief constable discretion, in line with the local force policy.
Professional development
This role should consider the following CPD:
- maintaining understanding of strategic force priorities and the external factors that may influence these
- scanning the professional landscape to identify new developments in L&D practice which may be of value to the force
- networking with senior L&D practitioners within the police service and externally to exchange ideas and examples of excellent practices
- maintaining and developing leadership skills through appropriate leadership learning and development activities, for example, CIPD membership
Related roles
You can find other service function leader roles in the: