Head of Learning and Workforce Capability

Head of Learning and Workforce Capability

Application Deadline: 15 June 2026

Department: People Directorate

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: London (Hybrid)

Reporting To: Lola Olujobi

Compensation: £50,000 - £60,000 / year

Description

£50,000 - £60,000 (depending on experience)

London/Romford Hybrid

Full time Permanent

Role details

• Location: Hybrid with travel to London and Romford required
• Reporting to: Director of People and Culture
• Team: Field Interviewer Trainers, Training Coordinator, E Learning Content Creator

Key Responsibilities

Transform how we train, develop and equip one of the UK's largest research fieldwork workforces.

We're looking for an ambitious and forward thinking Head of Training to lead the next phase of learning transformation at NatCen.

This is far more than a traditional training role.

• Reporting to the Director of People and Culture, you will lead the development of a modern, digitally enabled learning function that supports both our national Field workforce and our research and operational teams.
• At the heart of the role is a significant opportunity to modernise how training is designed, delivered and experienced. From digital learning and Learning Management Systems to onboarding, workforce readiness and capability development, you will shape the future of learning across NatCen.
• You will lead the transformation of interviewer training, helping us move from traditional approaches to scalable, technology enabled learning solutions that improve quality, consistency and learner experience.
• You will also play a key role in helping NatCen prepare for the future of work through AI readiness, digital capability development, workforce upskilling and the adoption of modern learning approaches that enable our people to thrive in an increasingly technology enabled environment.

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise

• Has experience leading learning, training or capability functions in complex organisations
• Understands digital learning, learning technologies and modern training approaches
• Can build scalable, high impact learning programmes that deliver measurable outcomes
• Is comfortable influencing senior leaders and working across multiple functions
• Understands the importance of workforce readiness, operational excellence and capability development
• Brings energy, innovation and a passion for improving how people learn
• Provides an opportunity to shape learning at organisational scale, transform how a national workforce is trained and developed, and play a key role in building NatCen's future capability, digital readiness and organisational effectiveness.
• If you're excited by transformation, digital learning, innovation, AI readiness and making a real organisational impact, we'd love to hear from you.

Job Benefits

Why join NatCen?

This role offers the chance to shape NatCen's future learning model at a genuinely organisational level. You will lead a function that touches workforce readiness, operational quality, digital learning ambition and organisational capability, with the opportunity to build something more modern, scalable and impactful.

Benefits As well as a competitive salary, NatCen offers 25 days holiday plus bank holidays, flexible working, a generous pension scheme, life insurance, a health cash plan, a Cycle to Work scheme, a season ticket loan and career development support including professional subscriptions and mentoring.