Job Description

Join the University of Manchester

We're excited to be recruiting a dynamic and motivated Talent Development Specialist to join our Talent Development Team at The University of Manchester.

About the Role

A Talent Development Specialist, as part of a team, is responsible for the development and delivery of a range of development initiatives and solutions, against agreed learning outcomes to enhance individuals' or teams' knowledge, skills, and abilities. The role will primarily be responsible for the delivery of the development activities, through in-person workshops, surgeries and courses, with some on-line delivery as required. This also includes supporting the Senior Talent Development Specialist in assessing training needs and creating learning and training materials and resources, as well as evaluating the effectiveness of training as part of the learning activity. Talent Development Specialists will deliver programmes, workshops and learning events to a range of colleagues in academic and professional services across the organisation.


On average this role will be delivering in-person development events approximately 4-5 days per week.

Essential skills:

Substantial experience of delivering learning and development events and activities, including in-person group event facilitation, classroom delivery and online training. Excellent communication and presentation skills (written and oral), demonstrating an ability to work with a wide range of people with varying levels of understanding. Ability to quickly adjust and adapt training methods and content to meet the specific needs of learners, within the session and as part of the review and evaluation processes. Ability to effectively convey information and engage with diverse audiences. Excellent organisational skills, able to plan and prioritise a variety of work activities in a busy environment and meet strict deadlines. A flexible team player with the ability to support colleagues. Excellent organisation skills in managing training schedules, materials, and resources effectively. Excellent IT Skills, particularly in the use of MS PowerPoint and Excel.

Desirable Criteria:

CIPD Level 3 Certificate in Training Practice or Certificate in Learning and Development Practice. City & Guilds Level 3 Certificate in Learning and Development or equivalent Excellent digital skills, with experience of using learning management systems and eLearning interventions. Practical experience of all aspects of the training cycle, including training needs analysis or learning gap analysis, design of blended learning solutions and methods and approaches to training evaluation and assessing return on investment.

Why Work with Us

As one of the UK's leading universities and a member of the prestigious Russell Group, The University of Manchester is recognised globally for excellence in teaching, research, and social responsibility. Our people are at the heart of what we do, and we're proud to offer a supportive and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.

Our benefits include:

Generous annual leave, including Christmas/New Year closure Membership of a competitive pension scheme Comprehensive well-being programme, including counselling, fitness, and leading sports facilities Learning and development opportunities to support your career growth Season ticket loans and Cycle to Work scheme Workplace nursery scheme and family-friendly policies Staff discounts on travel, retail and services Staff recognition schemes celebrating outstanding contributions

Our community

With 25 Nobel Prize winners among our current and former staff and students, we have a proud history of world-first discoveries from splitting the atom to giving the world graphene. Our commitment to research, teaching, and social responsibility shapes everything we do.

Inclusion and Belonging

We're passionate about creating an inclusive community where everyone feels welcome and valued. As an equal opportunity employer we welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation and transgender status. All appointments will be made on merit.

How to Apply

This vacancy will close at midnight on the closing date. We reserve the right to close the advert early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.


Please note that any CVs submitted by recruitment agencies will be treated as a gift.

Enquiries about the vacancy, shortlisting and interviews:

Name: Jen Pass, Talent Acquisition Business Partner


Email: jennifer.pass@manchester.ac.uk

General enquiries:

Email: People.recruitment@manchester.ac.uk

Technical support:

https://jobseekersupport.jobtrain.co.uk/support/home

This vacancy will close for applications at midnight on the closing date.

Please see the link below for the Further Particulars document which contains the person specification criteria.