Head of Learning & Organisational Development

Crisis is the national charity for people experiencing homelessness. We have embarked on our 10-year strategy for ending homelessness. We know it is not inevitable. We know together we can end it.

Location: Based in London, E1. You will work from our London office a minimum twice a month and as needed, with flexible homeworking in line with Crisis' Hybrid Working Policy. There will also be occasional travel to Crisis Skylights around the UK.

About the role

We are serious about ending homelessness and to do that, we need great leadership, the right skills, an inclusive culture and an environment where people can learn, grow, perform and do their best work. That's why we've created a new Head of Learning & Organisational Development role to lead how we develop our people, leaders and organisation for the future.

You will shape our approach to leadership, learning, talent, skills and workforce development, making sure we build the capabilities we need to deliver our ambitious 10-year strategy. You will help develop leadership at every level and create opportunities for people across the organisation to grow and succeed.

You will also help shape the culture we need, aligned to values of being bold, collaborative, equitable and impactful. You will put equity, diversity and inclusion at the heart of how we develop people and improve the organisation.

This is a chance to build something new, influence how an organisation works and help our brilliant people make an even greater difference.

About you

• You will bring significant experience of developing leaders, managers and organisations and we're open to where you've gained that experience. What matters to us is your ability to lead change, build capability and help people and organisations perform at their best.
• You understand what good leadership looks like in practice and know how to help managers lead people well, have effective performance conversations and create teams where people can do their best work.
• You will understand the opportunities and challenges of working across an organisation with central, national and local teams, and know how to build a consistent approach to leadership and culture while responding to different local needs.
• You will be able to look beyond individual learning programmes and see the bigger organisational picture. You'll know how to identify the skills and capabilities an organisation needs, translate that into action.
• Equity and inclusion will be central to how you work, not an add-on. You will have experience of removing barriers and creating learning, leadership and people practices that give everyone the opportunity to contribute and succeed.
• You will be an excellent communicator, facilitator and collaborator, comfortable working with everyone from frontline colleagues to senior leaders. You'll build trusted relationships, bring people with you and be confident influencing thinking and challenging constructively when needed.
• And you will be creative and resourceful. We're looking for someone who can make a big impact without always needing a big budget, finding practical ways to develop people, and making the most of the expertise already in the organisation.

Please see the full Job Pack linked below, for a full list of requirements for this role. We realise that long lists of criteria can be daunting, and you may not want to apply for a role unless you feel 100% qualified. However, if you feel you have relevant examples to answer the screening questions, we encourage you to apply.

We know that diversity helps us create a more inclusive, innovative, and successful organisation. We particularly welcome applications from people from ethnic minority/global majority backgrounds and people with lived experience of homelessness, as these characteristics are currently underrepresented within our leadership roles in the department. You don't need to meet every criterion to apply. We're interested in your experience, your potential and what you could bring to the role. If you meet some of the criteria and believe you could make a difference, we'd love to hear from you.

Working at Crisis

Our values, Bold, Impactful, Collaborative and Equitable, are at the heart of everything we do as we continue in our mission to end homelessness.

Our staff, members and volunteers are vital to getting the right government policies in place, providing breakthrough services, and building a supportive community. We'll lead by example to nurture a positive and ambitious workplace guided by ending homelessness.

As a member of the team, you will have access to a wide range of employee benefits including:

• A competitive salary. Please note our salaries are fixed to counter inequity, and we do not negotiate at offer stage.
• Interest free loans for travel season ticket, cycle to work, and deposit to secure a tenancy.
• Pension scheme with an employer contribution of 8.5%
• 28 days' annual leave (pro rata) which increases with service to 31 days and the option to purchase up to 10 additional days leave.
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, shared parental, and adoption pay.
• Flexible working around the core hours 10am-4pm
• Wellbeing Leave to be used flexibly
• And more! (Full list of benefits available on website)

Alongside our excellent staff benefits, we will support your ongoing development to build your skills, experience, and career.

When you join us, you will have the opportunity to join our staff diversity networks, which aim to champion issues across the organisation, enable staff to be their authentic and best selves and contribute to making Crisis a truly diverse organisation.

How do I apply?

Please click on the 'Apply for Job' button below. Our shortlisting process is anonymised as part of our commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion. We do not ask for CVs, instead we ask you complete the work history section and answer the screening questions for us to be able to assess you fairly and objectively. At least two members of staff score all applications.

Closing date: Sunday 25 October :55

Interview process:

1. First stage competency-based panel interview - Wednesday 4 or Thursday 5 November via Microsoft Teams
2. Second stage in person at our London office, E1 on Monday 16 November which will include the following:
   1. Stakeholder panel
   2. Presentation and panel interview

AI in Job Applications

We understand some candidates use AI tools when applying. Whilst we welcome the use of technology to support clear communication and structure, we want to learn more about you, so please ensure that your application reflects your own skills, knowledge and experiences