Our Story
From its inception in 1994, Chrissie Rucker’s vision was to build a company that specialised in stylish, white, designer-quality items for the home that were not only exceptional quality, but also outstanding value for money. In addition to this devotion to simplicity, it was imperative the customer was put at the heart of everything and provided with a second-to-none shopping experience - and so The White Company was born.
Today, the company that began as a 12-page mail-order brochure has become one of the UK’s fast-growing multi-channel retailers and a leading lifestyle brand with 76 stores across the UK and impressive global growth.
Our Role
This role leads the design, delivery and management of learning and development initiatives and interventions across The White Company.
A key focus for this role will be ensuring a ‘Fit for Future’ growth approach is taken by listening to our employees feedback, utilising our Development Hub LMS system and by building strong relationships with key stakeholders across the business to develop their focus on career development, enabling us to create and develop a culture in which everyone has the opportunity to own their development.
All initiatives will support the people and business strategies and organisational growth. This encompasses both behavioural and technical skills, competency development and management; team building; talent identification, talent management and career pathing as well as Leadership Development.
What you’ll be doing
Strategy and Impact
- In partnership with the Head of OD and Culture, develop a learning strategy for the business encompassing both technical and behavioural learning needs, supporting TWC’s business strategy
- Review our current learning offer, approach and impact, ensuring our LMS is included, as well as overseeing the training delivery schedule for the business
- Work with the Senior Comms and Engagement Manager to ensure alignment where appropriate of L&D and C&E approach to heighten our Culture.
- Responsible for the assessment of all learning and training needs across the whole business
- Development of bespoke learning programmes in response to the identification and prioritisation of learning needs
- Identify relevant third-party suppliers for TWC to partner with when external expertise or resource as needed
- Manage the L&D department budget
Learning Management System
- Lead the success of our LMS system ensuring our L&D Team have clear short- and long-term goals for success
- Work alongside the L&D Digital Specialist to oversee the creation of all digital learning initiatives, recommended best practices and support in define success metrics
- Develop a system for evaluating the success of training across the business maximise transfer of learning and maintaining the highest standards of proficiency
Performance & Potential
- Develop an approach to performance management and feedback which genuinely supports individual team and business
- Support our approach to talent management focusing on retaining high potential employees
- Create skills based focused approach to building clear career pathways for TWC employees, taking into account skills gaps and how these link to our Company Strategy
- Champion career development plans across the business to ensure all colleagues are focussed on development and they continue to grow
- Support our Head of OD and Culture in enhancing our culture of feedback so that it’s readily given and considered constructive
- Play a key role in talent discussions across the business and work with People Partnership team to implement recommendations on an individual and company basis
Design & Delivery
- Understand the TWC brand, values and culture, ensuring they run through every piece of training material, communication and initiative that the L&D team produce – ensuring relevance and appropriateness to deliver the defined learning objectives of any given initiative
- Design programmes that support our focus on career development, working with the Head of OD & Culture to deliver
- Oversee the delivery of all technical skills and product training across the business, ensuring the delivery meets business expectations
- Oversee the delivery of all induction activity across the business, ensuring every employee gets the best first chapter with TWC
- Provide coaching and support to leaders and managers as needed
- Own our chosen psychometric tool ‘Insights Discovery’ for development purposes
Team and Stakeholder Management
- Responsible for the management of the L&D team, line managing the L&D Advisor
- Form key partnerships with business partners and other stakeholders across the business
- Business partner with the Senior People, Talent and Comms and Engagement Managers to ensure that all people centric initiatives are joined up and considered
- Forge strong relationships with TWC Management teams to support them in creating SMART development plans with their teams
- Develop a coaching and mentoring mentality – work in conjunction with the People teams in all areas of the business to ensure a holistic approach
- Work through the team to deliver people projects and initiatives calling on team members to step out of their comfort zones
- Establish strong ways of working across the team and foster an environment that is secure, productive and fun!
The Skills And Experience You’ll Need
- Team leadership and management experience
- Experience in Learning Management Systems
- Training design skills
- Experienced Facilitation of Leadership Theory
- CiPD or similar qualifications desirable
- Insights Discovery accreditation desirable
- Experienced Coach and Mentor
- A deep understanding of the learning cycle
- Project Management Skills
- Dynamic approach to workload
- Stakeholder Management
- Planning and Organisational Skills
- Office 365 experience
- Experience in working with 3rd parties (Consultants/Partnerships)
- Working at Pace
- Solution Provider & Problem Solver
What will make you brilliant at this role
- A love of developing others
- A passion for our brand and for helping people realise their potential
- An honest, open and transparent way of working
- A love of seeing people succeed
- A desire to build incredible relationships with our people at all levels
- Experience in designing and delivering inspirational L&D interventions
- A genuinely positive way of managing external relationships with outsource partners
- A way of working which encourages all those around you to think collectively and share success.
- Experience in managing people and a desire to set a high standard in people management.
- Experience in managing projects – from concept to delivery.
- Being great with systems – Office 365 but it would be a definite advantage to have the ability to quickly grasp new and innovative solutions.
- A love of retail and an understanding of how to design and implement a training plan across remote locations.
- Always wanting to create something special and influence others to do the same.
What we’ll offer you
At The White Company, we value our employees for always going the extra mile for every one of our customers; we reward this with great benefits and competitive salaries.
- Discount -Up to 50% discount and access to regular Sample Sales
- Holiday - 25 days rising to 28 with length of service
- 10% Bonus - In addition to our competitive salaries, all our employees are entitled to join a discretionary bonus scheme (based on policy eligibility
- Pension Scheme - enrolled in our Group Personal Pension schemes upon joining the business.
- Perkplace Benefits Platform – offering a variety of discounts across well-being and lifestyle
- Wagestream Money Management app - access to Wagestream gives you power over your pay and supports financial wellbeing
- Continued Development – We offer structured support from our own in-house Learning and Development Hub
- Salary Sacrifice scheme for Electric vehicles (dependent on grade and meeting policy eligibility)
- Private Healthcare with additional Babylon Digital Healthcare (based on contract duration)
- Life Assurance
Additional Benefits
- Fruit basket daily
- Tea and coffee provided
- Working from Home - option to work from home on Mondays and Fridays
- Social - Christmas party/social events throughout the year
- Seasonal Sample Sales
- Volunteer Day - with a charity of your choice
- Great Location - Close to transport links - over ground Shepherds Bush station /underground White City & Wood Lane stations. Westfield shopping centre with shops restaurants/bars/cinema and gyms
Our Equality Diversity and Inclusion statement of commitment
At The White Company we are committed to creating an inclusive culture that welcomes and celebrates a diversity of backgrounds and identities.
We are working together to ensure our environment is one where people can bring their authentic selves to work, where their contribution is valued, ability enhanced, and perspective appreciated. Where difference is respected, encouraged, and celebrated. Where you can feel you belong.
We are committed to an active Equality Diversity and Inclusion Policy, which starts with our recruitment and selection process.
We'd love you to join us on our journey.
Our Sustainability statement of commitment
We are committed to building a sustainable legacy that will enable a brighter future for people and our planet.’ We believe this should be reflected in everything we do
