Overview
Home. There’s no place like it. And there’s no feeling like helping people create the joy of feeling truly at home. At Dunelm, that’s what we do. We’re the UK's number one choice for homewares because we make home life lovelier for our customers. And the caring and supportive culture we've created makes this a place you'll feel right at home too.
We are the UK’s Number One homewares retailer offering c 85,000 products building a consumer-focused total retail business that delights customers through our multichannel operation.
We are ambitious in our plans to drive further expansion of the business to more customers, shopping more frequently, with more choice, enhanced digital and physical services, and new capabilities to innovate and operate at pace in a fast-changing landscape. In developing the business for the long-term benefit of our customers, we are investing in our supply chain, stores and technology to improve the customer proposition as we move forward.
Department Overview
The People team is a central space where all things about the colleague experience take place; from recruitment and onboarding of new colleagues to training and development as well as reward and recognition. At Dunelm, colleagues are at the centre of everything we do and that’s why we have such a dedicated team of professionals working to support them.
The team has a diverse wealth of knowledge, ranging from specialised roles focused on Management Information/Analytics, Learning & Development, Recruitment, Employer Brand and Diversity & Inclusion alongside more People generalised roles such as People Partners. The People Services function is responsible for the end-to-end administration of the colleague lifecycle ranging from payroll processing to pension administration through to car and van fleet management.
There are always exciting initiatives and projects underway, with endless opportunities to improve the quality of our colleagues’ experience – we have introduced all kinds of fantastic ideas such as “Moments of Kindness” and “Moments of Appreciation”!
As a function, we are proud to own and support a wealth of colleague activities, such as:
- Voice Forum
- Colleague Networks
- Early Careers
- Recognition schemes
- Colleague engagement surveys
- L&D programmes, such as DISCOVER, REACH, ELEVATE and INSPIRE
This role is a hybrid opportunity (office Leicester).
What you'll be doing
To deliver and develop the Learning & Development strategy for Commercial, to ensure our colleagues have the opportunity to develop their careers to their maximum potential whilst supporting our growth requirements. This role plays a pivotal part in driving the development of skills, knowledge, and behaviours required for current and future business success, partnering closely with leaders in the Commercial function to align L&D initiatives with Commercial’s strategic objectives and the broader Company People Plans.
- Shape the future of Learning & Development for Commercial, using data-driven insights to prioritise initiatives.
- Collaborate with Commercial leadership to understand skills gaps, and use this knowledge to inform our Commercial L&D proposition.
- Take a leading role in supporting the effective delivery of key business change programmes.
- Support Commercial line managers in conduct regular training needs analyses (TNAs) to identify technical, behavioural, and leadership development gaps.
- Develop initiatives to upskill colleagues in critical technical areas.
- Develop and implement tailored learning programs, including technical training, soft skills development, and leadership programmes. Using data driven insights to measure learning impact.
- Curate learning content and collaborate with external vendors or SMEs for specialised programmes, ensuring initiatives are inclusive, fostering diversity of thought and opportunity within the Commercial function.
- Collaboration and Stakeholder Management, communicating the success of L&D initiatives to key leaders and stakeholders.
- Work closely with People Business Partners and other L&D Partners to align learning initiatives across the business.
- Build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to deliver best-in-class learning experiences, staying informed on industry trends and emerging technologies to maximise line manager and colleague engagement with our learning platforms.
- Initiate and drive continuous improvement projects for career development and progression.
Talent Planning and Colleague Development
- Support talent forums, ensuring readiness for key roles within the Commercial function through effective leadership of know grow flow planning.
- Ensure Commercial Career Path tools and materials support Commercial colleagues ongoing learning – behavioural and professional development.
- Develop and deliver an outstanding new starter induction process to ensure all colleagues get a great welcome and feel connected to our shared values and culture, and have the ways of working knowledge to be effective in their role.
- Ensure our Commercial Academy proposition, supports capability for today and the future and maximise the use of the apprenticeship levy and our internal development fund to ensure Commercial colleagues have the ways of working and system knowledge required.
What we'll look for in you
- Strong understanding of Commercial functions, including an awareness of technical roles and industry trends.
- Proven ability to design and implement innovative L&D programmes aligned with business strategy.
- Previous experience of leading and supporting the effective delivery of key business change programmes.
- Strong connector, with expertise in facilitation and programme delivery and able to liaise and engage effectively with Commercial Exec, Director Leadership Team and extended leadership team.
- Data-driven decision-making skills, with the ability to measure and communicate the impact of learning initiatives.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with a collaborative mindset.
- Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
- Strong communicator with a passion for people.
