Learning And Development Specialist

Woodie's is the market-leading DIY, Home& Garden retailer in Ireland with 36 stores nationwide and an online presence. We are proud to be listed as Ireland's Top Retailer by Great Places to Work and an official "Best Workplace for Women" for the past three years! We are also recognised by the Irish Centre for Diversity & Inclusion as an accredited "Investor in Diversity"

Location: Dublin Support Office / Hybrid

Reporting to: Learning & Development Business Partner

Role Purpose

The Learning & Development Specialist will play a key role in supporting the design, coordination, delivery, and evaluation of learning initiatives across the business. The successful candidate will be responsible for managing learning programmes, coordinating training events, creating engaging learning content, administering the Learning Management System (LMS), and partnering with stakeholders to ensure employees have the skills and knowledge required to deliver an exceptional customer experience.

This role requires a highly organised, proactive individual with strong relationship management skills and a passion for developing people in a fast-paced retail environment.

Key Responsibilities

Learning Programme Coordination

• Coordinate and manage end-to-end delivery of learning and development programmes across stores & support office.
• Schedule training sessions, workshops, onboarding programmes, and leadership development initiatives.
• Ensure all learning activities are delivered on time and aligned with business priorities.
• Monitor programme attendance, completion rates, and learner engagement.

Event Management

• Plan, organise, and coordinate learning events, workshops, and development programmes.
• Manage venue bookings, logistics, materials, catering, and communications.
• Support facilitators and presenters to ensure seamless event delivery.
• Conduct post-event evaluations and identify continuous improvement opportunities.

Learning Administration & Reporting

• Maintain accurate training records and documentation.
• Track compliance training and mandatory learning completion.
• Prepare regular reports and dashboards on learning metrics and programme effectiveness.
• Support budget tracking and vendor management activities.

Learning Management System (LMS)

• Administer and maintain the Learning Management System.
• Upload, manage, and track training content and compliance programmes.
• Generate reports and learning analytics to support business decision-making.
• Troubleshoot user issues and provide LMS support to employees and managers.

Compliance

• Coordinate the delivery of mandatory Group Compliance and Health & Safety training programmes across the business.
• Manage training schedules, learner communications, and training records to ensure completion of mandatory compliance and Health & Safety training requirements.
• Administer and maintain the LMS, providing reports on mandatory compliance and Health & Safety training completion rates, overdue training, and compliance metrics.
• Monitor completion of mandatory Group Compliance and Health & Safety training, identify gaps, and support corrective actions to maintain compliance standards.

Content Creation

• Design and develop engaging learning materials for both instructor-led and digital learning.
• Create e-learning modules, guides, videos, toolkits, job aids, and learner communications.
• Continuously update learning content to reflect business and process changes.

Stakeholder Management

• Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders including Store Managers, Regional Managers and functional leaders.
• Coordinate with external learning providers and vendors.
• Gather learning requirements and translate business needs into effective development solutions.
• Act as a trusted partner, promoting a culture of continuous learning across the organisation.

Learning Administration & Reporting

• Maintain accurate training records and documentation.
• Track compliance training and mandatory learning completion.
• Prepare regular reports and dashboards on learning metrics and programme effectiveness.
• Support budget tracking and vendor management activities

Continuous Improvement

• Analyse learning feedback, engagement data, and business performance indicators.
• Recommend improvements to learning programmes, processes, and systems.
• Stay informed on learning trends, digital learning tools, and retail industry best practices.

Skills & Experience

Essential

• 3+ years' experience in a Learning & Development, Training Coordinator, Learning Specialist, or similar role.
• Organisational and project management skills.
• Experience managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong event planning and coordination experience.
• Experience administering and managing a Learning Management System (LMS).
• Learning content development experience, including digital learning resources.
• Excellent stakeholder management and relationship-building skills.
• Strong communication, presentation, and facilitation skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly PowerPoint, Excel, and Teams.
• Strong attention to detail and problem-solving ability.

Desirable

• Experience in a retail, customer-facing, or multi-site environment.
• Knowledge of instructional design principles.
• Experience with e-learning authoring tools (Articulate 360, Rise, Storyline, Canva, Synthesia etc.).
• Experience supporting leadership development programmes.

Key Competencies

• Organisation & Planning
• Stakeholder Management
• Communication & Influencing
• Project Coordination
• Content Creation & Creativity
• Customer Focus
• Collaboration
• Attention to Detail
• Adaptability
• Results Orientation
• Digital Learning Capability
• Continuous Improvement Mindset

What Success Looks Like

• High-quality learning programmes delivered on time
• Positive learner engagement and satisfaction scores.
• Strong stakeholder relationships across the business.
• Effective LMS administration and reporting.
• Consistently updated and engaging learning content.
• Increased capability and development of colleagues across stores and support functions.

Our benefits include

• Competitive salary (D.O.E)
• Company Pension
• Annual Bonus Scheme
• Colleague Discount
• Paid Maternity & Paternity leave
• Sick-Pay Scheme
• Wellness Initiatives
• Flexi-Wage - Choose your own pay cycle!