Learning & Development Manager

Location: On-site in Knutsford, Cheshire, North-West England (not remote)

Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere is one of the North West’s most distinguished luxury destinations. Nestled in the heart of the Cheshire countryside and surrounded by a championship golf course, the resort combines Fairmont’s world-renowned elegance with the warmth and character of its local heritage. Renowned for exceptional service and attention to detail, Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere offers guests an indulgent escape featuring world-class spa experiences, exceptional dining, and outstanding leisure facilities. Whether visiting for relaxation, celebration, or business, Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere is dedicated to creating unforgettable moments and delivering the very best in 5-star luxury hospitality.

Your purpose will be:

Your role will be dynamic, ranging from facilitating recurring training sessions to creating an annual learning program. You are a team of one, so must be comfortable getting your hands dirty and handling all parts of the learning cycle, from bringing the Fairmont Brand and Service Culture to life at the property, implementing and executing training, to tracking and organizing training records, to working with leaders to identify training needs across the business. You get to do a little bit of everything in this role! Here are some specifics:

• Develop and implement comprehensive Learning and Development strategies, programs, and initiatives aligned with the hotel's business objectives and employee development needs.
• Facilitate a world class onboarding experience for new employees, including iterating the program and experience as required.
• Design and deliver engaging training sessions, workshops, and seminars on topics such as customer service excellence, leadership development, technical skills, and compliance training.
• Collaborate with department heads and team leaders to identify learning needs, assess performance gaps, and develop targeted training solutions.
• Participate in creating an environment of engaged leaders by being an active member of the leadership team. Create strong relationships across the business that allow for coaching and guidance to support both leader and colleague development and engagement
• Utilize a variety of learning methodologies and technologies to deliver effective and engaging learning experiences, including e-learning modules, on-the-job training, and experiential learning opportunities.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of training programs through feedback, assessments, and performance metrics, while making continuous improvements to training offerings to enhance learning outcomes.
• Foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement across all departments
• Ensure global brand and culture initiatives are effectively integrated into the organization
• Manage the learning and development budget, ensuring cost-effective solutions
• Evaluate the effectiveness of training programs and make data-driven improvements
• Act as a mentor and coach to support the professional growth and development of employees at all levels within the organization.
• Stay abreast of industry trends, best practices, and innovations in learning and development to ensure our programs remain current, relevant, and impactful.
• Maintain accurate records of leadership training activities and participant information.

• Minimum 2 years Learning & Development Manager experience within a luxury hotel environment
• Proven track record in needs assessment and facilitation of training programs in driving service excellence results.
• Ability to analyze data and trends and create strategies for improvement
• Excellent communication and customer service skills in written and spoken English; additional languages are a plus
• Ability to engage effectively with luxury clientele and senior stakeholders
• Upholds brand standards for professional conduct and presentation

Please note that we believe in flexibility and multi-skilling, and you may be asked to do different tasks from time to time to enable us to meet the needs of our guests and colleagues.

What is in it for you?

• Exclusive Discounts:
  • Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere, Spa and Golf discount
  • Fairmont, Raffles, and Accor Hotels (friends and family rates are included)
  • 20% off food and beverage in on-site restaurants
• Colleague restaurant
• Being part of The Mere Team – our culture is unique!
• You will benefit from training and development opportunities
• Competitive salary and benefits including pension
• 28 days of holiday including public holidays
• 1-5 days service award based on length of service
• Special rates for Fairmont Cheshire, The Mere colleagues and their friends & family and discount across Accor hotels worldwide
• And last but not least you will get to work with a team of EXTRAORDINARY people