The posting
Lanes Group is a leading nationwide utility services provider with c.5000 dedicated employees. Our diverse subsidiaries drive our success across various sectors, contributing to a remarkable turnover of over £700 million. We are committed to excellence and innovation, ensuring we provide industry leading services to our clients and stakeholders. Join us to be part of a dynamic and growing team that values diversity and fosters professional growth.
Purpose of the role:
Working within the Learning and Development department, the Training Operations & Competence Lead will lead the development of a consistent, compliant and scalable Training and Competence function, working closely with the L&D Operations and Governance role to ensure standards, systems, reporting and assurance are aligned.
The role will provide operational leadership across training delivery, competence, technical standards, workforce capability and operational planning, using governance, systems and reporting insight provided through L&D Operations and Governance to move the business from a reactive training approach to a planned, evidence-led model.
The role will be responsible for translating common standards into day-to-day training delivery, strengthening compliance and audit readiness, developing competence frameworks and ensuring training provision supports business growth, mobilisation and workforce readiness.
The Training Operations & Competence Lead will work closely with the Head of Learning and Development, HSEQ leadership and operational leaders to shape the future Group Training, Competence and Capability model.
Key Responsibilities:
Training Operations and Competence Operating Model
- Lead the operational implementation and ongoing improvement of a consistent Group-wide Training and Competence operating model, working with L&D Operations and Governance to align processes, systems, reporting and assurance.
- Embed clear ownership, standards, escalation routes and repeatable processes into the operational delivery of training and competence, ensuring governance requirements are applied consistently in practice.
Competence Frameworks and Workforce Capability
- Develop role-based competence frameworks, skills matrices and training needs analyses for safety-critical and operational roles.
- Define consistent approaches to competence assessment, verification and sign-off, working with operational and HSEQ subject matter experts.
- Support workforce planning, mobilisation, succession and future capability requirements, ensuring managers understand their accountability for team competence.
Compliance and Assurance
- Use agreed governance reporting to maintain operational oversight of mandatory training, competence status, expiries, evidence gaps and audit readiness.
- Work with L&D Operations and Governance to ensure training and competence evidence is accurate, reliable and aligned to legislation, client requirements and operational standards.
- Lead operational corrective action and escalation where training, competence or compliance risks are identified through reporting, audit activity or stakeholder feedback.
Training Delivery and Technical Standards
- Set and maintain Group standards for technical training design, delivery, assessment, evaluation and trainer capability.
- Lead and develop Technical Trainers, ensuring training remains practical, relevant and connected to operational requirements.
- Improve use of internal trainers, facilities and technical training environments, reducing unnecessary reliance on external providers where appropriate.
Demand and Resource Planning
- Move training demand from reactive booking to planned, forecast-led delivery aligned to workforce, contract and mobilisation priorities.
- Work with the Training Operations Manager to translate business demand into deliverable plans and identify trainer, supplier, venue and capacity requirements.
- Provide early warning of capacity constraints, delivery risks and resource pressures.
Leadership and People Management
- Provide clear direction, priorities and standards for the Training and Competence function.
- Lead, coach and develop direct reports, ensuring meaningful objectives, regular feedback and clear accountability across operations, administration and delivery.
- Build a collaborative, high-performing culture and address performance, conduct or capability concerns promptly and fairly.
Stakeholder Management
- Build effective relationships with senior operational, HSEQ, client and contract stakeholders.
- Provide clear visibility of priorities, risks and required actions, making complex training and competence information easy to understand.
- Act as the senior point of escalation for significant training, competence and mobilisation matters, providing constructive challenge where standards are not met.
Data, Reporting and Continuous Improvement
- Define operational reporting needs for training delivery, competence, demand, compliance and risk, working with L&D Operations and Governance to ensure reports are meaningful, accurate and usable.
- Use insight from systems, reports and stakeholder feedback to identify gaps, recurring issues, early risk indicators and areas for improvement.
- Demonstrate the operational, safety, compliance and commercial value of Training and Competence through clear actions, improvements and outcomes.
Financial and Supplier Management
- Provide leadership oversight of training budgets, supplier spend and value for money.
- Manage external suppliers against clear quality, delivery and commercial standards.
- Challenge avoidable cost, duplication and unnecessary supplier reliance, supporting preferred supplier arrangements where appropriate.
Key Requirements:
Skills & Experience
- Significant experience leading a Training and Competence or Training Operations function.
- Experience working within a safety-critical, regulated or operational environment.
- Relevant qualification in training, learning and development, competence, compliance, health and safety or leadership.
- Experience of implementing governance, compliance and assurance controls.
- Experience of managing and developing trainers or technical training teams.
- Strong knowledge of competence management and training assurance.
Desirable:
- Assessor qualification.
- Internal quality assurance qualification.
- Knowledge of ISO standards relevant to HSEQ (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001)
- Ability to design and deliver tailored training programmes based on business needs and employee development.
- Knowledge of relevant quality, environmental and occupational health and safety standards.
- Experience managing accredited training provision.
Living the Company Values
By embedding our companies core values and purpose into each role, ensures that every employee, regardless of their role or level, understands how their individual development and contributions align with our purpose of ‘improving today for a better tomorrow’.
Each role and value has an alignment to set proficiency levels and expectations; this role holder is expected to:
- Leading: Acts as a role model, shaping the learning agenda and influencing change.
- Agile: Anticipates learning needs, adjusts quickly to changing operational contexts.
- Nurturing: Supports the development of others through coaching and structured development plans.
- Engaging: Inspires and motivates learners, builds trust and credibility
- Safe & Secure: Ensures all learning is aligned to safety and compliance standards.
- Your Contribution to the company: Strive to be always positive and constructive
- Adhere to all company policies
- Straight talking about the facts of the situation – open discussions are the best way to find solutions
- Help others through communicating clearly
- Deliver on commitments
- Ensure that any ideas that may enhance the productivity or systems of the company are brought to the attention of Senior Management, or your colleagues
- Deliver our Company Values understanding that by working together in unity we are ‘Stronger Together’
Equality, Diversion & Inclusion
At Lanes Group, we are dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and empowered. We believe that our differences make us stronger and are committed to providing equal opportunities for all employees. We welcome and encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including those from underrepresented groups. Join us in our commitment to creating a more inclusive and diverse world.
