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Learning & Development Specialist

Northampton, United Kingdom

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Date live: 22/07/2026

Business Area: Barclays Payments Merchant Services

Area of Expertise: Banking Operations

Contract: Permanent

Reference Code: JR-0000121025

Barclays Banking Operations

Put yourself at the heart of the Barclays. A career in banking operations puts you at the very centre of our business strategy. By putting customers at the heart of everything we do, we’re putting our whole business behind our Customer facing teams. As the face of our brand, especially in an increasingly digital world, you'll play a vital role in our customers' financial lives. Here, your voice is heard, and you’ll have the support and opportunities to thrive.

The Acceptance Learning & Development team is looking for a Learning & Development Specialist to help shape colleague capability across a diverse and evolving operational environment. This is an exciting opportunity to work closely with operational leaders, subject matter experts and change teams to design, deliver and embed learning solutions that support colleague performance, control effectiveness, and business objectives. Whether you already have L&D experience or are looking to bring transferable skills from an operational, coaching or change background, you'll play a key role in helping colleagues develop the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to succeed.

To be successful as a Learning & Development Specialist, you must have:

  • Knowledge of learning and development principles, including how adults learn and how learning can be used to improve colleague capability and performance.

  • Experience delivering, facilitating, coaching or supporting learning interventions for individuals and/or groups.

  • Ability to identify learning needs and capability gaps and work with stakeholders to develop appropriate learning solutions.

  • Strong communication and facilitation skills, with the ability to explain information clearly, encourage participation and adapt delivery style to different audiences.

  • Ability to evaluate learning outcomes using feedback, observation or performance measures and make recommendations for improvement.

  • Experience creating, maintaining or adapting learning materials, guides, knowledge resources or supporting documentation.

  • Understanding of learning governance, quality standards and the importance of maintaining accurate and compliant learning records.

  • Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to collaborate with subject matter experts, leaders and colleagues to support learning and capability objectives.

Some other highly valued skills may include:

  • Experience designing digital, virtual, classroom or blended learning solutions.

  • Experience using learning technologies, content authoring tools or learning management systems.

  • Knowledge of formal learning evaluation models and approaches to measuring learning effectiveness.

  • Experience supporting accreditation, assessment, quality assurance or colleague sign-off processes.

  • Experience supporting organisational change, business transformation or change adoption through learning interventions.

  • Experience working within a regulated, risk or control-focused environment.

  • Knowledge of learning pathway design, curriculum development or capability frameworks.

  • Professional L&D qualifications or membership of a recognised learning body (e.g. CIPD or equivalent).

You may be assessed on the key critical skills relevant for success in role, such as risk and controls, change and transformation, business acumen, strategic thinking and digital and technology, as well as job-specific technical skills.

This role is based in Northampton.

Purpose of the role

To educate and upskill operational colleagues through training, coaching and knowledge transfer initiatives. 

Accountabilities

  • Development of training programmes, workshops and other initiatives to coach and support the knowledge transfer and skill development of the banking operational teams/colleagues.
  • Monitoring the effectiveness of training programmes and making recommendations for improvement.
  • Identification of industry trends and developments to implement best practice in learning and development.
  • Execution of training needs assessments and collaborating across the bank to identify gaps in knowledge and skills.
  • Participation in projects and initiatives to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness in relation to learning and development.
  • Identifying risk and issues internally within team and ability to escalate appropriately.
  • Maintain Barclays branding, ensuring all materials are reflective of the standards; adhering to Barclays governance, standards and policies.

Analyst Expectations

  • To perform prescribed activities in a timely manner and to a high standard consistently driving continuous improvement.
  • Requires in-depth technical knowledge and experience in their assigned area of expertise
  • Thorough understanding of the underlying principles and concepts within the area of expertise
  • They lead and supervise a team, guiding and supporting professional development, allocating work requirements and coordinating team resources.
  • If the position has leadership responsibilities, People Leaders are expected to demonstrate a clear set of leadership behaviours to create an environment for colleagues to thrive and deliver to a consistently excellent standard. The four LEAD behaviours are: L – Listen and be authentic, E – Energise and inspire, A – Align across the enterprise, D – Develop others.
  • OR for an individual contributor, they develop technical expertise in work area, acting as an advisor where appropriate.
  • Will have an impact on the work of related teams within the area.
  • Partner with other functions and business areas.
  • Takes responsibility for end results of a team’s operational processing and activities.
  • Escalate breaches of policies / procedure appropriately.
  • Take responsibility for embedding new policies/ procedures adopted due to risk mitigation.
  • Advise and influence decision making within own area of expertise.
  • Take ownership for managing risk and strengthening controls in relation to the work you own or contribute to. Deliver your work and areas of responsibility in line with relevant rules, regulation and codes of conduct.
  • Maintain and continually build an understanding of how own sub-function integrates with function, alongside knowledge of the organisations products, services and processes within the function.
  • Demonstrate understanding of how areas coordinate and contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the organisation sub-function.
  • Make evaluative judgements based on the analysis of factual information, paying attention to detail.
  • Resolve problems by identifying and selecting solutions through the application of acquired technical experience and will be guided by precedents.
  • Guide and persuade team members and communicate complex / sensitive information.
  • Act as contact point for stakeholders outside of the immediate function, while building a network of contacts outside team and external to the organisation.

All colleagues will be expected to demonstrate the Barclays Values of Respect, Integrity, Service, Excellence and Stewardship – our moral compass, helping us do what we believe is right. They will also be expected to demonstrate the Barclays Mindset – to Empower, Challenge and Drive – the operating manual for how we behave.

Barclays welcomes applications from all candidates and is committed to ensuring reasonable adjustments (accommodations) are put in place to allow for a fair and inclusive recruitment process. For more information and how to request one, please review Adjustments to the recruitment process.

We’re a global, vital and highly respected financial organisation with an inspiring Purpose. Operating in 39 countries and employing around 100,000 people across the world, we help communities, individuals and businesses thrive. And we’ve created financial solutions and technology that the world now takes for granted. A career with us can offer incredible variety, depth and breadth of experience, and the chance to learn from some of the best minds in technology and finance.

To find out more about Barclays' strategy please click here.

We are an equal opportunity employer and opposed to discrimination on any grounds. It is the policy of Barclays to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, colour, creed, religion, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other basis protected by law.

Barclays is required by law to confirm that you have the Legal Right to Work in any role that you apply for. If you currently hold a work visa sponsored by Barclays, or you would require sponsorship from Barclays, you must declare this as part of your application. Sponsored visas are role and entity specific and any changes must be reviewed. It is important that you ensure you are working on the correct visa at all times. Failure to accurately disclose your visa status or Legal Right to Work may result in your application or any employment offer being withdrawn at any time.

This role may be subject to enhanced governance arrangements. If successful, you may be required to comply with additional regulatory and compliance obligations, such as disclosure of personal trading activities and external interest/affiliations.

Further information on these requirements will be provided at a later stage of the process.

This is Barclays Northampton

Northampton is one of our most important UK centres. We’re home to all card and payment services across the Barclays business; we’re also home to Barclaycard. This is a vast operation, with a huge influence and impact on the financial services industry and on the lives of millions of British people.

Unique initiatives to enhance your wellbeing like our colleague allotment, helping to build community through getting closer to nature.

You can experience a wealth of diverse and surprising career paths right here in Northampton, across Barclays UK or even globally.

Our building is environmentally friendly and people-friendly too, with excellent facilities designed to make work a pleasure.

Northampton is the perfect blend of town and country, a growing and thriving centre for business, and a wonderful place to live and work.

This is Barclays Northampton

Northampton is one of our most important UK centres. We’re home to all card and payment services across the Barclays business; we’re also home to Barclaycard. This is a vast operation, with a huge influence and impact on the financial services industry and on the lives of millions of British people.

Focus on wellbeing

Unique initiatives to enhance your wellbeing like our colleague allotment, helping to build community through getting closer to nature.

Big opportunities

You can experience a wealth of diverse and surprising career paths right here in Northampton, across Barclays UK or even globally.

The workplace of the future

Our building is environmentally friendly and people-friendly too, with excellent facilities designed to make work a pleasure.

Discover Northampton

Northampton is the perfect blend of town and country, a growing and thriving centre for business, and a wonderful place to live and work.

Multicultural ERGs at Barclays

Be you. Be valued. Belong.

We celebrate the unique perspectives and experiences each individual brings, believing our differences make us stronger and drive success.

You can learn more about our commitment to our colleague on our Inclusion and Opportunities page.

Learn more

Application Process

Your application

We’ll ask for information about you, your CV and cover letter.

1

Your assessment

Covering your behaviours and ability at work.

2

Your interview

Exploring your past experiences and skills.

3

Next step

We’ll request additional information so that you can complete our screening process

4
Barclays

Working flexibly

We’re committed to providing a supportive and inclusive culture and environment for you to work in. This environment recognises and supports your personal needs, alongside the professional needs of our business. If you'd like to explore flexible working arrangements, please discuss this with the hiring manager. Your request will be reviewed in-line with the requirements of the role/business needs of the team.

Hybrid working

We have a structured approach to hybrid working, where colleagues work at an onsite location on fixed, ‘anchor’, days, as set by the business area. Please discuss the working pattern requirements for the role you are applying for with the hiring manager. Please note that working arrangements may be subject to change on reasonable notice to ensure we meet the needs of our business.

Barclays is built on an international scale.

Our geographic reach, our wide variety of functions, businesses, roles and locations reflect the rich diversity of our worldwide customer base. All of which means we offer incredible variety, depth and breadth of experience.
And the chance to learn from a globally diverse mix of colleagues, including some of the very best minds in banking, finance, technology and business. Throughout, we’ll encourage you to embrace mobility, exploring every part of our operations as you build your career.

Find more information

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