Do you have a passion for communication, learning, and building a positive workplace experience? Due to the continued success and growth of our business, we’re looking for an enthusiastic and experienced Head of Colleague Experience & Development to lead and shape our internal communications, learning & development, and engagement strategies. This is an exciting, full-time role based at our Head Office in York, within our People team. You'll play a pivotal role in ensuring that our teams across Retail, Warehouse, and Head Office are aligned, informed, engaged, and supported in their career development. As Head of Colleague Experience & Development, you will be responsible for designing and executing a strategic approach to internal communications and learning that fosters transparency, engagement, career development, and alignment with our brand values. This position is crucial in driving employee engagement, cultivating a culture of learning, and ensuring every colleague feels valued and connected. You’ll work closely with our senior leadership team to support key messaging, develop career pathways, and implement learning initiatives that enhance our company culture and people development. Pavers has been trading for over 50 years and is a highly profitable and fast-growing family business with a strong balance sheet and a turnover of over £200m. We also own Jones Bootmaker, Herring Shoes, and Padders/Van Dal footwear businesses, remain acquisitive, and employ over 1900 people. We were recently recognised as one of the Top 5 employers in Retail (Best Companies) but are keen to improve on this position year on year. Our goal is to be the best retailer to work for. This is an exciting time to join us as we embark on a Systems Modernisation project set to revolutionise our IT landscape, and it is imperative that our colleagues both understand and support the project. Additionally, our Pavers Foundation has donated over £2.5m to date, and this role will be instrumental in working closely with the Foundation team to continue changing lives by supporting charities and causes close to our colleagues’ hearts. Key Responsibilities: · Lead, develop, and inspire a high-performing team, ensuring clear direction, collaboration, and accountability to deliver strategic objectives and enhance colleague experience. · Develop and execute a cohesive strategy, that fosters employee engagement, supports employee growth, career pathways, and succession planning. · Oversee and optimise internal communication platforms to enhance transparency and accessibility across multiple channels. · Partner with senior leaders to craft and deliver impactful messages that reinforce strategic goals and company culture ensuring consistent and inspiring messaging. · Coordinate communication for key internal events such as town halls, conferences, and recognition programmes. · Establish feedback channels, measure effectiveness through pulse surveys and data analytics, and continuously refine engagement strategies. · Oversee the LMS ensuring relevant, engaging, and accessible training content for all employees. · Work with department heads to identify skills gaps, creating tailored training plans that drive business success. · Drive the adoption of blended learning approaches, integrating digital, classroom, and on-the-job training solutions. · Ensure all mandatory training requirements are met efficiently across the business. · Promote a culture of continuous learning, ensuring employees have access to development opportunities. · Measure training effectiveness and impact through engagement, performance data, and feedback. About you: Significant experience in internal communications, learning & development, and employee engagement, ideally in a retail or fast-paced consumer environment. A strategic leader with a proven track record of developing and executing impactful internal communications, learning, and engagement strategies while leading and empowering teams to drive alignment, growth, and a positive workplace culture. Excellent writing, editing, and presentation abilities; skilled in creating impactful content for varied audiences. Proficiency with communication platforms Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment. Passionate about employee experience, learning, and driving engagement through communication and development initiatives. A collaborative, innovative, and data-driven approach to internal engagement and learning. Benefits/Package · Salary: Competitive, depending on experience · Death in Service · Private Health Insurance · Generous Staff Discount · Free on-site parking · Holiday Entitlement (Increases with service) · Company Contribution Pension · Gym Discounts · Access to RetailTRUST (Wellbeing Support) · Discretionary Bonus About Us: We are passionate about providing comfort and happiness to our customers, and we ensure we employ people who share that passion. We provide great jobs in a supportive family environment, recognising that our colleagues are the foundation of our success. As a carbon-neutral business, we are proud of our sustainability initiatives and our contributions to local communities. This is a fantastic opportunity to shape how we communicate, engage, and develop our colleagues, making a lasting impact on our people and our business. If you are looking for a role with purpose, influence, and the opportunity to drive meaningful change, we’d love to hear from you