Role: Skills Design Specialist
Salary: Circa£58K depending on skills, knowledge and experience
Band: 3
Position type: 12 month Fixed Term Contract ( FTC) with permanency possible
Location: Palestra (Southwark – London)
Hybrid working within this role enables a balance of 50 per cent of time split between the office and home over a 4-week period. Hybrid working arrangements can evolve subject to business requirements.
Role Overview
Our team develop training for every person you've interacted with at TfL, if you've waved at a train driver, asked a question at a station or met an engineer during an upgrade - you've seen the result of our training.
As a skills design specialist, you will be responsible for analysing, designing and delivering high-quality learning solutions that meet organisational needs and drive meaningful learning outcomes. This includes creating and enhancing both new and existing learning programmes, with a focus on designing comprehensive, blended learning journeys that are innovative, engaging, and address key skills issues and compliance within the Transport for London Operations Group.
The role involves leading the training assurance approach across Operational Training (Competency-Based), challenging traditional approaches to learning to meet industry standards, embedding evidence-based methods through market research, and ensuring that learning solutions transform the business’s capabilities to meet current and future challenges.
Key Accountabilities
- Lead the innovation of training and competence approaches to create a consistent and quality assured method to developing operational training across a multi-modal organisation.
- Collaborate across Specialists to design and implement comprehensive learning programmes, based on clear, measurable and impactful learning objectives and outcomes that integrate diverse instructional strategies, digital tools, and delivery formats to enhance the learner experience and maximise business impact.
- Project manage the full project lifecycle of training design programmes, from inception to implementation, ensuring high quality training across modes and that learning programme designs are consistent and efficient based on competencies and skills.
- Collaborate with content developers to ensure materials are engaging and aligned with modern learning principles, delivering value to both learners and the business.
- Foster strong relationships with key areas of the business to influence and alignment support for training assurance programmes and approaches that are industry leading and meet the wider needs of the whole of Operations.
- Collaborates directly with frontline / operational employees, team leads, and subject matter experts to conduct role specific, gap, and training needs analyses. Gathers detailed insights to ensure learning solutions are targeted, practical, and aligned with immediate performance challenges. Engages stakeholders to validate findings, address concerns, and ensure training initiatives are relevant, scoped appropriately, and deliver measurable impact at the team or departmental level.
- Continually monitor market trends and research into training and competence approaches, assessing how these could benefit our operational environment.
- Collaboratively lead the vision for a competency-based approach to training and assessment across all Operational modes with a 3-5 year forward view of continuous improvement, drawing on industry best practice.
Skills, Knowledge and Experience
Skills
- Ability to design engaging and interactive learning journeys using diverse formats (in-person, virtual, on-demand).
- Skilled in developing clear and measurable learning objectives aligned with business goals.
- Strong ability to build relationships and act as a trusted advisor to internal and external stakeholders.
- Proficient in conducting training needs analyses and identifying skill gaps.
- Adept at leveraging feedback to refine learning journeys and improve learner engagement.
- Responsible for processes, systems and procedures and ensuring they are accurately completed.
- Proven ability to engage and influence stakeholders at all levels, to drive a continuous improvements and consistent positive perceptions of the organization.
Knowledge
- Strong understanding of adult learning principles (e.g., Andragogy, ADDIE model, Kirkpatrick's Evaluation Model).
- Familiarity with modern instructional design models, including blended and experiential learning strategies.
- Knowledge of digital learning tools and platforms (e.g., LMS, e-learning authoring tools).
- Insight into how learning supports change initiatives and aligns with organisational goals.
- Working knowledge of project management and planning techniques to achieve continuous improvement (including risk management)
- Knowledge of training quality assurance techniques and processes.
- Knowledge of best practice training standards and competence techniques across safety critical industries.
Experience
- Extensive experience in Learning and Development, including designing, implementing, and evaluating learning solutions.
- Proven track record in using instructional design models and digital learning tools.
- Experience working across diverse customer groups, ensuring adaptability to different business needs.
- Demonstrated experience in conducting needs analyses and collaborating with cross-functional teams to deliver results.
- Experience managing end-to-end skills projects, including resource allocation and delivery timelines.
- Experience in using data and metrics to measure training impact and improve organizational performance.
Equality, diversity, and inclusion
We are committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion. We want to represent the city we serve, which will help us become a more innovative and efficient organisation. Our goal is to make our recruitment as inclusive as possible. We are a disability confident employer who guarantee an interview to any disabled candidate who meets all of the essential criteria. We also use anonymising software that removes identifying information from CVs and cover letters to make the process fair.
Application Process
Please apply using your 2-page CV and one-page covering letter.
Think carefully about the skills, knowledge and experience in the advert and cover this in your CV. PDF format preferred and do not include any photographs or images
The closing date for applications is Tuesday 2nd June 2026 @ 23:59.
Interviews will be held w/c 22nd June.
All offers of employment are subject to satisfactory right‑to‑work checks. Candidates must be able to demonstrate their right to work in the UK. At the present time TfL is unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role.
Vetting Process
At Transport for London, safety, trust and fairness sit at the heart of how we recruit. Our Vetting Charter (https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/careers/our-vetting-process) explains the checks we carry out before you join us, helping ensure we create a safe, inclusive and reliable network for everyone who depends on our services. We simply ask that the information you provide is honest and accurate so we can progress your application smoothly. If something doesn’t match or can’t be verified, we may not be able to move forward with your application but we’ll always treat you with transparency, respect and clear communication throughout.
Benefits
In return for your commitment and expertise, you will enjoy excellent benefits and scope to grow. Rewards vary according to the business area but mostly include:
• Final salary pension scheme
• Free travel for you on the TfL network
• Reimbursement of 75% of the cost of a standard class Ticket for National Rail travel from home or 75% reimbursement on a 28-day flexi ticket
• 30 days annual leave plus public and bank holidays
• TfL is committed to work-life balance, operating a hybrid working approach where business and role requirements allow.
• Private healthcare discounted scheme (optional)
• Tax-efficient cycle-to-work programme
• Retail, health, leisure and travel offers
• Discounted Eurostar travel