Learning and Development Business Partner

Gentoo Group•Sunderland, MA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

We’re a values-driven, charitable organisation on a mission to make a real difference in Sunderland. Every day, we provide more than 60,000 people with a place they’re proud to call home. Our vision is clear: everyone deserves a good-quality home they can afford. We invest millions of pounds each year to keep our homes safe and decent, while also playing a part in tackling the UK housing crisis by building hundreds of modern, energy-efficient homes for rent right here in Sunderland. If you share our passion for creating thriving communities and want to be part of something that truly matters, we’d love for you to join us and help achieve our vision. If you have any accessibility needs or require adjustments, please let us know—we’re here to support you. We may close this vacancy earlier than the advertised closing date if we receive a large number of applications. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible to ensure your application is considered. Ready to shape the future of learning at Gentoo? We’re looking for an experienced and talented Learning & Development Business Partner with strong operational expertise to join our award-winning People team, based at our head office in Doxford Park, Sunderland In this newly created role, you’ll design, deliver and evaluate learning strategies that empower colleagues, strengthen leadership, and drive positive change across our organisation. This is an exciting opportunity to shape the future of learning at Gentoo and help us build a learning culture where every colleague can thrive. As part of our forward-thinking People, Culture & Engagement department, you will ensure colleagues have the skills, knowledge, and behaviours to deliver excellent services to customers and communities. Your work will support organisational development initiatives that drive cultural change, leadership capability, and workforce resilience, while strengthening capability across operational teams and the wider organisation. We recognise the importance of a positive work-life balance, which is why we offer a hybrid working model combining office and home-based work. To support collaboration, you’ll work from the office for part of the week and attend on-site meetings as needed. Our standard 36-hour working week runs Monday to Friday, with an early finish at 12:30 pm every Friday—giving you more time for the things that matter. We’re proud to be certified as a Great Place to Work. A full UK driving licence and a basic DBS check (arranged and funded by Gentoo) are required for this role.

Requirements

CIPD Level 3 or equivalent in L&D/OD (or working towards).
Proven experience in L&D and OD within a complex, customer-focused environment, experience in Social Housing is preferred; however, similar sectors will be considered.
Expertise in blended learning design and leadership development.
Strong facilitation and coaching skills.
Ability to analyse data and measure learning impact.
A collaborative, innovative approach and commitment to equality and inclusion.
A full UK driving licence and a basic DBS check (arranged and funded by Gentoo) are required for this role.

Responsibilities

Partner with leaders to identify skills gaps and future capability needs.
Design and deliver blended learning solutions (face-to-face, digital, coaching).
Support cultural transformation and embed organisational values.
Facilitate team development sessions and leadership programmes.
Evaluate the impact of learning and continuously improve our approach.
Champion diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in all learning content.

Benefits

31 days annual leave (plus bank holidays) with an option to purchase up to 5 additional days per year.
Early finish on Fridays
Flexible and hybrid working.
Free Health Cash Plan, with cashback for dental, optical, physio, wellbeing therapies and more, with some free child cover.
Access to private healthcare through the Health Cash Plan.
Competitive Aviva pension scheme - Gentoo will contribute up to 10% based on your personal contribution.
Salary sacrifice electric vehicle scheme
Enhanced family-friendly leave
Car mileage allowance if you use your personal vehicle for business purposes.
Life assurance cover to the value of 3 times your annual salary