Organisational Development and Skills Specialist
The Growth Company (GC) is recruiting an Organisational Development and Skills Specialist to support the Made Smarter Organisational and Workforce Development team. These roles will provide targeted organisational and workforce development advice to SME leaders, helping them boost productivity and growth through Industrial Digital Technology adoption, while ensuring their workforce has the skills to keep pace with digital transformation.
The Made Smarter Adoption Northwest Programme plays a central role in delivering the government’s industrial strategy. The programme will not only provide significant investment to businesses across the Northwest but also build a strong ecosystem of suppliers and delivery partners, supported by a delivery model designed to scale nationally.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Provide targeted organisation and workforce development advice to SME manufacturing leaders, consulting as a specialist to support them to align their people strategy with business strategy and digital transformation; building strong ongoing client relationships.
2. Collaborate with the Made Smarter Organisational and Workforce Development team and Technology Adoption Specialist Advisors to identify opportunities for employee development, participation in the Leading Digital Transformation programme and the Leading Change for Digital Champions programme, and Digital Technology Internship placements that support clients’ digital transformation.
3. Conduct business diagnostics to identify organisational development needs and produce tailored action plans.
4. Deliver bespoke, multi‑disciplinary support to help client businesses maximise their digital transformation potential.
5. Recruit and profile digitally skilled students to match them effectively with suitable internship and project opportunities.
6. Monitor internship project progress, capturing data to evaluate impact on both client transformation and student development.
7. Develop and maintain a strong Further Education/Higher Education Institution tutor and industry network to generate skills insights and student/graduate referrals.
8. Ensure accurate CRM recording of enquiries, programme registration and attendance, bespoke work and internship placements, complete all administration to deadline, and connect clients with relevant internal and external skills services.
About You:
9. Experienced Organisation Development professional with experience of consulting with Senior Leaders to provide OD solutions.
10. Degree‑level business education or equivalent professional experience.
11. Strong technical expertise in organisational development and training needs analysis.
12. Solid understanding of SME workforce development programmes and the infrastructure needed to design, deliver, and evaluate them.
13. Knowledge of core Business Advice and Guidance principles.
14. Awareness of local, regional, and national digital skills provision and provider markets.
15. Ability to influence and engage senior leaders in driving business change.
16. Collaborative team player with the initiative to work independently.
17. Proven critical thinking, problem‑solving, opportunity spotting, and relationship‑building skills.
Skills and Experience:
18. Proven expertise in organisation development consultancy, project management, account management, and delivering business support programmes.
19. Strong diagnostic capability across business, workforce, and organisational development needs.
20. Experience supporting clients through digital transformation/adoption and designing tailored workforce development solutions.
21. In‑depth understanding of the digital skills landscape, including funded/non‑funded provision, Apprenticeship Levy, and national/local priorities.
22. Excellent communication, networking, presentation (written and verbal), and relationship‑building skills.
23. High-level planning, organisation, and ability to manage competing priorities with sound judgement.
24. Advanced IT proficiency, including MIS systems, spreadsheets, CRM platforms, diary management, and email.
25. Strong teamworking track record, including collaboration across wide geographical areas.
We are currently unable to provide sponsorship for work permits or visas. Therefore, we can only consider candidates who already have the legal right to work in the UK.
Artificial intelligence can assist you during the application process, but every example and statement you include must be honest, accurate, and based on your own real experiences. If plagiarism is detected, meaning you present someone else’s ideas or experiences, or AI‑generated content, as your own, your application may be withdrawn, and internal applicants could face disciplinary action.
At GC, safeguarding the welfare of all individuals including vulnerable adults and young people is a top priority, and we expect all staff to uphold this standard. All appointments follow Safer Recruitment Procedures, including a DBS check carried out by Due Diligence Limited (DDC Ltd), at no cost to the successful candidate.
Please note: It is a legal offence to apply for a role involving regulated activity if you are on the Barred List.
We are committed to increasing workforce diversity and offer a guaranteed interview to applicants who meet the essential criteria and either have a disability or are from a diverse ethnic community.
If this applies to you, you can request consideration under this scheme during the application process. Your request will be shared only with the Hiring Manager and Internal Recruitment Team.