A little bit about us:
EMG Solicitors is an award winning Legal 500 law firm with offices across the North but acting nationally, specialising in Court of Protection, Deputyships, Mental Health Law, Family Law and Mediation, Residential Conveyancing, Dispute Resolution, Employment Law, Education Law and Wills, Trusts & Probate services.
Our mission is to provide the legal support our clients require in order to achieve anything from their basic needs to their wildest dreams and everything in between.
What are we looking for?
We are currently looking to recruit a Learning & Development Manager, who ideally will have at least five years' experience operating at a senior level within a professional services or legal environment, leading learning strategy, supporting managers, and driving regulatory and career development initiatives across an organisation.
Where will you be based?
This role can be based from either our Gosforth or Durham office but we would expect you to travel and work from other offices from time to time.
How many hours will you be working?
This is a full-time role which is 35 hours per week, however at EMG Solicitor we work flexibly, it's not a 9 to 5 role, but we do expect the work to be done, when you do it can be largely up to yourself, your Team Leader and the requirements of your clients.
A brief overview of the role:
This role works within the People and Culture team. You will lead the design and delivery of a strategic L&D framework that strengthens legal excellence, enhances leadership capability, and supports career progression for both lawyers and business services colleagues.
This is a hands‑on, strategic role suited to a proactive, innovative L&D professional who can combine modern learning methodologies with a deep understanding of legal sector expectations, regulatory requirements, and professional development pathways.
What will we expect from you:
Generating work
Your work will shape the development of our people across the firm - from trainee solicitors and apprentices through to associates, senior leaders and support staff who enable us to live our mission of Supporting Clients. Protecting Assets. Changing Lives.
You will identify capability needs, anticipate future skills requirements, and design learning strategies that strengthen legal excellence, leadership capability, and long-term career progression.
Undertaking work
You should be passionate about:
Designing and delivering a firmwide learning and development strategy aligned to business priorities.
Creating clear career pathways and development frameworks across legal and support teams.
Coaching and supporting managers to build high-performing, capable teams.
Ensuring regulatory compliance and professional development requirements are met.
Using data and modern learning approaches to drive continuous improvement and measurable impact.
Getting paid for the work you do:
L&D Strategy & Leadership
Develop and deliver a firmwide L&D strategy aligned to business goals and workforce planning.
Partner with senior leadership and heads of to identify current and future capability needs.
Build a culture of continuous learning, knowledge sharing, and high performance across the firm.
Develop competency frameworks, ensuring they support career pathways for fee‑earners and business services teams.
Learning Needs Analysis
Conduct annual and mid-year training needs analyses across all teams.
Use data, feedback, and performance insights to identify skill gaps, compliance requirements, and opportunities for capability enhancement.
Recommend evidence‑based solutions using blended learning approaches.
Design & Delivery of Learning Programmes
Create and deliver engaging, modern learning interventions including workshops, coaching, e‑learning, and knowledge sessions.
Engage with high‑quality external training providers, including specialist legal training and personal development.
Oversee the design and rollout of leadership and management development programmes for new and experienced leaders.
Manage the recruitment and training of trainees across all teams
Develop development pathways for trainees, NQs, associates, and legal support functions.
Compliance & Professional Development
Ensure all colleagues meet regulatory learning requirements, including SRA Continuing Competence obligations.
Maintain accurate training records and manage the annual compliance training cycle.
Oversee programmes for early careers learners (Trainee Solicitors, Apprentices, and Work Experience placements).
Coaching, Advice & Support
Provide coaching and guidance to managers on developing and supporting their teams.
Support colleagues with individual development plans and career pathways.
Act as an L&D subject-matter expert in internal projects, change initiatives, and organisational development activities.
Technology, Systems & Data
Oversee the firm's Learning Management System (LMS), ensuring programmes are accessible, trackable, and well‑curated.
Use people analytics to evaluate learning outcomes, report on ROI, and continuously improve the L&D offering.
Introduce innovative digital learning tools, resources, and platforms.
Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement
Work closely with all head office teams
Build strong relationships across the firm to promote adoption of learning initiatives.
Manage third‑party suppliers and negotiate contracts and service agreements.
To be able to perform this job you will need:
Significant experience operating within a Learning & Development role in a professional services or legal environment, with a strong understanding of legal career pathways, the SRA competence framework, and regulatory training requirements.
Proven experience designing and delivering high-quality learning programmes, with strong facilitation, coaching and presentation skills.
The ability to analyse data and translate insight into practical, measurable development solutions, alongside experience of managing an LMS and modern learning technologies.
Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the credibility to influence and support colleagues at all levels of the firm.
CIPD Level 5+ (or equivalent experience) and ideally experience delivering leadership development programmes or supporting organisational change initiatives.
You will need to be highly organised, proactive and capable of managing multiple priorities, with strong project management skills and the confidence to work independently as the firm's L&D subject matter expert.
We are looking for someone who is curious, creative and committed to continuous improvement - comfortable challenging the status quo, introducing modern learning approaches, and supporting the long-term development of our people.
A little bit about the colleague we're looking for:
We're looking for a colleague who aligns with our core values of:
Cooperation - we proactively support our clients and each other.
Courage - we are ambitious and think big.
Excellence - we deliver excellence.
Integrity - we are open and transparent.
Kindness - we value people, communities, having fun and being happy.
We want someone who will work proactively to deliver exceptional client service through the knowledge and skills they bring to the role. We want someone who will go the extra mile for both their clients and their colleagues, so we can all achieve anything from our basic needs to our wildest dreams and everything in between.
What you can expect from us:
Firm wide annual bonus scheme, in addition to a competitive salary
4% Pension employer contributions offered through Standard Life
25 days holiday entitlement per year (FTE) with an additional three days off at Christmas
5 extra days paid leave on your 5-year anniversary – (and every 5 years thereafter)
Life Assurance providing your loved ones with a 3x salary death in service benefit
Employee Assistance Program – a Freephone number you can call 24/7 for personal, legal and financial issues; to arrange counselling and a GP helpline
Free annual flu injection
EMG Rewards – Vivup well-being & Tastecard apps offering discounts across a large number of retailers & restaurants
£50 Gift card on your birthday as well as a late start or early finish
£50 Gift card at Christmas plus Christmas closure (subject to variation)
Cycle to work scheme
Salary Sacrifice Electric Car scheme
Fruit and refreshments in each office
If you want to take the family or friends out, we have two passes for Beamish open air museum which you can book out and take up to 10 people
Opportunity to join EMG working groups, such as our Green Team, Better Health at Work Team, Justice, Empowerment, Diversity and Inclusion Team (JEDI) & our Community Team
Regular surveys to understand issues our team care about. Includes regular guest speakers on a wide range of topics
EMG Solicitors are an equal opportunities employer.
To apply for this role, you must have the right to work within the UK.