Talent Development Specialist
Attractive Salary & Benefits
36.5 Hour week (Hybrid)
Who are we?
Henderson Group are proud to be Northern Ireland’s leading foodservice provider. Our group encompasses Henderson Wholesale, Henderson Retail, Henderson Foodservice and Henderson Group Property. We employ over 5,000 staff and have been placed 3rd in Ulster Business Top 100 Companies 2025..
We are Investors in People accredited, and our culture is lived out through our four core values- Ambition, Customer First, Teamwork and Integrity.
Henderson Wholesale is a leading Wholesaler in Northern Ireland and supplies goods to stores across various brands such as SPAR, EUROSPAR and VIVO. We source from local farmers, growers and producers and are proud to contribute to our local economy and environment.
A look into the role…
This exciting and rewarding role sits within our Group Human Resources team. As Talent Development Specialist, the successful candidate will involve work closely with the resourcing team, colleagues in HR and Retail Management Teams to facilitate skills development, enhance talent pipelines and co-ordinate career progression pathways in Henderson Retail Ltd. Our company owned retail division operates more than 100 Spar, Eurospar & VivoXtra stores across NI, and employs 4,000 colleagues.
A key part of this role will be to deliver successful implementation of career progression pathways, which includes overseeing a busy schedule of internal development centres, liaising with candidates, managers and assessors to design, prepare and run the centres, evaluate their success, and provide an excellent candidate feedback process to assist in ongoing succession planning and skills development.
This role will be very well suited to an enthusiastic and well organised individual, who has a passion for helping others to develop and grow. The successful candidate will have a strong working knowledge of the retail industry and store operations.
Working as Talent Development Specialist you will:
* Plan, co-ordinate and deliver a schedule of internal development centres, evaluate success, and provide an excellent candidate feedback process.
* Work pro-actively with the retail leadership team to anticipate future talent needs and prioritise development activities in a way which aligns with business objectives.
* Support Area Managers in talent and succession planning within their areas/ stores ensuring a constant focus on future talent needs and key projects.
* Support and mentor Management trainees during their training period, carrying out progress reviews and providing development feedback as required.
* Liaise and collaborate effectively with the Resourcing & Training Team, Retail Management teams and Group Learning Academy as required to ensure that all development activity is aligned with company goals and objectives and takes account of emerging needs/ trends.
* Support in the identification of role specific training needs as required.
* Liaise with Henderson Group Learning Academy regarding group-wide learning initiatives as appropriate.
* Successfully lead the Talent Development Co-Ordinator in the delivery of Development Centres, to ensure overall success of the internal career development pathways.
* Assist in the design, planning and delivery of training programmes for trainees as required.
* Ensure that all development activity is aligned with the Henderson Group Vision, Mission, Values & Strategic Objectives.
* Refresh assessment and development activities in line with new/ emerging needs and solutions.
* Provide monthly reports/ updates on talent development progress against company talent development targets, KPIs and objectives.
* Analyse performance review and development outcomes, keeping up to date records of talent pipelines/ development readiness.
* Support managers in making appropriate decisions with regards to talent development, and suitable next steps for trainees who are on career development pathways.
* Participate in trainee “sign off” procedures, providing sound rationale for decisions and next steps.
Skills for Success
Joining us as Talent Development Specialist the minimum criteria you’ll need is:
* Good standard of education (including GCSE Maths & English at grade C or above or equivalent).
* Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
* Computer literate, with a strong working knowledge of MS Office applications (Word, Excel, Office, PowerPoint, Outlook).
* Experience of working and performing in a fast-paced environment.
* At least one year’s experience of providing resourcing/ people development support within an organisation, including selecting and assessing candidates using a range of methods, and supporting learning & development activities.
* At least one year’s experience working in a food retail environment.
* Current valid driving license.
The Attributes you’ll need include:
* Must be highly skilled in communicating with stakeholders at all levels, developing and encouraging others to learn and develop, and prioritising activities in line with business and individual needs.
* Excellent attention to detail and organisational skills with ability to work to deadlines.
* Results focussed, and able to work on own initiative.
* Understanding the requirements of working in a confidential environment exercising discretion and working with integrity at all times.
* Creativity and curiosity to continually review and evolve activities to suit the changing needs of individuals/ the business.
* A positive, “can do” attitude with an ability to inspire and influence others.
It is desirable if you have:
* Associate Member of Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development (CIPD
* A relevant qualification in learning & development, coaching or mentoring
* Previous experience of co-ordinating Assessment Centres, including liaising with Candidates, designing assessment materials and assessing candidates using a range of methods.
* Previous experience in a training capacity, including designing training programmes, delivering training sessions, and providing ongoing support and guidance for trainees.
* Previous experience of using a Learning Management System.
Are we right for you?
As part of this role, it will be important that you feel aligned with the values that we live and work by.
Ambition – We always strive to be better. We seek new challenges and look for ways to do things better.
Customer First – We provide exceptional service. We put customers at the heart of everything and support our communities.
Teamwork – We succeed together. We help colleagues to succeed, and we share our knowledge and skills.
Integrity – We are fair, honest and ethical. We treat everyone with dignity and respect. We are inclusive and champion diversity.
The Reward
The impact you can make with Henderson Group goes far beyond your day to day. You will be part of a business that is committed to supporting the communities we serve
Our business has been recognised externally for delivering excellence in employment- we value employee development and heavily invest in our people.
Benefits include market competitive salary, contributory pension scheme, healthcare, life assurance, employee assistance programme, social club, offers/discount scheme throughout UK/Ireland, staff discount (grocery/fuel) at SPAR/EUROSPAR Henderson Group company-owned stores and many more.
This is a full-time position working 36.5 hours per week. Working hours will be 8:45am-4:45pm Monday to Thursday and 8:45am-3:45pm Friday. Hybrid and flexible working arrangement available.
If you'd like to speak with us before making your application, our Talent Acquisition Specialist - Joanne McClelland would be happy to have a confidential chat with you about the role on offer - email joanne.mcclelland@henderson-group.com to get in touch.
Completed applications must be submitted online by midnight on 11th February 2026.
It is anticipated that interviews for this role will take place on 17th February.
We are an equal opportunities employer.