Learning And Development Consultant

Company Overview

Established in the 1930s as a trading business, Al-Futtaim Group today is one of the most diversified and progressive, privately held regional businesses headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Structured into five operating divisions: automotive, financial services, real estate, retail, and healthcare; employing more than 35,000 employees across more than 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, Al-Futtaim Group partners with over 200 of the world's most admired and innovative brands. Al-Futtaim Group’s entrepreneurship and relentless customer focus enables the organization to continue to grow and expand; responding to the changing needs of our customers within the societies in which we operate.

By upholding our values of respect, excellence, collaboration, and integrity; Al-Futtaim Group continues to enrich the lives and aspirations of our customers each and every day.

Role Purpose

The L&D Consultant diagnoses learning needs, identifies appropriate solutions, and develops strategic learning plans and frameworks to facilitate the achievement of business goals in partnership with our clients and internal stakeholders.

Key Role Specific Accountabilities

Training initiatives:

• Design, develop, implement, and assess training initiatives to ensure content is up to date and reflects best practice.
• Ensure that content is up to date with group practices and processes to ensure alignment.
• Research and propose blended training solutions.
• Assess career pathways in line with development and recommend individuals identified with high potential.
• Drive Emiratisation development pathways and traineeships.
• Engage when required with external consultants and specialists.
• Deliver the core curriculum, training calendar, and customised programs as scheduled.
• Serve as a Learning and Development Trainer on key projects, cross-functional teams, and group rollouts.

Business Solutions:

• Where required, consult, recommend, design interventions, and execute business solutions.
• Ensure adherence to industry and government regulatory standards.
• Identify and improve operational systems and processes.
• Research and formally recommend best practice or international standards that drive AFTC vision.
• Ensure delivery metrics are adhered to.

Consulting:

• Identify Learning and Development needs within the group for specific business units.
• Manage internal and external customer expectations, especially regarding assessment practices and reporting.
• Consult with businesses to provide solutions and options, measuring customer satisfaction.
• Prepare proposals and quotations in line with business plan objectives (increase revenues, provide access, support performance, increase commercial outcomes).
• Work inclusively with HR Business Partners, business trainers, Line Managers, and Executives to deliver, gain agreement, share workloads, and meet expectations.

Communication:

• Communicate recommended solutions to the business in order to gain buy-in and approval.
• Ensure all AFG businesses and key stakeholders are aware of the AFTC products and services.
• Utilise tools and resources that will discover training needs or assess capability standards.
• Maximise opportunities to communicate Group HR and AFTC achievements, initiatives, and projects.

Reports:

• Maintain systems for collating and reporting on development performance.
• Manage and analyse the Learning and Development performance.
• Collate and report AFTC performance metrics.
• Ensure key stakeholders in the business have up-to-date reports.
• Provide trainer delivery days and feedback data.

Projects:

• Manage projects to meet key objectives.
• As required, lead or partner AFTC, Group HR, or business-specific projects.
• Ensure project KPIs are met and exceeded.

Person Specific

Education:

• Bachelor's degree and/or relevant training certificates.

Minimum Experience and Knowledge:

• Fluent written and spoken English.
• Curriculum design experience.
• Knowledge of competency standards.
• A wide range of assessment design and delivery knowledge.
• Program facilitation experience.
• A high level of computer literacy.
• Experience of blended learning.
• Business operations, project management, and customer service experience would be a distinct advantage.
• Extensive sales experience, relationship management experience, project management, customer service, and sales.

Job-Specific Skills:

• High level of analysis and problem solving.
• Consulting skills.
• Curriculum design.
• Assessment methodologies.
• Project management skills.
• Analytical skills.
• Excellent ability to design and facilitate a variety of creative learning interventions which bring lasting value.
• Deep knowledge of current training practices and methodologies.
• Proven ability to deliver competently to senior and board-level delegates.
• Proactive thinking and problem solving skills.
• Proven ability to run projects within time, cost, and quality constraints.
• Comprehensive knowledge and deep understanding of current leadership and management development techniques.
• Experience in design across a whole range of programmes.
• Experience in proposal design and client pitching.
• First-class communication skills.
• Ability to multitask.
• Ability to work under tight timelines.
• First-class relationship management skills.
• IT skills across major tools: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook.
• Coaching and mentoring skills.
• Commercial acumen and hunger for business success.
• Behaviour in line with our values at all times.
• Self-starter and efficient time manager.

About Al-Futtaim Retail

Al-Futtaim Retail has established itself as one of the leaders in retail across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia over the past 30 years. We have developed partnerships with some of the biggest and most respected brands in the world including IKEA, ACE, and Toys R Us in the Middle East and the Inditex Group of Brands (Zara, Mango, Bershka, and P&B) across Asia. We are also one of the largest global partners of Marks and Spencer’s in both regions with over 75 stores offering both fashion and food options.

Most recently, we have been responsible for bringing brands to the Middle East for the first time with the exciting launches of Watsons and B&Q. We aim to continue to be agile and adaptive to our markets with new launches and further development. For this to be possible, we aim to recruit the best talent from all backgrounds who will continue to challenge and develop our diverse workforce which includes over 100 nationalities across 12 countries. Join us today and make a difference.