Learning & Development Programme Lead

Who are we

Founded in 1896, Knight Frank was registered as Knight Frank LLP a Limited Liability Partnership, on 3 November 2003, registered in England & Wales at 55 Baker Street, London, W1U 8AN with the registered number of OC305934. Headquartered in London, UK, Knight Frank is one of the world's leading independent real estate consultancies. We work responsibly in partnership to enhance people's lives and environments in over 50 Markets, 600+ Offices, 20,000+ People, 1 Global Network.

At the heart of all we do are our Clients. A relationship built on trust is vital. As trusted partners in property, we act with integrity and care, understanding our clients’ unique needs and consistently thinking about the bigger picture to provide personalised, clear and considered advice across all areas of property. Through our deep understanding of key markets and sectors – both emerging and established – we are dedicated to meeting and exceeding their property goals.

A true partnership is a balanced one, and our People are passionate about, and committed to, making our business inclusive and diverse. We give every individual the space and opportunity to perform at their best and be recognised for the immense value they bring. We empower everyone to have autonomy in their role and encourage them to use their voice in how we can make a positive impact as a firm and shape the future of real estate, the built environment and the impact on the communities we serve. Our collaborative and engaged teams provide excellent and dedicated client service. In our workplace, opinions are respected, everyone is invited to contribute to the success of our business and innovation, and new ideas are celebrated.

In 2021 we celebrated our 125th anniversary and set out Our Desired Future, cemented in three pillars: People Potential, Client Centricity and always Creating our Future, together. Learn more about what sets us apart here.

About The Role

Role Purpose

The Learning & Development Programme Lead plays a pivotal role in delivering Knight Frank’s new learning strategy. This role is intentionally designed to grow and shift over time, aligned to the maturity of our Strategy.

• Phase 1: First ~12 months - The focus will be on operational delivery i.e. vendor discovery and management, program execution, and acting as the link between Knight Frank, Procurement, and external learning partners as we design, build, and launch our new learning portfolio.

• Phase 2: Phased Strategy Launch & Settled State - The role will transition into a broader Learning & Development remit, leading the continuous improvement, governance, and ongoing evolution of the learning strategy, and supporting the Head of Talent Management & Development to embed learning into every stage of the colleague lifecycle.

This role is critical in ensuring learning at Knight Frank is high‑quality, scalable, business‑aligned, and fully integrated into the firm’s talent and culture priorities, unlocking the potential of all our people, fostering inclusion and belonging, and strengthening our ability to deliver for our clients.

Skills & Experience

• Experience leading, managing, or coordinating large‑scale programmes or transformation initiatives

• Strong project‑management capability with excellent organisational skills and high attention to detail

• Knowledge of the end-to-end Instructional Design process (Theory, needs analysis, best practices, trends, evaluating impact, learning technology, etc.) and the ability to apply this knowledge

• Proven experience curating, working with, and managing external vendors or partners

• Strong business acumen, with the ability to understand business priorities, commercial drivers, and operational realities, and align learning solutions accordingly

• Experience building clear, evidence‑based business cases, including articulating value, trade‑offs, risks, and return on investment

• Strong consultative and stakeholder‑management capability, with the confidence to operate as a trusted advisor - diagnosing problems, framing options, and using insight, process, and judgement to influence decisions and challenge thinking at all levels

• Experience gathering user feedback through surveys, focus groups, or direct facilitation

• Strong analytical and data‑literacy skills, able to translate learning metrics and KPIs into clear business insights and narratives that diagnose issues, reveal cultural and performance impact, guide decisions, and demonstrate value.

• Ability to champion new initiatives, bringing people along the journey and supporting adoption

• Agile and adaptable to last‑minute pivots and timeline changes; comfortable working with ambiguity or incomplete/changing information

• Curious, open‑minded, and ready to learn, with the ability to look ahead, ask questions, and adapt to change with creativity, resilience, and flexibility

• Growth mindset and an eagerness to build subject‑matter expertise through hands‑on experience

• A strong commitment to belonging and inclusion across all initiatives, designing learning experiences that are accessible, fair, and responsive to diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and career stages.

Skills & Experience - Nice to Have

• Experience designing and/or delivering via a variety of learning modalities (Blended Learning, Experiential Design, Flipped Classroom, Multimedia, ILT/VILT, etc.)

• Experience with digital learning technology and platforms

• LMS administration experience (Workday preferred but not essential).

• Understanding of change management practices, including conceptualising and supporting communications, change rollouts, campaigns, or stakeholder engagement strategies

• Experience working with procurement or commercial teams

• Familiarity with large, complex organizational environments

• Exposure to running or managing DEI, employee‑experience, brand, people, or culture initiatives

Key Responsibilities

Phase 1 — Operational Delivery & Program Management

Vendor Discovery, Evaluation & Selection

• Lead vendor discovery, evaluation, and selection in partnership with Procurement.

• Translate learning priorities into requirements, criteria, and decision frameworks.

• Partner with Procurement to run structured discovery processes including market scans, demos, deep dives, and comparative evaluation.

• Produce high‑quality documentation, recommendations, and evidence‑based assessments.

Vendor Onboarding & Partnership Management

• Act as day‑to‑day operational lead with external learning providers.

• Ensure providers deliver against Knight Frank learning principles, design standards, and strategic intent.

• Establish clear feedback loops and manage vendor performance, risks, and dependencies.

Program Delivery & Governance

• Own project plans, milestones, governance, and cross‑functional coordination for assigned learning pillars.

• Track timelines, risks, dependencies, build phases, and readiness activities.

• Ensure learning solutions meet experience, quality, and scalability standards.

Pilots, Go‑Live & Continuous Improvement

• Coordinate pilot sessions, gather and synthesise feedback, and work with vendors to implement refinements.

• Support successful go‑lives, ensuring logistics, comms, content, and stakeholders are aligned.

• Capture lessons learned and apply insights to future design and delivery cycles.

• Represent the “learning lens” in discussions, constructively challenging approaches to ensure quality.

Phase 2 — Learning & Development

Learning Strategy Delivery & Iteration

• Partner with the Head of Talent Management & Development to deliver, embed, and evolve the Learning Strategy in alignment with business and culture priorities.

• Modernise learning through digital platforms, data insights, learner‑centred design principles, and emerging trends.

• Support the shift toward a skills‑based talent model, ensuring content and pathways align with talent frameworks.

Content & Program Management

• Work with external partners to deliver leadership, management, and professional skills programs.

• Ensure all learning offerings reflect Knight Frank values, culture, brand, and CDF based skills.

• Design and oversee impactful learning experiences across multiple modalities (blended, experiential, digital, ILT/VILT).

Continuous Improvement & Data‑Driven Insight

• Use data and analytics (in partnership with People Analytics) to measure impact, identify gaps, and drive improvements.

• Work with People Analytics to create dashboards, reporting timelines, and insights that support decision‑making and highlight ROI.

• Evaluate resource effectiveness and identify opportunities to optimise, streamline, and/or innovate.

Stakeholder Collaboration & Engagement

• Partner with senior stakeholders, the wider HR team, HRBPs, and external experts to maintain a progressive learning offering.

• Work with Internal Comms to build campaigns that increase learning visibility, awareness, and adoption.

• Work with the wider Talent Management & Development team to embed learning across talent touchpoints, from onboarding to career development.

Competitive salary

Please note: this is a Direct Search led by Knight Frank. Applications from recruitment agencies will not be accepted nor will fees be paid for unsolicited CVs, even if provided by PSL agencies.