Learning Specialist (Operations)

Salary: £51,577.33 – £68,769.77

Closing Date: 22nd July

NATS is the UK’s leading air navigation service provider, handling over 2.4 million flights each year. We provide air traffic control services from two control centres and at airports around the UK. We also provide a wide range of commercial products and solutions internationally. Our people are at the heart of our purpose to advance aviation and keep the skies safe.

Purpose of the Role

The Learning Specialist is a recognised learning and performance design professional responsible for analysing, designing and developing operational training solutions within a defined scope, applying structured learning and performance methodologies aligned to operational and regulatory requirements.

Working within the Design & Development team, the role contributes to both the creation of new training solutions arising from operational change and the improvement of existing training where refinement, optimisation or modernisation is required. The Learning Specialist works in close partnership with Operational Subject Matter Experts and colleagues across Operations Training to translate defined requirements into clear, well‑designed and auditable learning outputs.

The role applies professional judgement to shape learning solutions, user journeys and design documentation, ensuring outputs are engaging, proportionate and fit for purpose. Instructional design principles, performance analysis techniques and evaluation methods are applied to support safe, effective and efficient operational performance. The overall scope, prioritisation and assurance expectations for the role are defined by a Senior Learning Specialist, within which the Learning Specialist operates with autonomy and accountability for assigned design activity.

Accountabilities

• Analyse training and performance requirements, identifying gaps between current and required performance within defined scope.

• Apply appropriate learning and performance analysis techniques to support either task based design activity or improvement focused instructional design, as required.

• Design and develop learning solutions aligned to defined performance outcomes, learner needs and operational constraints.

• Establish learning objectives, structures and user journeys that support demonstrable performance outcomes.

• Translate design intent into clear design documentation, creative briefs and technical specifications to support development and approval.

• Work collaboratively with Learning Developers to ensure effective implementation of learning designs, including appropriate user interface and user experience considerations.

• Integrate adult learning theory and instructional design best practice across technical and non‑technical training solutions.

• Apply evaluation methodologies to assess learning effectiveness and inform continuous improvement.

• Establish and maintain performance measures and evaluation criteria for assigned learning solutions.

• Maintain accurate and auditable design documentation, templates and records to support review, validation and assurance.

• Contribute to the refinement and optimisation of existing training solutions to improve quality, efficiency and learner experience.

• Engage with Operational Subject Matter Experts and stakeholders to clarify requirements, validate solutions and incorporate feedback.

• Apply agreed design standards, methodologies and tools consistently across Operations Training.

• Maintain awareness of learning trends, tools and methods, sharing insight and good practice to support professional standards within Design and Development.

• Contribute to “Train the Trainer” and handover activities to support effective transition of learning solutions into delivery.

• Manage assigned workstreams and priorities, delivering agreed outputs to defined quality and timescale expectations.

• Provide specialist input and advice on learning design approaches within defined scope, supporting wider L&D consultancy activity as appropriate.

Qualifications, professional knowledge and Skills

• Educated to degree level or equivalent, or demonstrable experience in a relevant learning, training or education discipline.

• Practical experience in learning design, training delivery or development within an operational or organisational environment.

• Strong working knowledge of instructional design principles, learning analysis methods and evaluation techniques.

• Practical experience in development of training or education materials. formal qualifications in development software or design would be advantageous or experience within a development role.

• Ability to apply structured approaches to learning design with professional judgement.

• Experience designing and documenting learning solutions across technical and non‑technical domains.

• Understanding of adult learning theory and its application to effective training and performance improvement.

• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret requirements and translate them into clear learning outputs.

• Detail oriented with a track record in proactively driving change and business improvements.

• Effective communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with confidence to influence and challenge constructively within defined scope.

• Demonstrated commitment to professional learning design and development, with the confidence to engage, influence and challenge stakeholders at all levels, tailoring approach to audience.

• The ability to engage and influence operational and non operational staff combined with sound judgement to ensure positive outcomes for individuals and a proven track record of planning and developing training solutions.

• Organised and detail‑oriented, with the ability to manage multiple workstreams.

• Collaborative working style within multi‑disciplinary teams.

• Confident design and developer, able to deal with challenge in a calm and assured manner.

• Commitment to continuous professional development and to maintaining recognised learning design standards.

Additional Vacancy Information

If you share our passion to advance aviation and keep the skies safe – we would like to hear from you whatever your age, sex, race, faith, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, visible or invisible disability. Individuals that bring different perspectives, skills, life experiences and backgrounds help us be at the forefront of our industry.