Learning & Development Specialist: Somerset

About Us

The Women's Work Lab C.I.C exists to support mums to (re)start their careers and build the confidence, skills and networks to move forward.

Many of the mums we work with have faced significant barriers to employment. That might be domestic abuse, caring responsibilities, mental health challenges or simply being out of work for a long time. Whatever their story, they arrive with huge potential and our role is to help unlock that.

Our 12-week HIVE programme combines training, connection and work placements, followed by 9 months of ongoing support. The impact is real and lasting not just supporting movement into work, but building confidence, identity and community.

And we get results! Outcomes for participants include new careers, further training and crucially the creation of a vital support network. Over 70 percent of our 2024/25 graduates are either in jobs, training or volunteering.

WWL is now a team of 17 and we're currently running programmes in Bristol, Bath, South Gloucestershire and Somerset.

The role

Due to our geographical expansion, we're looking to hire a Somerset based L&D Specialist. We are excited to be delivering more programmes in Somerset this academic year so this role is specifically for programmes in locations including Bridgwater, Taunton and potetially Street/Yeovil. We will be delivering our core HIVE programmes as well as specialist schools programmes in the area.

You will be responsible for delivering our award-winning training during term time. Between October and early December you will be required to shadow training (twice per week) being delivered in Bridgwater, before delivering yourself from January 2026 onwards.

The training for our HIVE programme and our specialist schools programmes are made up of cohorts of 15-20 Mums and is structured around 2 half days days per week (10am - 1.30pm), during school hours and term time only.

Working with the Learning & Quality Manager and the Programme Manager, you will own the delivery and evaluation of any training, ensuring that the face-to-face element of our programme is delivered in an engaging, innovative and creative way. You will be heavily supported by the Core Support Team in Bristol, with key people travelling to be with you in Somerset for quality and monitoring purposes.

You will take the established programme content (you will not need to design any content), and using your skills in facilitation and coaching and your wider business and/or workplace experience, you will make it your own. Your role will be to bring the basic content to life with personal anecdotes, learnings and insight. You will feel comfortable picking up developed and tested content and bringing your own perspective to each component. The peer support network that develops across cohorts creates a vital support network for our Mums and you will need to confidently facilitate the cohesiveness of these groups.

You will also own the end to end evaluation and feedback of each cohort, and proactively use the output to improve the content and delivery as you go along.

You

You will be Somerset based and have local insight including familiarity with Taunton, Bridgwater and the nearby towns and villages.

You will have a proven track record of delivering training or coaching in a proactive and responsive way. Experience and understanding of employment and recruitment practices is also a really important part of the support we give our Mums.

You will have strong empathy and emotional intelligence and be able to read the room effectively, managing (at times) difficult or challenging conversations sensitively and supportively. Our training is a collaborative experience so you will need to be someone who can be flexible with timings and content to get the best out of any session.

We place a huge emphasis on lived experience in our team and half of our current team are previous WWL participants. We want our team to continue to reflect the communities we support and would encourage and welcome applications from under-represented groups who would like to use their lived experience in a positive way. Programme delivery is term time and school hours only.

Due to the nature of the work carried out in our training, this role is restricted to female applicants only in accordance with the provisions of the occupational requirement (Equality Act 2010, pursuant to Schedule 9, Part 1).

Remuneration

In line with our usual recruitment and on-boarding for Mum-facing roles, you will need to shadow a programme before delivery begins in January 2026. This initial on-boarding phase will be paid at a freelance rate of £350 p/day (made up of 2 half days per week) which will take place in Bridgwater. There will be a break during the month of November when Mums will be on Careers Month and training is paused.

The PAYE contract would begin in January 2026 - this will be 15 hours/week, term-time only and run until 31st July 2026. Salary would be £35k pa/pro-rata.

Application process

If you would like to apply, please address your CV and covering letter to:

Anna Wheeler, Director of Operations

As a social enterprise we do not have a budget available to pay recruiters so please don't contact us unless you're happy to refer pro bono.

The Women's Work Lab is committed to safeguarding and as such, the successful applicant will be required to undergo an enhanced Children & Adults DBS check plus specific Health & Safety, Safeguarding and Prevent training. This will be paid for by the WWL.

Deadline for applications: Monday 5th October 2026

Interview Date: Monday 12th October 2026