Professional Education Lead

This is a Fixed-term contract covering a period of maternity leave

Role Purpose

The Professional Education Lead is responsible for leading the firm's professional education function and ensuring exceptional trainee qualification experience across key professional pathways.

The role provides strategic oversight of trainee progression, qualification programmes, professional body relationships and governance, while partnering with senior stakeholders to support the development and success of future qualified professionals.

Key Responsibilities

Professional Education Leadership & Stakeholder Management

• Lead the firm's professional education function across ACA, ACCA, AITI and other relevant qualification pathways.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with professional bodies, education providers and key stakeholders

• Provide strategic advice and recommendations on professional education, trainee development and qualification pathways

• Represent the professional education function across internal and external forums.

Trainee Experience & Progression

• Oversee trainee progression and support a positive qualification experience throughout the trainee lifecycle.

• Partner with business leaders and people managers to support trainee engagement, development and retention.

• Identify and manage risks, issues and opportunities relating to trainee progression and qualification success.

Programme Delivery, Compliance & Governance

• Oversee delivery of professional education programmes, exam cycles, study leave processes and training contract requirements.

• Ensure robust governance, compliance and record management across all qualification pathways.

• Monitor trainee progression and compliance requirements, implementing appropriate follow-up actions where required.

• Prepare reports, insights and recommendations for senior stakeholders.

Continuous Improvement & Projects

• Lead and support initiatives that enhance the effectiveness of professional education programmes and processes.

• Act as a subject matter expert on projects relating to trainees, professional qualifications and learning operations.

• Drive continuous improvement through policy, process and system enhancements.

Skills & Experience

Essential

• Significant experience in professional education, learning and development, talent development, early careers or related field.

• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to build relationships at all levels.

• Excellent communication, organisational and problem-solving skills.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver results in a fast-paced environment.

Desirable

• Professional accountancy qualification or experience supporting professional qualification programmes.

• Knowledge of ACA, ACCA, AITI or similar qualification pathways.

• Experience working with trainee populations, graduates or early career professionals.

• Understanding of training contract governance and professional body requirements.

Key Competencies

• Strategic leadership

• Clear communication and presentation skills

• Operational excellence, governance and delivery focus

• Project management, collaboration and continuous improvement

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We are Grant Thornton

Grant Thornton Ireland is rapidly approaching 3,000 people, in 9 offices across Ireland, Isle of Man, Gibraltar and Bermuda. With a presence in over 149 countries around the world and a global network of 73,000 people, we bring our clients the local knowledge, national expertise and global presence to help them succeed – wherever they’re located.

At GT, we work as trusted advisors, bringing local knowledge and national expertise, with a global presence, to help businesses succeed – wherever they are located. We make business more personal by investing in building relationships and empowering our clients to make the right decisions for their organisation now and for the future. Whether that is working with the public sector to build thriving communities, with regulators and financial institutions to build trust, or with a diverse range of businesses to help them achieve their goals, Grant Thornton Ireland work hard to support clients to act on the issues that matter.

At GT Ireland we don’t just predict your future, we build it.

A Career at GT

Looking for a more fulfilling role in professional services? One where fresh thinking, collaboration and diversity are valued? At Grant Thornton we do things differently.

What does this mean for you?

A career in a more inclusive working environment, a more collaborative work culture, a more supported, flexible working role, more possibilities to grow and more opportunities to help shape the future for your clients. We respect and value your experience. And we want you to bring your authentic self to work and be at your best. It is how it should be.

Grow with us

At Grant Thornton, we care about our people and work hard to make you feel valued. If you are looking to deepen and develop your skills, knowledge, and experience throughout your career, then that is what you will get, and more.

Our Benefits

Please follow this link for information on our generous benefits package.

Equity, diversity and inclusion
At Grant Thornton, we provide equitable opportunities for all our colleagues. We are a responsible, sustainable business where equity, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) is at the forefront of our workplace culture agenda, and today, we continue to build and develop on our existing ED&I structure and strategy to meet our workplace culture needs. People are at the heart of our business and teams built with varied individuals present diverse viewpoints, which need to be heard and valued.

We are all at our best when we are able to be ourselves and we view integrity and authenticity as integral values to bring to our day-to-day work-life at the firm. We are excited to see the personality and perspectives you will bring to our team because we know we will all benefit from them. Diversity of thought, background and experience enables better decision-making, improves the quality of our delivery, and helps us to meet the needs of our clients. Our firm is built on people and their ideas, so we want to hear all the new perspectives and fresh thinking you have to offer. You form the bedrock of our firm’s best-practice principles and we will champion you as leaders from day one.

Reward and benefits
Our reward and benefits are designed to create an environment where our people can flourish. We are committed to building a culture where our people have access to the necessary benefits to help promote a healthy lifestyle and thrive.

Recognition
We want to create a culture of recognition and celebrating success, by saying thank you to people who surpass our expectations and recognising the right values and behaviours. Our Shout Out recognition scheme is our way of highlighting and promoting achievements. Whether you simply want to say thank you, celebrate a special occasion or give an award for doing something exceptional, you can do all of this and more through the scheme.

Professional Education Lead

Benefits

Job Description