Location: Templecombe, United Kingdom

Thales people provide armed forces customers with operational advantage at every decisive moment throughout the mission. Defence and armed forces customers rely on us to deliver the full range of defence mission systems solutions at land, sea, and air. Our platforms extend across the battlespace including Above and Sonar, Electronic Combat, and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance systems.

Together we offer fantastic opportunities for committed employees to learn and develop their career with us. At Thales UK, we research, develop, and supply technology and services that impact the lives of millions of people each day to make life better, and keep us safer. We innovate across the major industries of Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space. Your health and well-being matters to us and that’s why we offer you the flexibility to do what’s important to you; whether that’s part time hours, job sharing, home working, or the ability to flex your start and finish times. Where possible, we support a working pattern that suits your lifestyle and helps you reach your ambitions.

Early Careers Lead

Templecombe 

To support UWS future growth demands we need to increase the size of our early careers talent pool, improve retention and develop exciting careers.   You will be the UWS Early Careers Champion, forging strong working relationships with Functional Leads, Central Teams and Colleges to coordinate and manage existing early career processes whilst creating new opportunities to help make UWS a great place to work.

Developing a growth and retention strategy, creating localised attraction activities, improving the on-boarding experience and introducing new learning and development opportunities will be a priority for this role. 

Reporting to the Head of Operations (Customer Delivery), you will work closely with the Thales Early Careers Team to ensure all learning meets required quality standards as well as our Heads of Capability, Engineering Resourcing Manager, Industry Early Careers Lead and the UWS Strategic HR Business Partner to ensure the correct application of the Early Careers strategy.

The role will need to build strong working relationships and partner with the UWS Heads of Discipline, Strategic HR Business Partner and the UK Talent, Learning and Culture Team including the UK Early Careers Team.

External Stakeholders – levels

• Key suppliers
• Key customers where appropriate

Internal Stakeholders – levels

• Senior Leaders
• Engineering Resourcing Manager
• UK HR CoE Teams

Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities

Planning

• Develop and deliver a medium to long-term vision for the UWS Early Careers Growth Strategy.
• Work closely with UWS Senior Leaders to ensure the development and implementation of a structured timetable of development activity and rotational placements
• Coordinate with Central Early Career and Learning Teams to develop and deliver training and development opportunities, which align to and support the overall strategic objectives of the UWS business.

Attraction

• Lead the UWS business in creating the ‘Marketing Pitch’ to attract future talent principally at Early Careers level. This will include building on existing processes to create personalised targeted recruitment material and attending local events to promote exciting opportunities within our sites.
• Collaborate with Talent and Early Career Teams to create a plan for recruitment based on business needs and strategic workforce development plans, taking account of demographics, attrition and mobility factors.
• Develop the On-Boarding experience

Development

• Work closely with key stakeholders to shape programmes that deliver against the organisational skills development needs and prepare early talent for substantive roles in line with organisational demand.
• Provide operational management and support of the Early Careers cohort ensuring it mirrors the overall Thales UK Early careers operating model.
• Work collaboratively with the education providers to ensure quality content for all courses and early careers progression through the course.

Programme Management:

• Co-ordination of rotational placements across UWS and the Early Careers Talent Review, identifying next moves for the early careers to roll off at the end the Scheme
• Complete any potential skills development reports for early careers candidates
• Support Early Careers UK with Monthly meetings
• Input into MYB, ensuring all associated costs are assigned and approved
• Create Business Cases for funding and support

What we are looking for from you

To be successful in the role, you will have the following experience and attributes:

• Proven track record of success in managing early careers
• The ability to collaborate and influence at multiple levels across the organisation, with experience of interacting with employees at the early stages of their career
• Proven experience in the development and delivery of training materials
• Demonstrate empathy and a resilient approach to challenges
• Knowledge of managing a team or programme, with a methodical and organised approach
• Demonstrable experience in understanding complex situations and how to respond quickly to find a solution to move everyone forward
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to hold virtual meetings with large groups of the early careers population
• Show passion around health and wellbeing support
• Demonstrate a proactive approach, and be prepared to take risk to promote positive change

• Experience of the early careers programme in Thales UK is desired but not essential

Educational / Professional:

• Degree qualified or equivalent
• Beneficial to have engineering knowledge

This role will require SC Clearance. It would be advantageous if currently held, however, if not currently held, it is a requirement that the successful applicant will undergo, achieve, and maintain SC Clearance. Please visit the UKSV website for further guidance.

To be eligible for full SC, you generally need to have resided in the UK for the last 5 years. In some circumstances, a minimum of 3 years’ residence in the UK over the last 5 years may be accepted, with additional overseas checks.

In line with Thales' Baseline Security requirements, candidates will be asked to provide evidence of identity, eligibility to work in the UK and employment and/or education history for up to three years. Some vacancies may require full Security Clearance which can require further evidence to be provided. For further details of the evidence required to apply for Baseline and Security Clearance please refer to the Defence Business Services National Security Vetting (DBS NSV) Agency.

At Thales we provide CAREERS and not only jobs. With Thales employing 80,000 employees in 68 countries our mobility policy enables thousands of employees each year to develop their careers at home and abroad, in their existing areas of expertise or by branching out into new fields. Together we believe that embracing flexibility is a smarter way of working.

Thales UK is committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment process. We will provide reasonable adjustments and support to ensure neuro-diverse applicants or those with a disability or long-term condition can be their best during the recruitment process. To request an adjustment, if you need this job advert in an alternative format or if you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Resourcing Ops for mid to senior roles, or the Early Careers Team for graduate and apprentice roles.

Great journeys start here, apply now!