Role Overview:

The Lead - L&D will be responsible for designing and executing the overall learning strategy for Hamleys India. This role will focus on building a culture of continuous learning and capability enhancement across stores, HO, and leadership teams, aligning development initiatives with business goals, customer experience, and brand ethos of Hamleys.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Learning Strategy & Framework

- Develop and implement an integrated L&D strategy aligned with Hamleys' business objectives and employee lifecycle.

- Identify current and future capability needs across retail operations, customer service, and leadership layers.

- Build a structured learning roadmap for different employee segments - frontline, store managers, HO, and leadership teams.

2. Capability Building & Program Design

- Design and deploy training programs to enhance customer engagement, storytelling, and experiential retail excellence.

- Curate product knowledge and brand immersion modules in collaboration with merchandising and marketing teams.

- Lead development of e-learning and blended learning formats to ensure scale and consistency across geographies.

3. Leadership Development

- Partner with business heads and HR to identify high-potential talent and create customized development journeys.

- Drive leadership workshops, coaching interventions, and succession planning readiness for key roles.

4. Learning Operations & Governance

- Build and manage the annual L&D calendar and budget.

- Ensure effective measurement of training ROI and impact on performance, productivity, and customer experience.

- Maintain quality and standardization of all L&D initiatives across stores and HO.

5. Stakeholder & Vendor Management

- Partner with internal stakeholders, external trainers, and content providers for high-impact programs.

- Collaborate with the global Hamleys team for alignment on brand-driven learning initiatives and best practices.

6. Employee Engagement & Learning Culture

- Promote a culture of learning through gamified interventions, recognition of learning champions, and digital tools.

- Embed learning into performance reviews, development plans, and onboarding journeys.

Key Skills & Competencies:

- Strategic thinking with strong business acumen.

- Deep understanding of retail training, customer experience, and behavioral learning.

- Expertise in instructional design, facilitation, and digital learning solutions.

- Excellent communication, influencing, and stakeholder management skills.

- Strong analytical orientation with ability to link learning outcomes to business metrics.

Qualification & Experience:

- Master's degree / MBA in HR, Organizational Development, or related field.

- 10-12 years of experience in Learning & Development, with at least 5 years in a leadership - role within retail, hospitality, or consumer-facing organizations.

- Exposure to managing pan-India training operations preferred.