Learning & Development Specialist (12 month contract)

Abbott in Ireland

Operating since 1946, Abbott serves the Irish market with a diverse range of healthcare products. We employ around 6,000 people across ten sites in Dublin, Donegal, Clonmel, Cootehill, Galway, Kilkenny, Longford, and Sligo.

Abbott Diabetes Care Division Donegal

The Abbott Diabetes Care division based in Donegal Town manufactures FreeStyle blood glucose test strips and FreeStyle Sensors for use in diabetes management. Among Abbott Diabetes Care leading brands are the FreeStyle Precision, FreeStyle Lite and FreeStyle Libre system.

Please note any offer of employment for this position is conditional upon the successful completion of a pre-employment medical examination, including drug and alcohol screening, conducted by a medical practitioner designated by the Company

Overview

Reporting to the Operational Excellence Manager, the Learning & Development Specialist will lead and coordinate the site's Learning & Development agenda, supporting the delivery of ADC Donegal's Learning & Development Strategy, workforce capability initiatives, talent development programmes, and Operational Excellence learning activities.

The successful candidate will work closely with Site Leadership, HR, managers and employees across all functions to build a future-ready workforce through structured learning, leadership development, continuous improvement and career development initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

Support the execution of the ADC Donegal Learning & Development Strategy, aligning capability-building initiatives with workforce planning, business priorities and the site's 2028 vision.

Promote a culture of continuous learning through engaging communications, site-wide development initiatives and effective use of AD Connect and other communication channels.

Manage the end-to-end delivery of learning and development programmes, including planning, stakeholder engagement, communications, certification, reporting and continuous improvement.

Coordinate and support talent, leadership and early career development programmes to strengthen organisational capability and succession pipelines.

Lead the coordination and continuous improvement of the Lean Six Sigma Academy, including Yellow Belt, Green Belt and Operational Excellence development programmes.

Conduct capability assessments and learning needs analyses, partnering with stakeholders to identify development priorities, performance gaps and targeted learning solutions.

Support the development of capability frameworks, learning pathways and future skills strategies that enable employee growth and organisational effectiveness.

Build and maintain relationships with training providers, educational institutions and industry partners to enhance workforce development opportunities.

Coordinate external funding initiatives, including IDA-funded training programmes, ensuring effective administration, compliance, reporting and audit readiness.

Manage learning systems, programme metrics and evaluation processes, using data and learner feedback to measure effectiveness, demonstrate value and drive continuous improvement.

Education & Experience

Third-level qualification in Learning & Development, Human Resources, Business, Organisational Development or a related discipline is desirable.

Minimum of 6 years' experience working within a Learning & Development, Human Resources, Organisational Development or business environment with a strong Learning & Development focus.

Experience facilitating workshops, development programmes or training interventions.

Excellent communication, facilitation and stakeholder management abilities, Strong collaboration and relationship-building skills.

Ability to manage multiple priorities and programmes simultaneously.

Experience with Microsoft Forms, SharePoint, Power BI and learning technologies.