Jointly owned by EDF Energy and Dalkia, we are a leading technical services group, operating nationwide in the UK. With expertise across technical facilities management, mechanical and electrical engineering, energy performance, and digital services, we deliver innovative solutions under one roof.

Our people-first culture combines the strength of a major group with the personability of a smaller business. With a turnover of over £600m, a team of around 4,000, and a commitment to diversity and inclusion, we attract and nurture top talent who embody the Dalkia DNA, delivering excellence in every customer interaction.

The central Dalkia Group team, with professionals in HR, Payroll, Finance, Legal, IT, QSHE, and Communications, supports our business units through technical expertise, policy guidance, and governance. Working closely with the Executive team, we help shape strategic goals and partner with the business to embed Dalkia’s values, behaviours, and ambitions across all levels.

Summary of Role

As our Early Careers & Development Lead, you’ll play a key role in shaping the future of talent at Dalkia. This is your chance to make a real impact by overseeing the Dalkia Early Career programs and ensuring that apprentices and graduates not only meet their learning and skill goals but are also inspired and prepared to thrive in their careers with us.

Joining the Dalkia Academy team, you’ll be deeply involved in every stage of the Early Careers journey, working closely with a variety of Business Unit stakeholders, external partners, educational institutions, and our early careers talent to guide, support, and champion their growth. This is your opportunity to help build the future of Dalkia.

We’re looking for someone with exceptional planning and organisational skills who can effectively coordinate multiple projects and stakeholders. You’ll have a structured yet flexible approach, ensuring events and programs run effectively. With strong communication skills and a proactive, solution-oriented mindset, you’ll thrive on collaboration and continuously look to improve our approach to developing talent.

The role will involve regular travel to various UK locations. Successful candidates must be willing and able to travel as required to fulfil the responsibilities of the role.

Aims and Objectives

• Lead and develop Early Careers programs – Oversee Dalkia Academy’s Early Careers initiatives, developing and delivering impactful, tailored programs, from recruitment to graduation, to cultivate high-performing talent and meet development benchmarks.
• Onboard and engage for success – Engage with new intakes from the outset, using digital tools and face-to-face touchpoints to ensure strong connection and minimise pre-employment attrition. Design and deliver dynamic induction programs that set people up for success.
• Plan and deliver engaging events – Oversee the design, organisation and delivery of impactful events, (e.g. inductions, development events, community events), creating meaningful experiences that support development and engagement.
• Coordinate the identification of requirements and acting upon opportunities for alignment and best practices, ensuring successful placements, effective partnerships, and development pathways align with strategic goals.
• Manage levy funding – Ensure effective management of skills funding via the levy and oversee administration of the government’s Digital Apprenticeship Service (DAS)
• Manage suppliers and partners – Build and maintain strong relationships with suppliers and training providers, ensuring high-quality service delivery, alignment with program goals, and cost efficiency.
• Champion and collaborate – Act as a key representative in meetings (external or internal), fostering strong partnerships and ensuring early careers and development initiatives align with strategic goals.
• Data reporting and monitoring – Oversee the tracking, analysis, and reporting of key program data and metrics, ensuring accurate monitoring of performance.
• Evaluate impact – Implement evaluation processes to measure the effectiveness of our Early Career and development programs to maintain standards and continually identify improvements.
• Keep up with industry insight and best practices – Stay informed on advancements in early career development, embedding best practices to keep Dalkia’s offerings up-to-date and of value.

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities

• Organisation and planning – You have strong organisational abilities to develop and deliver structured programs and projects, ensuring they meet timelines and deliver impressive results.
• Event management – Experienced in delivering engaging, impactful events, from inductions to development sessions, ensuring initiatives run smoothly, are effective, and participants feel connected and inspired.
• Relationship building – A natural collaborator, you easily form trusted connections such as senior leaders, HR Teams, and educational partners, fostering alignment and support.
• Analytical Skills – You’re comfortable with data, designing and applying data-driven monitoring processes to measure impact, using insights to continuously improve.
• Engaging communication – Your clear, compelling communication engages and keeps everyone informed, making complex ideas accessible and inspiring for all.
• Adaptable problem-solving – With a solutions-focused mindset, you tackle challenges head-on, finding proactive and creative ways to keep programs on track and running seamlessly. You can flex for success.
• Knowledge of Early Careers – Strong knowledge and experience of working with early career programs. You keep up to date with best practice trends to keep our offerings innovative, competitive and valuable.

What’s in it for you?

• We pay for professional membership relevant to your role and invest in our people’s professional development
• Pension Scheme
• Private Health Insurance
• 4 x Salary Life Assurance
• 25 Days Holiday (increasing on service) PLUS Bank holidays
• Cycle to work scheme
• An electric vehicle scheme – where we help you lease an electric vehicle for a fixed monthly cost.
• Access to our Benefits platform with a wide range of retail discounts

At Dalkia, we are committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion. We ensure that every applicant is treated fairly and respectfully throughout our selection process. If you require any adjustments, please inform us in confidence. Our talent acquisition team is here to assist you.