Learning & Capability Specialist

Learning & Capability Specialist, Melbourne: Newly Created Role Reporting to the CPO

Melbourne CBD | Permanent | $170,000 package including superannuation | Financial services

About the opportunity

Most Learning and Capability roles hand you a calendar of programmes someone else designed and ask you to keep them running. This one hands you a blank page.

A national financial services firm is creating a new Learning & Capability Specialist position in Melbourne. You will report directly to the Chief People Officer and carry a national remit across the whole workforce, from early career through to senior leadership.

There is one priority that sits above the rest: building clear, sustainable professional pathways for the next generation of financial advisers. That means the Professional Year programme, the qualifications, accreditation and licensing requirements that sit around it, and the university and education partnerships that feed talent into the profession.

If you know the adviser pathway inside out and you would rather build something than inherit it, this is worth a conversation.

About the company

Our client is an established, nationally recognised Australian financial services firm with a network of offices across the country. They operate in a regulated environment where professional standards, qualifications and licensing obligations shape how people are developed, and they take a practical, commercially grounded view of capability.

The national People & Culture team is close-knit and collaborative, with HR Business Partner and recruitment capability across Victoria and other states. This role sits inside that team and works alongside it every day.

What you will be doing

Day to day, the work moves between strategy, design, delivery and relationships. Across a typical month you can expect to be:

• Building and strengthening pathways for emerging financial advisers, with a working command of the Professional Year programme, ASIC requirements, relevant qualifications, accreditation and licensing obligations
• Developing relationships with universities and other education partners to create stronger talent pipelines into the profession
• Assessing capability needs across the broader workforce and designing practical programmes that fit current and future business requirements
• Contributing to leadership development, goal setting, performance and wider organisational capability initiatives
• Identifying the capabilities employees and leaders will need as AI becomes more embedded in how the business operates
• Managing capability initiatives end to end, from concept through design, stakeholder engagement, implementation and evaluation, with a clear eye on commercial relevance
• Facilitating selected programmes and workshops yourself, while drawing on leaders and subject matter experts across the business to deliver specialist content

Your key relationships will include the Chief People Officer, the National Practice Manager, Branch Managers, senior leaders and technical experts across the national business.

What you will bring

• Learning, capability, organisational development or talent experience gained within regulated financial services or a similarly regulated environment
• Strong knowledge of the financial adviser professional pathway, including ASIC requirements, the Professional Year and the relevant education, qualification and accreditation requirements
• A track record of developing capability initiatives that work across different levels and functions of an organisation
• Solid programme management skills: you can take an initiative from an identified business need through to design, delivery and evaluation without losing momentum
• Confidence engaging senior leaders, operational leaders and technical subject matter experts, and the ability to translate their expertise into development solutions people actually use
• Facilitation capability, balanced with the judgement to bring in internal and external expertise where it makes sense
• A pragmatic, collaborative and commercially minded style. You enjoy being close to the business rather than running a standalone L&D function

Nice to have

• Exposure to AI capability, digital capability or workforce readiness for emerging technology
• Experience partnering with universities or tertiary providers on early career or graduate pathways
• A background that spans both wealth management or financial advice and broader enterprise learning

What is on offer

• A total package of $170,000 including superannuation
• A permanent, newly created role with direct reporting to the Chief People Officer
• National scope with genuine room to shape how capability is approached across the organisation
• A tangible strategic mandate: how the firm develops the next generation of advisers and creates clear pathways into and through the business
• A close-knit People & Culture team with a strong connection to the business
• Melbourne based, with a national footprint of offices and leaders to partner with

Frequently asked questions

What is the salary for this Learning & Capability Specialist role in Melbourne? The package is $170,000 including superannuation. This is a permanent, full-time position.

Is this role hybrid or office based? Working arrangements will be discussed during the process. The role is Melbourne based with a national remit, so some interstate travel to branches and offices should be expected.

Do I need financial services experience to apply? Yes. The role requires learning, capability, OD or talent experience from regulated financial services or a similarly regulated environment, plus strong knowledge of the financial adviser professional pathway (Professional Year, ASIC requirements, qualifications and accreditation).

Who does the Learning & Capability Specialist report to? Directly to the Chief People Officer. Key partners include the National Practice Manager, Branch Managers and senior leaders across the business.

Is this a standalone L&D role? No. It sits inside the national People & Culture team, which includes HR Business Partner and recruitment capability across Victoria and other states.

How do I apply and how confidential is the process? Apply through the link on this page or contact Civitas Talent directly. All applications are treated in strict confidence and the client's identity is shared with shortlisted candidates only.

How to apply

Click apply now to submit your CV, or contact Shane O'Neill at Civitas Talent for a confidential conversation about this role.

Shane O'Neill, Director, HR & HSE Recruitment, Civitas Talent E: shane@civitastalent.com M: 0420 736 144

Civitas Talent is a specialist HR and HSE recruitment firm operating across Australia, New Zealand and APAC.

This is a permanent Learning & Capability Specialist position based in Melbourne, Victoria, within the Australian financial services and wealth management industry.