L&D Designer

Serco - Armed Forces Recruitment Service

FTC 12 months, Full Time

Hybrid Working - MOD Abbey Wood base location, with travel to Army HQ in Andover, and working from home 2-3 days a week.

Up to £40,000 per annum + Corporate Benefits Package

At Serco, we are proud to partner with the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) in providing critical recruitment services for the UK’s Armed Forces. This new approach will, for the first time, see the Royal Navy, the British Army, and the Royal Air Force have a joint Armed Forces Recruitment Service (AFRS). Delivered through a partnership of the MOD, Serco, and our consortium of partners, this service will provide end-to-end support from candidate attraction to assessment, onboarding, and Phase 1 training. Our team brings together best-in-class integrated technology and specialist partners to offer a holistic recruitment and skills solution for the UK Armed Forces, designed to modernise and improve the overall candidate experience. We are driven by the values of doing the right thing for our people, the MOD, His Majesty’s Government (HMG), broader society, and the candidates we source.

We are recruiting for a Learning & Development Designer to join our Armed Forces Recruitment Service (AFRS) contract. This is a diverse role where you will be responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining high-quality learning solutions for AFRS civilian and service personnel. This role creates engaging blended learning—eLearning, videos, guides, workshops, and systems training—while ensuring alignment with Defence Systems Approach to Training (DSAT), business needs, and external quality standards.

You will be responsible for the creation and design of learning content supporting AFRS civilian staff and service personnel and a growing capability across AFRS. This will involve designing and creating high quality learning experiences using your learning design skills to create materials from storyboard production through to deployment, applying learning design principles and creative thinking. You will scope, design and create all training material including; systems training, eLearning, videos, workshops etc. You will have access and be trained to use the DLE and will upload and assign relevant training.

You will build effective relationships with subject matter experts across AFRS to ensure our learning meets business requirements and provides learning outcomes that supports raising capability as a business. You will work closely with the delivery leads and the wider learning and development team to understand what training is required and support from initial scoping to delivery to the business. Understanding different design methods and having knowledge around blended learning is essential for this role as you will be required to advise the business on the best format for learning; from guides to eLearning to face to face workshops. Previous knowledge and experience of digital learning tools such as Articulate, Rise, vyond is desired as well as learning management system experience.

You will also be responsible for the quality of content across AFRS ensuring it meets external standards and DSAT and evaluating and evolving content to ensure it is up to date and meeting business needs. We are looking for someone with proven experience, a proven record of knowledge management and familiarity with methods used in learning experiences to make learning engaging, easy to consume, time-saving and relevant.

Key Responsibilities

• Ensure that designed training adheres to DSAT methodology
• Be knowledgeable with the Defence Learning Environment (DLE) and how to use the system.
• Work with the L&D Managers to develop design requests
• Be the product expert for learning, representing the user in how they learn and supporting subject matter experts in finding the best way to design engaging content
• Work in partnership with wider stakeholders and subject matter experts to ensure our learning is fit for purpose and support both the learning and talent and performance strategy
• Design content to meet the needs of our learners on-time, within scope and within budget
• Advise on where we can have a more blended approach to learning incorporating digital and face to face methods
• Ownership of our learning systems to ensure the content is designed to deliver a great learner experience.
• Update regularly across the learning and development team to ensure they are fully knowledgeable and engaged in any design content
• Innovative mindset, creative and capable of supporting driving ideas into tangible output

Skills & Experience

• Previous knowledge and experience of digital learning tools such as Articulate, Rise, vyond is desired as well as learning management system experience.
• Good knowledge of e-learning platforms and practices
• Considers the user in their content design process
• Practical experience with Microsoft Office and Learning Management Systems (LMS)
• Effective communication and negotiation skills, with a good ability to build relations with wider AFRS colleagues across all levels of the organisation
• Strong organizational skills with business-oriented thinking
• Knowledge and understanding of Learning and Development models and theories.
• Strong knowledge of course design, LMS platforms, and digital learning tools.

Why Serco

We support essential public services. In AFRS, your work directly improves capability, readiness, and performance for service personnel and civilian employees. You’re not just designing learning - you’re strengthening national defence outcomes.

Vetting and checks:

This role requires Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance, which involves verifying your identity, employment history, nationality, and criminal record to meet government security standards. In addition, depending on the nature of the role, you may need to obtain formal Security Clearance (such as CTC or SC), which includes more detailed background checks on employment, criminal record, and financial history to ensure suitability for working in secure environments. Please note that UK residency requirements may apply for certain levels of clearance. You will also complete an Occupational Health Questionnaire so we can identify and provide any support you may need to undertake the role effectively.

Discover all you need to keep growing

We’re one of the top 1% of international employers, so you can have confidence you’ll be part of a highly supportive culture with leaders you can count on to help you achieve your goals. From mentoring and training to our focus on internal progression, we’re proud to offer clear development opportunities – and the support and tools to help you seize them.

What we offer

• Holidays: 25 days plus bank holidays
• Pension: Up to 6% contributory pension scheme
• Training and development: Over 1,100 internal courses available, funding for qualifications and apprenticeships, mentoring opportunities, and a focus on internal progression
• Health and wellbeing: Employee Assistance Programme, Bupa Anytime HealthLine, wellbeing app, 30% off at Serco-managed leisure centres, and 24/7 access to a virtual GP service
• Discounts: Discounts across around 1,000 retailers, from food and clothing to days out, entertainment and travel
• Charity: Paid volunteering day, tax-free charitable giving through Payroll Giving Scheme, donate your pennies from your monthly pay to the Serco People Fund Charity
• Employee networks: Our networks support inclusion and connection by providing spaces for collaboration, learning, and belonging. They represent and empower all our colleagues including LGBTQIA+ employees, women, parents and carers, people with disabilities, veterans, and people from all cultural backgrounds

Let’s impact a better future, together. Apply today.

A little bit about us: At Serco, everyone plays a vital part in delivering essential public services that make a real difference. As a global team of 50,000 people across Defence, Transport, Justice, Immigration, Healthcare, Leisure and Citizen Services, we’re united by a shared purpose: to improve the services that communities rely on. Guided by our values of Trust, Care, Innovation and Pride, our people make meaningful impact, every single day. Our inclusive recruitment commitment: We prioritise your skills and potential. As a Disability Confident Leader, the Top Great British Employer of Veterans 2026, and a Gold Inclusive Employer Standard holder, we champion equal opportunities for all. We offer flexible and hybrid working where possible and make reasonable adjustments throughout recruitment and employment.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme: Applicants with disabilities, veterans and people with convictions, who meet the minimum job criteria, are guaranteed an interview. Simply opt into the relevant scheme on the application form.

Ban The Box: We also support fair access for those with unspent criminal convictions through our ‘Ban the Box’ pledge (some roles may have security exemptions).

For support with your application, please contact recruitmentuk@serco.com.

Let’s impact a better future, together. Apply today.