Assistant Manager, Learning & Development
(16776)
Rare Finds is a diverse collection of resorts celebrating the individuality and unique identity of a destination, with a distinct ability to captivate the imagination, and bring to the forefront the essence of a place.
Authentic and captivating, Bab Al Shams Desert Resort is a truly magical destination, where expertly curated itineraries and bespoke entertainment are the beating heart of our legendary desert-based destination. Part of our unique Rare Finds collection, the essence of Bab Al Shams joins our guests together to discover the most soulful experiences and humbling journeys, set against Dubai’s endless dunes and rich culture.
About The Role
The Assistant Learning & Development Manager supports the General Manager in creating a culture of continuous learning, service excellence, and performance development. This role is responsible for planning, delivering, and evaluating learning interventions that align with the hotel's strategic goals. The role works closely with department heads and plays a key role in leadership development, onboarding, brand training, and service culture initiatives.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
• Develop and implement a hotel-wide learning and development plan aligned to business goals.
• Design and deliver tailored training programs that reflect the highest standards of ultra-luxury hospitality, including guest engagement, emotional intelligence, service etiquette, cultural awareness, and leadership development.
• Conduct learning needs analysis in collaboration with department heads and the General Manager.
• Manage learning budgets and the Kerzner Learning & Development annual process, following policy and procedure.
• Continuously evaluate training effectiveness using Kirkpatrick levels of evaluation and make data-driven improvements.
• Onboard new colleagues with an on-brand orientation program that immerses colleagues in the brand values and service culture.
• Effective Business Partnering periodically with HR and all operational leaders to support departmental training, talent development, succession planning, guest service, and business results.
• Support department heads and resort people leaders with the Personal Development Plans of their colleagues and track trends and action required, learning & training needs.
• Coordinate and manage LMS platforms, e-learning content, and luxury service certifications (e.g., Forbes standards).
• Maintain strong relationships with Global Learning & Organisational Development, Kerzner Global Office, all Kerzner Resorts, external training vendors, coaches, language instructors, and hospitality consultants.
• Drive, facilitate, and support all Kerzner core training programs and brand-specific programs, and learning initiatives.
• Design and deliver or provide resort-specific learning content and initiatives to support the needs of the business.
• Manage the Kerzner Trainers strategy, ensuring all levels of trainers are trained, tracked, engaged, and supported to enable effective business results.
• Select, train, monitor, engage, and recognise Departmental Trainers to create an effective learning culture in the resort and support business results.
• Recruit and manage the Kerzner Graduate Program, Internships, Localisation, and High Performer Programs in line with Kerzner's standard of design and delivery.
• Monitor industry trends in learning methods and tools and recommend enhancements.
• Maintain training records & complete reports to ensure compliance with mandatory training requirements.
• Promote a culture of learning through internal communication and marketing.
• Manage LinkedIn Learning account and have a clear strategy for how to utilise the licenses to develop colleagues and improve business results.
Experience & Educational Requirements
• Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management, Human Resources, Education, or related field (Master’s preferred).
• 3+ years of L&D experience in luxury or ultra-luxury hospitality.
• Proven experience designing and delivering soft-skills and service-focused training programs.
• Deep understanding of luxury service standards, brand alignment, and cultural nuances in guest service.
• Experience in facilitation of training and storytelling skills with the ability to inspire and motivate across cultures.
• Ability to build trust and influence leaders across departments.
• Proficiency in Learning Management Systems and digital learning tools.
Preferred Certifications:
• Certified Train the Trainer
• Departmental Trainer
Join a team that is warm,caring, connected and empowered to create truly unique experiences. We believe in making our guests happy beyond anything they have ever imagined. We wow them at every turn and create memories that will last a lifetime. You will be at the heart of this vision, to constantly innovate to deliver Amazing Experiences and Everlasting Memories.
