SEAN MCKENNA
Retford,Notts
Summary
Strategic leader in talent and leadership development with extensive experience in financial services. Proven expertise in creating succession pipelines and frameworks that enhance organizational effectiveness and culture. Trusted advisor to executives, translating business strategies into actionable, data-driven talent solutions that reduce risk and boost performance.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
Work History
Learning & Development Manager (Global)
ZEDRA
11.2022 - Current
- Strategic lead for global L&D, talent development and capability strategy across multiple jurisdictions.
- Designed and delivered a global capability, leadership and career architecture, embedding consistent standards for role expectations, leadership behaviours and progression.
- Designed and implemented a global leadership development ecosystem for executive, senior leader and manager pathways.
- Partnered with senior leaders to identify future skills gaps and long-term capability needs, translating insights into targeted development pathways and succession actions.
- Advisor to Managing Directors, senior leaders and HRBPs on leadership strength, succession risk, regulatory capability and organisational effectiveness.
- Built and embedded a global learning and leadership governance framework ensuring quality, consistency, regulatory alignment and strong risk controls.
- Owned global L&D investment strategy, optimising spend and enhancing supplier management to maximise ROI.
- Introduced succession and leadership pipeline processes to identify critical-role risks and future capability gaps.
- Established data-led reporting on talent metrics and learning impact, providing insights into capability health and emerging risks for Executive Committee.
- Partnered with Compliance and Risk teams to integrate conduct risk, SMCR expectations and regulatory findings into leadership capability development.
- Strengthened organisational culture by embedding leadership expectations aligned to values, conduct principles and customer outcomes.
- Transformed global onboarding to improve time-to-competence, regulatory readiness and cultural alignment.
- Drove adoption of blended learning and digital tools, leveraging internal expertise to create scalable, impactful development solutions.
- Designed the organisation's first enterprise-wide role levelling, competency and career pathway framework.
- Global Financial Services (Highly Regulated)
Training & Development Consultant
The Bank of East Asia
05.2020 - 11.2022
- Managed L&D budget and leadership training portfolio while optimising LMS and developing competence frameworks to support employee growth and regulatory adherence.
- Led management development and regulatory learning programmes aligned with FCA principles and banking regulatory frameworks to enhance compliance and organisational effectiveness.
- Banking (Regulated)
Training & Development / Operational Leadership
Foundation Home Loans
05.2017 - 06.2020
- Championed training and development strategies to elevate overall operational performance across the organisation.
- Spearheaded leadership and management development initiatives across organisation, enhancing leadership capability and driving operational performance.
- Revamped digital learning and onboarding processes, promoting business readiness and enhancing employee experience.
Senior L&D Specialist
Foundation Home Loans
08.2019 - 05.2020
- Delivered leadership and management development programmes across organisation, strengthening leadership capability and driving operational performance.
- Modernised digital learning and onboarding processes, enhancing business readiness and improving new employee experience.
- Measured quality and effectiveness of training programmes using established methods.
- Developed complete training programs and led training using expert learning techniques.
- Assessed training needs of individuals and organisations and helped set up programs to meet needs.
Learning & Development / Operations
Pepper UK
08.2015 - 01.2017
- Designed HIPOT training programme identifying high potential individuals and providing tailored development plans for their next roles.
- Designed and delivered training content for organisation, including induction materials, soft skills, management development, and operational effectiveness.
- Created end-to-end onboarding process improving employee experience, reducing attrition, and expediting time to effectiveness for new employees.
Training & Quality
Experto Credite
05.2015 - 08.2015
Team Leader / Training Support
TDL International
09.2014 - 03.2015
Customer Service & Leadership Pathway
Metro Bank
09.2011 - 08.2014
Education
CIPD Level 5 - Learning & Development
CIPD
2020
BA (Hons) - Film & Television Studies
University of Wales Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth2008
TAP Training Delivery Qualification - Training Delivery
TAP
Skills
- Talent Analytics
- Learning Ecosystems
- Leadership development
- Workforce planning
- Organisational development
- Career pathways
- Change Management
- Digital Enablement/AI
- Workforce Insights
- Talent strategy
- L&D/Talent Budget
- Vendor Management
- Programme Management
- Senior Stakeholder Influence
Custom Section
- Talent Strategy & Succession Architecture
- Leadership Development & Executive Capability
- Workforce Planning & Future Skills
- Organisational Development & Culture
- FCA Conduct Principles, SMCR & Regulatory Alignment
- Career Pathways & Internal Mobility
- Talent Governance, Risk Mitigation & Workforce Insights
- Senior Stakeholder Influence & Executive Advisory
- Learning Ecosystems & Digital Enablement
- L&D/Talent Budget, Vendor & Programme Management
Websites, Portfolios and Profiles
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-mckenna-286bb272
Additional information
Camera Technician - Tokyo 2020 & Beijing 2022 Olympic Games, London Marathon Finisher - Macmillan Cancer Support
Languages
English
First Language
German
Elementary
A2
Timeline
Learning & Development Manager (Global)
ZEDRA
11.2022 - Current
Training & Development Consultant
The Bank of East Asia
05.2020 - 11.2022
Senior L&D Specialist
Foundation Home Loans
08.2019 - 05.2020
Training & Development / Operational Leadership
Foundation Home Loans
05.2017 - 06.2020
Learning & Development / Operations
Pepper UK
08.2015 - 01.2017
Training & Quality
Experto Credite
05.2015 - 08.2015
Team Leader / Training Support
TDL International
09.2014 - 03.2015
Customer Service & Leadership Pathway
Metro Bank
09.2011 - 08.2014
CIPD Level 5 - Learning & Development
CIPD
BA (Hons) - Film & Television Studies
University of Wales Aberystwyth
TAP Training Delivery Qualification - Training Delivery
TAP