Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Learning and Development Manager

🎯 Role Definition

The Learning and Development (L&D) Manager designs, implements, and measures enterprise learning strategies that accelerate employee performance, support business goals, and foster a culture of continuous learning. This role blends instructional design, learning technology administration (LMS), stakeholder partnership, and program management to deliver scalable classroom, blended, and digital learning solutions—focused on onboarding, leadership development, technical training, compliance, and performance improvement initiatives.

Primary goals:

Build a strategic learning roadmap aligned to business objectives and talent priorities.
Lead end-to-end design, delivery, and evaluation of high-impact learning programs.
Partner with HR, business leaders, and subject matter experts to close capability gaps.
Manage learning systems, budgets, vendors, and internal L&D operations.

Keywords: Learning and Development Manager, L&D, instructional design, learning strategy, LMS administration, training manager, leadership development, e-learning, talent development, corporate training, performance consulting.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Senior Learning Specialist / Senior Instructional Designer
Talent Development Specialist / Training Lead
HR Business Partner with training focus

Advancement To:

Head of Learning & Development
Director of Talent Management or Organizational Development
VP of People / Chief Learning Officer (for enterprise-level progression)

Lateral Moves:

Organizational Development Consultant
Leadership Development Manager
Talent Management Partner

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop and implement a multi-year, measurable learning and development strategy that aligns with organizational goals, talent priorities, and performance metrics; translate strategic priorities into a prioritized roadmap of programs, technologies, and resources.
Lead the end-to-end design, development, and delivery of blended learning solutions—including classroom, virtual instructor-led training (VILT), e-learning, microlearning, and on-the-job resources—using evidence-based instructional design models (ADDIE, SAM, Bloom’s taxonomy).
Conduct comprehensive needs assessments and learning gap analyses by partnering with HR business partners, leadership, and frontline managers to identify capability gaps and define measurable learning outcomes tied to business KPIs.
Create curriculum frameworks and modular learning pathways for onboarding, technical skills, leadership development, sales enablement, and compliance, ensuring consistency, transfer of learning, and career progression.
Own the learning technology stack: manage LMS administration (user setup, enrolments, reporting), oversee integrations with HRIS, enable SCORM/xAPI content, and lead vendor selection and management for external platforms and content providers.
Design and deliver train-the-trainer programs and facilitation guides to build internal trainer capacity, ensure program fidelity, and scale high-quality delivery across regions and functions.
Develop assessment and evaluation strategies—pre/post-tests, behavior-change measures, and ROI analysis—using Kirkpatrick or Phillips frameworks to demonstrate learning impact and continuously improve programs based on data.
Manage L&D program budgets, vendor contracts, and procurement processes; negotiate pricing, measure vendor performance, and ensure programs deliver value within financial constraints.
Partner with People Analytics and HRIS teams to track learning metrics, reporting dashboards, and insights (completion rates, competency growth, business-impact indicators) to inform leadership decisions.
Create compelling learning content—storyboards, facilitator guides, participant materials, scenario-based exercises, simulations, and video—either directly or in partnership with multimedia developers and instructional designers.
Lead cross-functional project management for major learning initiatives—product launches, compliance rollouts, change management programs—ensuring timelines, stakeholder alignment, and communication plans are executed.
Champion career and leadership development initiatives: design leadership curricula, succession planning interventions, coaching programs, and experiential learning opportunities to develop future leaders.
Ensure compliance with regulatory training requirements and maintain accurate records for audits; continuously update compliance content to reflect policy and regulatory changes.
Drive a culture of continuous learning by promoting learning campaigns, internal communications, communities of practice, and knowledge-sharing forums to increase learner engagement and adoption.
Implement personalization and adaptive learning strategies—competency frameworks, learning paths, and role-based curricula—so employees receive targeted development relevant to their job and career stage.
Evaluate and implement modern learning methods and technologies such as microlearning, mobile learning, gamification, social learning, and performance support tools to improve retention and on-the-job application.
Provide coaching and performance consultation to leaders and managers to embed learning into business processes, reinforce behaviors, and align development plans with team objectives.
Establish governance and quality standards for learning content, ensuring accessibility, inclusivity, and alignment to adult learning principles and organizational values.
Monitor and report on L&D KPIs—time-to-proficiency, training ROI, learner satisfaction (NPS), completion rates, competency attainment—and translate insights into strategic recommendations for leadership.
Lead talent development initiatives tied to DEI, employee engagement, retention, and upskilling/reskilling programs to address evolving workforce needs and technological change.
Oversee certification programs and external credentialing partnerships, managing assessment standards, renewals, and recognition pathways for professional development.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc stakeholder requests for targeted training interventions such as rapid upskilling before product launches or mergers and acquisitions integration learning.
Maintain and improve standard operating procedures (SOPs) for course development lifecycle, vendor evaluation, and content governance to increase delivery efficiency and reduce time-to-launch.
Run pilot programs and rapid experimentation to test new instructional approaches, gather learner feedback, and iterate on prototypes before enterprise-wide rollout.
Collaborate with HR, talent acquisition, and onboarding teams to align new-hire learning journeys with employer brand and early retention strategies.
Assist in developing change management communications and reinforcement plans that accompany learning programs to maximize adoption.
Facilitate internal cross-functional workshops to capture tacit knowledge from subject matter experts and convert it into reusable learning assets.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Instructional design and curriculum development using adult learning theory (ADDIE/SAM) and experience creating learning journeys, storyboards, and assessments.
Learning Management System (LMS) administration and reporting (e.g., Cornerstone, Workday Learning, Moodle, TalentLMS, SAP SuccessFactors).
E-learning authoring tools (e.g., Articulate Storyline, Rise, Adobe Captivate, Camtasia) and familiarity with SCORM/xAPI standards.
Learning analytics and evaluation—ability to design and interpret pre/post assessments, KPI dashboards, and ROI calculations (Kirkpatrick/Phillips).
Project and program management skills, including Agile or other iterative development methods for learning projects; ability to manage multiple concurrent initiatives.
Vendor management and procurement experience for training providers, content platforms, and external facilitators.
Familiarity with HR systems and integrations (HRIS, performance management systems) and basic data manipulation for reporting (Excel, Power BI/Tableau a plus).
Facilitation, virtual classroom delivery, and train-the-trainer capability across diverse audiences and geographic regions.
Experience with blended learning strategies, microlearning design, mobile learning, and multimedia production workflows.
Knowledge of compliance training requirements and regulatory training administration relevant to the industry (e.g., data privacy, workplace safety).

Soft Skills

Strong stakeholder management and partnership skills—ability to influence business leaders and translate business needs into learning solutions.
Communication skills: exceptional verbal and written communication for storytelling, executive presentations, and learning marketing.
Coaching and people development mindset—able to mentor others, provide feedback, and foster a learning culture.
Strategic thinking and business acumen—connect learning initiatives to measurable business outcomes and talent metrics.
Change management competency—navigate organizational change and design reinforcement strategies to drive behavior change.
Creative problem-solving and adaptability—innovate under constraints and pivot based on learner feedback and evolving business priorities.
Empathy and learner-centric orientation—design with accessibility, inclusion, and diverse learner needs in mind.
Collaboration and cross-functional teamwork—work effectively with HR, product, operations, and IT partners.
Time management and prioritization—deliver high-quality programs on tight timelines and manage competing priorities.
Analytical mindset—interpret data to make evidence-based decisions and continuous improvements.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Education, Organizational Development, Instructional Design, Psychology, Business Administration, or related field.

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree in Organizational Development, Learning & Development, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Education Technology, MBA, or related advanced degree.
Certifications such as ATD CPLP, SHRM, CPL, Certified Professional in Talent Development, or Instructional Design certifications are a plus.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Instructional Design / Educational Technology
Organizational Development / Industrial-Organizational Psychology
Human Resources Management
Business Administration / Leadership Development

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

5–10 years of progressive experience in learning and development, instructional design, or talent development with 2–4 years in a leadership or managerial role.

Preferred:

8+ years of L&D experience with proven track record building enterprise learning programs, managing LMS systems, and demonstrating measurable impact on performance and business outcomes.
Experience leading cross-functional teams, managing budgets, and working in fast-paced, matrixed organizations, ideally with exposure to global or multi-site programs.