Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Learning & Development Manager

🎯 Role Definition

The Learning & Development Manager designs, implements and measures learning initiatives that enable business strategy, close capability gaps and drive employee engagement. This role partners with HR, business leaders and external vendors to build blended learning programs — including onboarding, leadership development, technical training, compliance, and continuous learning — and owns the learning lifecycle from needs analysis through evaluation and continuous improvement. Strong experience with LMS administration, instructional design, facilitation, and learning analytics is essential.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Training Specialist / Senior Trainer
Instructional Designer / E‑Learning Developer
HR Generalist with L&D responsibilities

Advancement To:

Senior Manager, Learning & Development
Head of Talent Development / Director of L&D
Chief Learning Officer / VP People & Culture

Lateral Moves:

Organizational Development Manager
Talent Management Manager
Leadership Development Consultant

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead the end-to-end design, development and delivery of blended learning programs (instructor-led, virtual instructor-led, e-learning, microlearning and on-the-job) aligned to business priorities and competency frameworks.
Conduct systematic Training Needs Analysis and capability gap assessments using stakeholder interviews, performance data, competency frameworks and employee feedback to set annual learning priorities.
Develop curricula, learning journeys and modular content for onboarding, leadership development, manager enablement and technical upskilling programs that support career paths and succession planning.
Create measurable learning objectives and success criteria for each program; align learning outcomes to business KPIs such as time-to-proficiency, performance improvement, retention and engagement.
Lead instructional design using adult learning principles, learning science and best practices; author storyboards, scripts and assessments and oversee multimedia production for interactive e-learning modules.
Manage and administer the Learning Management System (LMS): upload courses (SCORM/xAPI), configure learning paths, manage user roles, run reports, automate enrollments and troubleshoot learner issues.
Facilitate instructor-led training and virtual workshops; prepare and coach internal trainers through train-the-trainer programs to scale delivery across regions.
Partner with business leaders and HR stakeholders to embed learning into performance management, talent reviews and individual development plans.
Design evaluation frameworks (Kirkpatrick, Phillips ROI) and conduct post-program evaluation, pre/post testing, behavioral observation and longitudinal impact studies to demonstrate learning effectiveness.
Build and maintain relationships with external vendors, content partners and subject matter experts; manage RFPs, procurement, vendor SLAs and vendor performance reviews.
Implement leadership development initiatives including high-potential programs, coaching, mentoring frameworks and succession readiness assessments that strengthen bench strength.
Develop and manage the L&D budget, track program costs, negotiate commercial agreements and recommend investments in learning technology and content.
Lead the roll-out and adoption of digital learning tools and platforms (e.g., LMS, virtual classroom, authoring tools, microlearning apps), and champion self-directed learning and a growth mindset culture.
Curate and maintain a learning catalog and content library, ensuring currency, relevance and compliance with brand and legal standards.
Align training and compliance programs to regulatory requirements; coordinate mandatory training, certifications and audit-ready reporting for regulated functions.
Collaborate with People Analytics to define and track learning metrics, generate dashboards and translate data into actionable recommendations for program optimization.
Design competency models and role-based learning pathways that map skills to business capability requirements and support internal mobility.
Lead complex L&D projects using project management best practices: define scope, timelines, resource allocation, risk mitigation and stakeholder communications.
Coach and mentor managers on effective performance conversations, development planning and feedback techniques that accelerate employee growth.
Drive change management and communication strategies for new learning programs and technology launches to ensure adoption and sustained behavior change.
Oversee content localization and cultural adaptation for global roll-outs; coordinate translation, regional SME review and local delivery partners.
Ensure quality assurance for all learning deliverables through peer reviews, pilot sessions, learner feedback loops and iterative content refinement.

Secondary Functions

Maintain the L&D calendar, coordinate course scheduling and manage logistics for classroom and virtual delivery.
Support ad-hoc capability projects and cross-functional initiatives such as digital transformation, process rollout training and system change adoption.
Provide hands-on LMS reporting and ad-hoc learner analytics to support audits, compliance checks and senior leadership requests.
Evaluate new learning technologies and vendors; prepare business cases and pilots for scalable learning solutions (microlearning platforms, VR/AR, simulation-based learning).
Produce and present concise L&D reports and insights to senior leadership, demonstrating ROI, resource needs and strategic recommendations.
Maintain relationships with external accreditation bodies and industry partners to secure relevant certifications and external recognition.
Act as point-of-contact for employee learning queries; advise managers on development plans, career progression and learning resources.
Facilitate internal communities of practice and learning champions to increase peer-to-peer learning and knowledge sharing.
Support employer branding and talent attraction by showcasing learning programs and development opportunities in recruitment materials.
Contribute to cross-HR initiatives including diversity, equity & inclusion training, wellbeing programs and organizational development projects.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Learning Needs Analysis — proven ability to conduct gap analysis and translate business requirements into learning solutions.
Instructional Design & Curriculum Development — experience with ADDIE, SAM or other instructional design methodologies.
LMS Administration — hands-on experience administering enterprise LMS platforms (e.g., Cornerstone, SuccessFactors, Workday Learning, Docebo).
E‑Learning Authoring Tools — proficiency with Articulate Storyline, Rise, Adobe Captivate or similar tools and SCORM/xAPI packaging.
Virtual Facilitation Tools — skilled in delivering virtual training using Zoom, MS Teams, Webex and virtual classroom platforms.
Learning Evaluation & Metrics — ability to design evaluation frameworks (Kirkpatrick/Phillips) and measure program impact with learning analytics.
Project Management — manage multi-stream L&D projects, timelines, budgets and vendor contracts.
Content Curation & Multimedia Production — experience commissioning video, interactive media and bite-sized learning assets.
Coaching & Leadership Development — expertise in designing/coaching leadership programs, mentoring schemes and succession planning.
Compliance & Regulatory Training — experience developing mandatory/compliance training with audit-ready reporting.
Data Analysis & Reporting — comfortable with Excel, Tableau, Power BI or HR analytics tools to produce insights and dashboards.
Budgeting & Vendor Management — manage program budgets, negotiate vendor agreements and assess ROI for learning investments.
Competency Framework Design — develop role-based competencies and link them to learning pathways and career ladders.

Soft Skills

Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills — builds credibility with senior leaders and business partners.
Excellent verbal and written communication — crafts clear learning narratives, executive summaries and training materials.
Strategic thinking — aligns L&D strategy with business goals and long-term capability plans.
Facilitation and presentation skills — confident public speaker and workshop facilitator.
Collaboration and relationship building — works cross-functionally and fosters partnerships with SMEs.
Adaptability and resilience — manages ambiguity and adapts programs for changing business needs.
Problem solving and critical thinking — uses data to diagnose issues and propose pragmatic learning solutions.
Empathy and learner-centric mindset — designs programs that consider diverse learning styles and accessibility.
Attention to detail and quality focus — ensures accuracy in assessments, compliance documentation and content production.
Time management and prioritization — balances multiple projects and delivery deadlines effectively.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

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

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree in Learning & Development, Organizational Development, Education Technology, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, MBA or related field.
Relevant certifications (e.g., CPLP, ATD, CIPD, SHRM, Certified Instructional Designer).

Relevant Fields of Study:

Human Resources Management
Instructional Design & Educational Technology
Organizational Psychology
Business Administration
Adult Learning / Education

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

5–10 years in learning & development, training design/delivery or talent development with progressive responsibility.

Preferred:

7+ years of L&D experience including end-to-end program management, LMS administration and leading cross-functional initiatives.
Demonstrated experience designing leadership development and manager enablement programs and measuring learning impact in a mid-to-large enterprise or fast-growth environment.