Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Training & Development Specialist

🎯 Role Definition

The Training & Development Specialist is a learning professional who partners with business leaders and HR to design, develop, deliver and evaluate high-impact learning interventions across the employee lifecycle. This role leads needs analysis, builds blended learning curricula (instructor-led, virtual, and e-learning), administers learning platforms (LMS), measures training effectiveness with learning metrics and ROI, and coaches managers to embed new behaviors. The Specialist balances hands-on course development and facilitation with stakeholder management, vendor coordination, and continuous improvement to ensure training aligns to performance goals and organizational strategy.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

HR Generalist or HR Coordinator transitioning into learning and development.
Instructional Designer or Learning Content Developer with hands-on design experience.
Training Coordinator or Learning Administrator supporting onboarding and LMS operations.

Advancement To:

Senior Training & Development Specialist
Learning & Development Manager / L&D Team Lead
Organizational Development Manager / Talent Development Partner
Director of Learning & Development

Lateral Moves:

HR Business Partner (with a focus on performance and talent)
Change Management Consultant
Talent Acquisition Specialist (learning-centric roles)
Employee Experience or Engagement Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Conduct thorough training needs analysis by partnering with business leaders, HR partners, and frontline managers to identify capability gaps, performance drivers, and priority learning outcomes; synthesize qualitative and quantitative inputs into a prioritized learning roadmap.
Design end-to-end blended learning programs (instructor-led, virtual ILT, microlearning, e-learning modules, on-the-job coaching) using instructional design principles (ADDIE, Bloom’s taxonomy) to ensure curriculum maps to measurable performance objectives.
Develop and author high-quality learning materials, including facilitator guides, participant workbooks, multimedia presentations, e-learning modules (SCORM/xAPI), job aids, assessments, and certification pathways that are accessible and mobile-friendly.
Facilitate instructor-led and virtual training sessions for diverse learner populations, using adult-learning techniques, interactive activities, role-plays, and scenario-based learning to maximize retention and on-the-job transfer.
Administer and configure the Learning Management System (LMS): manage course catalog, user enrollments, certification tracking, compliance mandates, reporting, integrations (HRIS), and periodic system audits to maintain data integrity.
Build and deploy evaluation frameworks (Kirkpatrick levels, transfer of training, pre/post-assessments, behavior change metrics) and produce executive-ready learning impact reports that tie training outcomes to business KPIs.
Partner with subject matter experts (SMEs) and functional leaders to translate technical content into learner-focused curricula; manage SMEs through content validation, pilot testing, and iterative refinement cycles.
Create and maintain a training calendar and learning pathways aligned with business cycles (onboarding, product launches, regulatory updates, leadership development) and coordinate logistics for multi-location delivery.
Manage vendor relationships for external training providers, e-learning development partners, and certification bodies; draft SOWs, evaluate proposals, monitor deliverables, and measure vendor performance.
Lead new hire onboarding learning tracks: design role-specific onboarding journeys, coordinate orientation sessions, ensure early competency development and reduce time-to-full-productivity metrics.
Implement and maintain continuous learning programs such as coaching circles, peer learning, communities of practice, and informal learning channels to build a culture of ongoing development.
Develop assessments, certification exams, checklists, and proficiency matrices to validate skill acquisition and support promotion or role-readiness decisions.
Design microlearning assets—short videos, job aids, quick reference guides, and interactive modules—for performance support and just-in-time learning integrated into daily workflows.
Oversee training budgets for programs, materials, and external vendors; track cost-per-learner metrics and identify efficiency improvements while maintaining quality outcomes.
Lead change management and communications for major learning initiatives, ensuring leaders are equipped to reinforce behaviors, and employees understand desired outcomes and available resources.
Maintain compliance and regulatory training programs, ensuring mandatory training is current, tracked, and aligned to legal or industry standards.
Use learning analytics and workforce data to identify trends, predict future skill needs, and recommend strategic upskilling/reskilling initiatives that support talent pipelines.
Coach and mentor managers on performance conversations, career development plans, and how to reinforce on-the-job learning to sustain behavior change.
Run pilot programs and A/B testing of new learning modalities or content formats; collect feedback, iterate quickly, and scale successful pilots enterprise-wide.
Ensure learning content meets accessibility standards (WCAG) and inclusive design principles; adapt materials for diverse learner populations and multilingual audiences when needed.
Create and maintain a library of reusable learning assets and templates to accelerate content development and ensure consistent quality across training offerings.
Coordinate logistics for in-person events (venues, materials, AV), virtual live training (platform setup, breakout organization), and hybrid delivery to guarantee seamless learner experiences.
Track participant engagement and completion rates, escalate at-risk cohorts, and work with managers to drive adoption of mandatory and development-focused learning.
Serve as a point of contact for escalations related to training quality, learner satisfaction, and content inaccuracies; implement corrective actions and continuous improvements.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc reporting requests and provide exploratory learning analytics to HR partners and business leaders.
Contribute to the organization’s learning strategy and multi-year roadmap by recommending scalable models for leadership programs, technical upskilling, and career frameworks.
Collaborate with HRIS and IT teams to ensure LMS integrations, single sign-on (SSO), and data flows support accurate reporting and a seamless learner experience.
Assist in pilot programs for emerging learning technologies (AI-enabled coaching, virtual reality, adaptive learning engines) and recommend adoption strategies.
Maintain training documentation, version control, and a central knowledge repository to reduce duplication and accelerate new course launches.
Partner with talent acquisition and onboarding teams to ensure new hire learning paths are aligned to role requirements and employer brand.
Provide day-to-day support for trainers, subject matter experts, and external facilitators on pedagogy, platform usage, and learner engagement best practices.
Monitor industry trends, benchmarks, and best practices in corporate learning and recommend adoption to enhance learning effectiveness.
Participate in cross-functional project teams to align training deliverables with product launches, process changes, and strategic initiatives.
Support development of leadership calibration and succession planning activities by providing learning insights and competency mapping.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Learning Needs Analysis and Competency Mapping — ability to conduct gap analyses and translate business objectives into prioritized learning initiatives.
Instructional Design (ADDIE, Bloom’s Taxonomy, SAM) — experience designing curriculum, storyboards, and assessments.
LMS Administration — experience with platforms such as Cornerstone, Workday Learning, Docebo, SAP SuccessFactors, Moodle, or similar (course setup, user management, reporting).
E-learning Authoring Tools — proficiency in Articulate Storyline, Rise, Adobe Captivate, or similar for rapid e-learning development.
SCORM/xAPI and Learning Standards — understanding packaging, tracking, and reporting e-learning content and learning activity statements.
Virtual Training & Webinars — experience delivering effective live virtual training using Zoom, WebEx, Teams, or similar with breakout/interaction best practices.
Learning Analytics & Reporting — ability to build dashboards, interpret data, and present training ROI and impact to stakeholders.
Content Production — basic multimedia skills (video scripting, editing, audio capture), ability to produce short learning videos and microlearning assets.
Program & Project Management — manage timelines, budgets, vendors and multiple concurrent program launches using Agile or traditional PM approaches.
Compliance & Regulatory Training Management — design, manage and report on mandatory training requirements and certifications.
Change Management Fundamentals — familiarity with ADKAR, stakeholder analysis, and communication planning to support behavior adoption.
Accessibility & Inclusive Design — ensure materials meet accessibility requirements and support diverse learning needs.
Performance Assessment Design — develop assessments, proficiency rubrics, and validation frameworks to measure skill transfer.

Soft Skills

Facilitation & Presentation — strong, engaging facilitator capable of delivering to diverse audiences and levels of the organization.
Stakeholder Management — ability to influence and build trusted partnerships with business leaders and SMEs.
Coaching & Mentoring — coach managers and individual contributors to apply new skills on the job.
Analytical Thinking — use data and insights to prioritize initiatives and demonstrate impact.
Communication & Storytelling — craft clear learning narratives and executive summaries that connect training to business outcomes.
Adaptability & Continuous Learning — stay curious and rapidly iterate on content and delivery methods in a changing environment.
Project Prioritization — strong organizational skills and the ability to manage competing deadlines with attention to detail.
Empathy & Learner-Centered Mindset — design with learners’ motivations and constraints in mind.
Problem-Solving — diagnose performance barriers and propose practical training and non-training solutions.
Collaboration & Teamwork — work cross-functionally to co-create learning solutions and scale best practices.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

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

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree in Organizational Development, Adult Learning, Education Technology, Human Resources, or MBA with a focus on talent development.
Certifications such as CPTD, CPLP, ATD Master Trainer, or Instructional Design certificates are a plus.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Adult Education / Adult Learning Theory
Instructional Design / Educational Technology
Organizational Development / Human Resources
Psychology / Learning Sciences
Business Administration / Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 2–7 years of experience in corporate training, instructional design, or learning program delivery.

Preferred:

4–7+ years of progressive experience designing and delivering learning programs in a corporate environment.
Demonstrated experience with an LMS, e-learning authoring tools, and measurable impact on business outcomes.
Experience working with cross-functional stakeholders, managing external vendors, and running enterprise-scale training initiatives.