Learning & Development Manager Job Description
Hire a Learning & Development Manager who can design coherent learning strategies, manage delivery across channels and demonstrate measurable impact on skills and performance. This template helps you describe core accountabilities, essential skills and the outcomes the role must deliver.
What does a Learning & Development Manager professional do?
Leads L&D strategy, designs and delivers blended learning, manages suppliers and learning technology, measures impact and supports leadership and talent development.
Learning & Development Manager job description template
Use this employer-ready example as a starting point, then replace the placeholders and adjust the content so it accurately reflects your vacancy.
Learning & Development Manager
About the role
[Company] is recruiting a Learning & Development Manager to lead learning strategy and delivery across the organisation. You will design and run blended programmes (classroom, virtual classroom and digital), manage the learning calendar and suppliers, work with people managers to embed development plans, and evaluate learning outcomes to inform continuous improvement. Location: [Location]. Salary: [Salary range].
Key responsibilities
- Develop and maintain an L&D strategy aligned to business priorities and talent plans.
- Carry out training needs analysis and translate gaps into practical learning interventions.
- Design and deliver blended learning programmes, including onboarding, leadership and technical training.
- Manage the learning calendar, internal facilitators and external suppliers to ensure timely delivery.
- Oversee the organisation's learning technology (LMS/e-learning content), ensuring content is current and accessible.
- Set and monitor evaluation criteria (learning outcomes, behaviour change, business impact) and report outcomes to stakeholders.
- Manage L&D budgets and procurement for training services and tools.
- Coach and support line managers on integrating development into performance conversations.
Essential skills and experience
- Proven experience in a learning and development role with responsibility for designing and delivering programmes (typically 3+ years).
- Practical facilitation skills and experience delivering training to managers and colleagues at multiple levels.
- Experience of learning needs analysis and translating findings into effective interventions.
- Familiarity with learning technologies and platforms (LMS, video conferencing, authoring tools) and managing content lifecycle.
- Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills with experience working alongside HR business partners and senior managers.
- Good project management skills, including planning training schedules and managing suppliers.
- Ability to measure learning outcomes and present clear evaluation to non-L&D stakeholders.
Desirable
- Formal L&D or HR qualification (for example CIPD or equivalent) or professional membership.
- Experience of designing e-learning or using authoring tools.
- Coaching or instructional design certification.
- Experience working in a regulated or specialist sector relevant to the employer.
- Experience of managing a small L&D team or a portfolio of programmes with significant budget responsibility.
What we offer
- [Pension contribution]
- [Generous annual leave entitlement]
- [Hybrid working pattern]
- [Professional development budget or support for qualifications]
- [Healthcare or employee assistance programme]
- [Season-ticket loan / travel allowance]
How to apply
Apply with your CV and any additional information requested. Make the interview process, closing date and any assessment stages clear where known.
Use this as a starting point rather than a final advert. The strongest version will reflect the real role, salary, location, systems, responsibilities, benefits and working arrangements.
What is a Learning & Development Manager role?
A Learning & Development Manager designs, implements and evaluates learning programmes that build capability and support organisational goals. They work with business leaders and HR to identify skills gaps, create blended learning solutions, manage learning technology and suppliers, and measure the impact of development on performance and retention. The role often involves budgeting, reporting and coaching managers to embed learning at work.
Strategy & Design
Translate organisational priorities into a coherent learning plan and design blended interventions for different audiences.
Delivery & Facilitation
Deliver and coordinate classroom and virtual training, and equip internal trainers with materials and guidance.
Evaluation & Reporting
Measure learning outcomes, track key L&D metrics and present impact to senior stakeholders.
Typical Learning & Development Manager responsibilities
Responsibilities should reflect the real scope of the vacancy rather than every task someone in this profession might ever complete.
Develop
Develop and maintain an L&D strategy aligned to business priorities and talent plans.
Carry out training needs analysis
Carry out training needs analysis and translate gaps into practical learning interventions.
Design
Design and deliver blended learning programmes, including onboarding, leadership and technical training.
Manage the learning calendar
Manage the learning calendar, internal facilitators and external suppliers to ensure timely delivery.
Oversee the organisation's learning technology
Oversee the organisation's learning technology (LMS/e-learning content), ensuring content is current and accessible.
Set and monitor evaluation criteria
Set and monitor evaluation criteria (learning outcomes, behaviour change, business impact) and report outcomes to stakeholders.
Manage L&D budgets
Manage L&D budgets and procurement for training services and tools.
Coach
Coach and support line managers on integrating development into performance conversations.
Learning & Development Manager skills and experience to look for
Keep the essential list focused on what the person really needs to perform the role. Move useful-but-trainable experience into desirable criteria.
Usually worth prioritising
- Proven experience in a learning and development role with responsibility for designing and delivering programmes (typically 3+ years).
- Practical facilitation skills and experience delivering training to managers and colleagues at multiple levels.
- Experience of learning needs analysis and translating findings into effective interventions.
- Familiarity with learning technologies and platforms (LMS, video conferencing, authoring tools) and managing content lifecycle.
- Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills with experience working alongside HR business partners and senior managers.
- Good project management skills, including planning training schedules and managing suppliers.
- Ability to measure learning outcomes and present clear evaluation to non-L&D stakeholders.
Useful where relevant
- Formal L&D or HR qualification (for example CIPD or equivalent) or professional membership.
- Experience of designing e-learning or using authoring tools.
- Coaching or instructional design certification.
- Experience working in a regulated or specialist sector relevant to the employer.
- Experience of managing a small L&D team or a portfolio of programmes with significant budget responsibility.
See our guide to what to include in a job advert before publishing.
How to write a Learning & Development Manager job advert
Small role-specific details can make the advert much easier for suitable candidates to assess.
Lead with business outcomes
Describe the specific problems the role must solve (e.g. leadership pipeline, onboarding consistency, compliance training) rather than listing generic tasks.
Be specific about scope
Clarify whether the role covers the whole organisation, particular divisions, or specialist technical training to attract the right candidates.
State the balance of design vs delivery
Candidates need to know if the role focuses on hands-on facilitation, programme design, or strategic L&D leadership.
Mention tools and methods
Name the types of technology and learning approaches used (LMS, virtual classrooms, blended learning) without mandating brand names unless essential.
Outline success measures
Tell applicants how performance will be assessed (e.g. participant feedback, retention of learners, performance improvements).
Learning & Development Manager salary considerations
Pay for Learning & Development Managers varies widely. When setting a range, consider the role's seniority, the sector and the complexity of programmes, rather than using a single market number.
depending on experience
- Use a genuine range
- Separate variable pay
- Avoid “competitive” alone
- Match salary to seniority
What Learning & Development Manager candidates will want to know
Practical details can influence whether a suitable candidate applies, even when the title and salary are attractive.
What is the size and structure of the L&D team?
Experienced candidates will want to know whether they are leading a team, working solo or coordinating external trainers.
What budget and supplier relationships will I manage?
Clarity on budget responsibility and use of external providers helps candidates judge the seniority of the role.
Which learning technologies and authoring tools are used?
Candidates will want to understand the tech stack they will operate and whether they’ll have influence over tool selection.
Is the role hybrid, remote or site-based?
Specify expected on-site days and travel to regional offices or operational sites if applicable.
How is success measured for the role?
Candidates want to know the KPIs they’ll be accountable for (e.g. course completion, behaviour change, performance improvements).
What learning programmes are priorities in the first 6–12 months?
Outlining immediate priorities (e.g. leadership programme launch, revamped onboarding) helps candidates assess fit.
Where to post a Learning & Development Manager job
For Learning & Development Manager roles use a mix of general UK job boards and HR / L&D specialist channels to reach active applicants, and professional networks such as LinkedIn and CIPD groups to attract experienced practitioners. If the role requires sector-specific or technical expertise, add industry-focused sites and local professional networks; use social channels and internal talent pipelines to target passive candidates.
Related human resources & training job descriptions
Recruiting for a slightly different role? These templates may be a closer fit.
Learning & Development Manager job description FAQs
Should I require a CIPD qualification for a Learning & Development Manager?
CIPD or equivalent L&D qualifications are valuable but not always essential. Consider whether the role needs formal HR/L&D accreditation or practical experience in designing and delivering programmes — list the qualification as desirable unless it is a legal or sector requirement.
How long should the recruitment process take?
A typical hiring process for this role runs 4–8 weeks from advert to offer, depending on approval cycles and interview stages. Include time for practical assessment or presentation if you require demonstration of design and facilitation skills.
What assessment methods work well for L&D roles?
Combine a CV-screening stage with a short practical task (e.g. design a 30-minute session outline), an interview focusing on stakeholder examples and a presentation or micro-teach to assess facilitation and design thinking.
How should I write the advert to attract senior candidates?
Emphasise strategic responsibilities, scope (people, budget, geography), autonomy and measurable outcomes. Highlight opportunities for shaping L&D direction and access to senior stakeholders.
Is it important to state salary in the advert?
Providing a salary range helps manage candidate expectations and increases application quality. If you cannot publish a range, be clear about seniority and benefits to reduce unsuitable applications.
Ready to hire a Learning & Development Manager?
Use this template to build your advert, tailor the responsibilities and requirements to your organisation, and post across specialist HR channels and general job boards to reach the right candidates.
