UK

United Kingdom · Learning and development · Mid-Level (2-5 years)

Learning & Development Specialist

Here is the whole job, in plain words. What it is, what you decide, how you're judged, how people get here and where they go next. Then the part no course gives you: twelve AI tutors who learn your work.

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Free to start: a plan built for this role, and a Future Fluency module to try first. No card.

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One email: what AI is changing in this job, and where to start free. With a link back here. Nothing else follows unless you confirm your address.

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  • Experience bandMid-Level (2-5 years)
  • Direct reportsNo direct reports
  • Reports toSenior Learning & Development Specialist
  • UK framework levelUsually a coordinator, or early in a professional job

Also advertised as HR and L&D Manager · Training Specialist · L&D Programme Coordinator

Built on 43,079 real UK job descriptions we analysed · grounded in qualifications employers recognise

Two short quizzes about you

1From this job to a course

The qualifications matched to this job

SFJ Awards Level 3 Certificate In Learning and Development SFJ Awards · Level 3 · covers 5 of 10 standards
City & Guilds Level 4 Diploma in Learning and Development City & Guilds Limited · Level 4 · covers 4 of 10 standards
OCNLR Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training OCN London · Level 4 · covers 3 of 10 standards
Focus Awards Level 3 Diploma in Playwork (RQF) Focus Awards Limited · Level 3 · covers 2 of 10 standards
TQUK Level 3 Diploma in Specialist Support for Teaching and Learning in Schools (RQF) Training Qualifications UK Ltd · Level 3 · covers 1 of 10 standards
Open Awards Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training (RQF) Open Awards · Level 4 · covers 1 of 10 standards

Matched from the standards this job is measured against: a suggestion, not an official ruling.

The units you would start with

Identify individual learning and development needs SFJ Awards Level 3 Certificate In Learning and Development
Provide learning opportunities for colleagues Focus Awards Level 3 Diploma in Playwork (RQF)
Support learning and development within own area of responsibility TQUK Level 3 Diploma in Specialist Support for Teaching and Learning in Schools (RQF)
Manage Learning and Development in Groups Open Awards Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training (RQF)

The future skills this job leans on

AI Fluency working with AI as a thinking partner
Data Fluency turning numbers into a decision
AI Governance Fluency using AI responsibly
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Your Plan Illustration

Built for Learning & Development Specialist

4 units that map to this job, from the qualifications that cover it.

  1. Identify individual learning and development needs SFJ Awards · covers 5 of 10 standards Level 3
  2. Provide learning opportunities for colleagues Focus Awards Limited · covers 2 of 10 standards Level 3
  3. Support learning and development within own area of responsibility Training Qualifications UK Ltd · covers 1 of 10 standards Level 3
  4. Manage Learning and Development in Groups Open Awards · covers 1 of 10 standards Level 4
These are the real units behind this job, in the order they rank for it. Nothing here is marked done, because this plan has not been started by anyone yet. Yours would fill in as you go.

2AI and this work

Will AI change your work as a Learning & Development Specialist?

Nobody can say exactly how. Here is what this job is being asked for next, and where to start.

The new skills this role is being asked for

  • Prompt Engineering & AI-Assisted Content Refinement
  • Data Storytelling (Basic)
Why each one is rising

The future skills this job leans on

We'll only ever tell you what we can actually back up. No hype, no scare tactics.

What happens when you start

Next, a free account. We build your Learning & Development Specialist plan as you set up, starting with a Future Fluency module on using AI in your job. No card.

Your first Future Fluency module is free. After that, your AI tutor is £70 a month.

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3What this role really is

You take a course design and turn it into a working programme, e-learning module or classroom session. This means checking every part is in place so people actually learn something useful. It involves managing the day-to-day, and making sure colleagues get the skills they need. You own specific parts of a learning programme, and keep them running smoothly from start to finish.

4What you'd actually use

The tools this job runs on, and how well you'd need to know each one.

Cornerstone OnDemand / Docebo / LearnUpon (LMS) Intermediate

Managing user profiles, uploading SCORM packages, creating and scheduling courses, running standard completion reports, troubleshooting basic user access issues.

Degreed / EdCast / 360Learning (LXP) Intermediate

Curating content into existing pathways, answering basic user queries about the platform, tagging content with existing skill taxonomies, monitoring basic engagement metrics.

Articulate 360 (Rise & Storyline) Intermediate

Creating simple, template-based e-learning modules in Rise, making basic edits to existing Storyline files, adding quizzes and interactive elements.

Workday HCM (Learning Module) / SAP SuccessFactors Basic

Looking up employee data, assigning training based on job profiles, verifying completion data syncs from the LMS, running basic reports on employee training history.

Microsoft Excel / Basic Power BI Intermediate

Exporting data from LMS/HRIS into Excel, creating pivot tables and charts for monthly reporting, building simple dashboards in Power BI based on pre-existing templates.

MS Teams / Zoom / Miro Intermediate

Scheduling and facilitating virtual sessions, managing registrations, launching polls, setting up breakout rooms, using digital whiteboards (Miro) for interactive activities.

Qualtrics / SurveyMonkey Intermediate

Deploying pre-built 'smile sheet' surveys, creating simple feedback forms, exporting raw response data for analysis.

5What you get to decide, and how that grows

Power in a job isn't your title. It's what you're allowed to decide. Here's how it grows as you move up.

The choiceComing in Where you are nowThe step above
Programme Scheduling & Logistics Follows pre-defined schedule; escalates any conflicts or changes. Adjusts schedules for minor conflicts; independently manages all logistics for assigned programmes; informs manager of significant changes. Optimises overall programme calendar; approves significant logistical changes; defines best practices for logistics management.
Content Creation & Updates Makes basic edits to existing materials under supervision; uploads content to LMS. Independently builds basic e-learning modules from outlines; proposes minor content updates for existing programmes; seeks review for new content. Designs end-to-end learning solutions; defines content standards; coaches junior designers; approves content prior to launch.
Learner Support & Queries Answers basic FAQs; escalates complex or unusual queries to supervisor. Resolves most learner queries independently; identifies recurring issues and proposes solutions; escalates only true exceptions. Defines learner support protocols; handles escalated complex issues; mentors team on effective query resolution.
Vendor Engagement (Training Providers) Coordinates bookings and confirms details with pre-approved vendors. Manages relationships with existing vendors for specific programmes; raises issues or concerns; may research new vendors for minor needs (under £1,000). Evaluates and selects new vendors (up to £5K); negotiates contracts; manages vendor performance for key programmes.

6How you'll be judged

The scoreboard, and what is not on it. The hard targets, how often each is actually looked at, and the quiet signals that never reach a dashboard.

LMS Data Accuracy & Programme Scheduling
Ensuring all learning records, enrolments, and session schedules in the Learning Management System (LMS) are correct and up-to-date.
Target · 98%+ accuracy rate

If we schedule 50 training sessions in a month, no more than one should have incorrect details (e.g., wrong room, time, or facilitator listed). Same goes for learner completion records.

Level 1 Learner Feedback (Smile Sheets)
The immediate feedback learners give after a session on how much they enjoyed it, felt it was relevant, and if the facilitator was good.
Target · Average score of 4.3/5.0 across all programmes delivered or supported

For the 'New Starter Onboarding' programme, if the average score for 'relevance' is 4.5, you're hitting the mark. If 'facilitator effectiveness' drops below 4.0, we'll need to figure out why.

Compliance Training Completion Rate
The percentage of employees who complete mandatory compliance training programmes by their given deadline.
Target · 95%+ completion rate for all assigned compliance modules

If 1,000 employees are assigned 'GDPR Essentials', we expect at least 950 to have completed it before the deadline. You'll be chasing the stragglers, which isn't always fun, but it's crucial.

On-Time Programme Delivery
The percentage of learning programmes or content development projects that are delivered or launched by their agreed-upon deadlines.
Target · 90%+ of projects delivered on time

If you're tasked with building a new e-learning module by 15 March, it needs to be ready for launch then. Missing deadlines means people don't get the training they need when they need it.

Learner Engagement & Participation
How actively learners participate in sessions, ask questions, and apply what they've learned during the programme itself.
  • Facilitator feedback noting active participation
  • high completion rates for interactive elements in e-learning
  • learners asking follow-up questions
  • positive anecdotal feedback from managers about post-training behaviour.
Stakeholder Satisfaction (Managers)
How happy managers are with the learning programmes you deliver, specifically regarding their team's skill development and the ease of engaging with L&D.
  • Managers proactively reaching out for advice
  • positive comments in informal chats or HRBP reviews
  • willingness to recommend programmes to other teams
  • clear, concise communication that keeps them informed without overwhelming them.
Quality of Content Production
The clarity, accuracy, and engagement level of any e-learning modules, guides, or materials you create.
  • Minimal errors in content
  • clear, concise language
  • positive feedback from reviewers and pilot groups
  • content that meets the learning objectives and is easy for learners to use and understand.
Problem Identification & Resolution
Your ability to spot issues with learning delivery or content, and then propose or implement effective solutions, rather than just waiting for instructions.
  • Proactively flagging potential scheduling conflicts
  • suggesting improvements to existing processes
  • troubleshooting LMS issues independently before escalating
  • identifying a common learner struggle and proposing a new resource.

7Would you like it

Both sides. What people enjoy, and what grinds them down.

What people enjoy
Seeing Direct Impact

You get a real buzz from knowing that a course you delivered or content you built directly helped someone learn something new or improve their skills. You'll enjoy the immediate feedback from learners and seeing them apply what they've learned.

Someone tells you, 'That session on presentation skills really helped me with my client pitch last week!' or you see a new hire confidently using a system after completing your onboarding module.

Solving Practical Problems

You like figuring out how to make things work better, whether it's streamlining a registration process, troubleshooting an LMS issue, or finding the best way to explain a tricky concept in an e-learning module. You're a doer.

You successfully resolve a recurring issue with course completion tracking in the LMS, saving hours of manual work for the team, or you design a simple infographic that clarifies a complex company policy.

Continuous Learning & Development

You're always keen to learn new instructional design techniques, explore new learning technologies, or deepen your understanding of adult learning principles. You'll actively seek out feedback to improve your own facilitation or content creation skills.

You sign up for a webinar on microlearning best practices, experiment with a new feature in Articulate Rise, or ask a senior colleague for feedback on your facilitation style after a session.

What frustrates people
  • The 'Order-Taker' Dilemma: Constantly getting requests like, 'We need a 2-hour course on X by next month,' when you suspect the real problem isn't a lack of training.
  • Chasing Compliance: Being the 'corporate police' for mandatory training, which can sometimes feel like nagging and can damage the L&D brand.
  • Messy Data: Trying to pull meaningful reports from systems that don't always talk to each other, or dealing with inconsistent data entry.
  • Lack of Ownership on Bigger Projects: You'll own specific programmes, but the overall strategy or big-picture decisions aren't yours yet, which can be frustrating if you're keen to lead.
What this role does not give you
  • Full strategic ownership of the L&D function (that comes later).
  • A completely predictable, routine day (expect some curveballs).
  • The ability to fix all 'non-training' problems (you'll diagnose, but can't always solve).

8Who you work with

Your work directly ensures the smooth delivery of our learning programmes, which means our colleagues get the skills they need to do their jobs effectively. You're a key part of building a capable and engaged workforce, contributing directly to our overall productivity and employee satisfaction. Essentially, you're helping to make sure everyone's got the right tools in their mental toolbox.

Inside the business
  • Employees (your learners, obviously!)
  • Line Managers (who send their teams to your programmes)
  • HR Business Partners (who often bring you learning requests)
  • Other L&D team members (for collaboration and support)
  • Internal Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) (who help you build content)
Outside the business
  • External training vendors (for booking and logistics)
  • LMS/LXP platform support (when things go wrong with the tech)

9What you need before you start

Not a wish list. The things you would be expected to already have.

  • At least 2 years of experience in an L&D, HR, or training-focused role, where you've actively been involved in delivering or coordinating learning programmes.
  • Demonstrated ability to use at least one Learning Management System (LMS) for administrative tasks.
  • Experience in creating basic e-learning content or developing training materials.
  • A solid understanding of adult learning principles—you don't need to quote theories, but you should instinctively know how to make learning engaging for grown-ups.
  • Strong organisational skills; you'll typically be juggling 3-5 active projects or programmes at any one time.

10What to practise next

Where the job is going, and what to do about it starting this week.

Advanced Content Authoring (Articulate Storyline)

As we move beyond basic e-learning, the ability to create more interactive, scenario-based, and branching content will be crucial for deeper engagement and behaviour change.

Variables & Triggers · Branching Scenarios · Custom Templates · Accessibility Features

  • This week: Explore the Storyline community forums and watch a few tutorials on variables and triggers.
  • This month: Try to rebuild a simple Rise module in Storyline, adding one or two more complex interactions.
  • Month 2: Work with a senior designer to get feedback on a Storyline project and learn their best practices.
  • Month 3: Take an online course or certification in Articulate Storyline advanced features.

Quick win: Challenge yourself to add a simple drag-and-drop interaction or a custom feedback layer to your next Storyline project, rather than just using standard quiz questions.

LXP Optimisation & Engagement Strategies

Simply having an LXP isn't enough; we need to actively encourage people to use it. Your role will involve understanding how to make the platform sticky and genuinely useful for our employees.

Content Tagging & Taxonomy · Gamification Elements · Social Learning Features · User Journey Mapping

  • This week: Spend 30 minutes exploring all the features of our LXP as if you were a new user. What's good? What's confusing?
  • This month: Propose one small initiative to boost engagement on the LXP, like a 'content challenge' or highlighting user-generated content.
  • Month 2: Research best practices for LXP adoption and engagement from other companies or industry reports.
  • Month 3: Work with the Senior Specialist to analyse LXP usage data and identify areas for improvement in content curation or promotion.

Quick win: Start proactively sharing interesting articles or resources you find directly into the LXP, encouraging others to do the same. Be a champion for the platform.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Regularly attending L&D webinars and industry events (e.g., Learning Technologies, CIPD conferences).
  • Subscribing to L&D blogs and newsletters to stay up-to-date on trends and best practices.
  • Actively participating in online L&D communities or forums to share knowledge and learn from peers.
  • Seeking out opportunities to shadow senior L&D colleagues or observe experienced facilitators.

12The rising capability

The rising capability

Zavmo analysis

What's rising in its place

This is where the work is heading, and the higher pay with it. Get fluent here and the shift stops being a threat and starts being your edge.

Prompt Engineering & AI-Assisted Content Refinement

AI tools are already drafting content faster than ever. Your value will shift from generating first drafts to expertly refining, validating, and enhancing AI-generated output, ensuring it's accurate, engaging, and on-brand.

  • Effective Prompting
  • AI Output Validation
  • Ethical AI Use in L&D
  • Iterative Refinement

Data Storytelling (Basic)

It's not enough to just pull reports; you'll need to explain what the numbers actually mean and why they matter. This helps us justify our programmes and show our impact.

  • Identifying Key Insights
  • Visualisation Best Practices
  • Narrative Structure
  • Audience Awareness

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

  • Instructional Design Models (ADDIE/SAM - Application)
  • Learning Evaluation Models (Kirkpatrick L1-L2)
  • Adult Learning Theory (Andragogy)
  • Basic Training Needs Analysis (TNA)
  • Content Curation & Aggregation

14The pathway

The pathway

How you actually get there, here

How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.

  1. 1

    Learning & Development Coordinator (L1)

    1-2 years

    Skills to master

    • LMS administration, programme scheduling, basic logistics management, Level 1 feedback collection, clear communication.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Consistently accurate and timely management of all programme logistics and LMS data.
    • Proactively identifies and resolves minor administrative issues without supervision.
    • Receives positive feedback on organisational skills and reliability from team members.
    • Demonstrates a keen interest in instructional design and adult learning principles, asking thoughtful questions.
  2. 2

    HR Assistant / HR Generalist (with L&D exposure)

    2-3 years

    Skills to master

    • Understanding of HR processes, basic employee relations, exposure to training coordination, data management, stakeholder communication.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Has taken on additional L&D-related responsibilities within their HR role.
    • Shows a clear passion for learning and development over other HR disciplines.
    • Can demonstrate experience in coordinating training events or managing basic HR data.
    • Has a good grasp of how learning impacts employee performance and engagement.
  3. 3

    Training Administrator / Programme Support

    2-4 years

    Skills to master

    • Event management, vendor coordination, budget tracking (programme level), communication with participants, basic reporting.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully managed multiple training programmes or events from start to finish.
    • Has experience working with external training providers and managing programme budgets.
    • Can demonstrate strong problem-solving skills when faced with logistical challenges.
    • Is eager to move beyond pure administration into content creation and facilitation.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This work can lead to a lead L&D business partner role, an L&D manager role, or a director of learning and talent development role.

The ten Future Fluencies

Zavmo analysis

The credential is what you can do today. These are what keep you valuable.

A qualification proves you can do the job as it's defined today. These ten are what decide whether you're still the obvious person for it in five years. They're the capabilities employers are now writing into senior roles faster than people are learning them. Zavmo weaves them through whatever you study, so you come out with both: the credential and the fluency.

The highlighted ones are the Fluencies your role leans on hardest, from how Learning & Development Specialist is actually changing.

Where it leads

Roles this leads to

The record names a next step, but the catalogue has no page for it yet:

  • Senior Learning & Development Specialist / Instructional Designer (L3)

How you would learn this

One to one, on the work you already do

A tutor sets the task against your own job and marks the reasoning, at your pace. There is no cohort to fall behind.

A lesson from Identify individual learning and development needs, worked against Learning & Development Specialist.

Identify individual learning and development needs Level 3

Applied to your work in Learning & Development Specialist

The objective of this unit is to enable learners to understand and apply the principles of learning needs analysis for individuals. Learners will be able to conduct a learning needs analysis, analyse the findings, and agree on individual learning and development needs with relevant parties, ensuring effective communication throughout the process.

How the thinking builds
  1. 1 Remember
  2. 2 Understand
  3. 3 Apply
  4. 4 Analyse
  5. 5 Evaluate
  6. 6 Create
An illustration of a Zavmo lesson, built from this role’s own route. The unit, its objective and every criterion above are the awarding body’s own words, not an example.

It is £70 a month, billed monthly. Your free first module is Future Fluency, and you can cancel any time.

Start my Learning & Development Specialist plan, free
See Your Progress Grow Illustration
Learning & Development Specialist
  • Instructional Design Models (ADDIE/SAM - Application)
  • Learning Evaluation Models (Kirkpatrick L1-L2)
  • Adult Learning Theory (Andragogy)
  • Basic Training Needs Analysis (TNA)
  • Content Curation & Aggregation
This is your Mind Palace on learn.zavmo.ai. Every skill above comes from this role's own record, not an example borrowed from another job. A node lights up when you evidence it, and what you build stays yours between jobs. That is the part a course cannot do.

16The detail, folded away

Everything else the record holds

The career branches in full, how AI is already showing up in the day-to-day, and the questions people ask about this job. Here when you want them, out of the way while you decide.

Where it leads next, rung by rung

Where it leads

The career path, and where it branches

Learning & Development Specialist is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

  1. Senior Learning & Development Specialist / Instructional Designer (L3)

    3-5 years

    You'll move from delivering and creating specific programmes to owning the end-to-end design and improvement of entire learning solutions for known business problems. You'll also start mentoring junior team members.

    • End-to-End Instructional Design Leading the full design cycle for complex programmes, from detailed TNA to full evaluation.
    • Advanced Content Authoring Designing complex branching scenarios and custom templates in Storyline or similar tools.
    • Learning Measurement (L3-L4) Designing and implementing evaluations to measure behaviour change and early business impact.
    • Performance Consulting (Initial) Proactively diagnosing business problems to determine if training is the right solution.
Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

Let's be real, L&D involves a fair bit of admin and content creation that can eat up your time. Imagine getting some of that back. We're not talking about replacing you, but giving you a seriously powerful co-pilot.

At Zavmo, we're all about working smarter, not harder. For a Learning & Development Specialist, that means using AI tools to take the grunt work out of content drafting, feedback analysis, and even personalising learning paths. It's about freeing you up to do more of the high-value, human-centric stuff you're great at.

First-Draft Content Automation

Use AI to quickly generate initial drafts of e-learning scripts, facilitator notes, or even quiz questions. Just feed it your source material – like a technical document or a process map – and get a solid starting point in minutes. You'll then refine it, adding your human touch and expertise.

Thematic Feedback Analysis

Ever stared at hundreds of open-ended comments from 'smile sheets' or programme surveys? Pop them into an AI tool. It'll instantly identify key themes, sentiment (positive, negative, neutral), and actionable suggestions, saving you hours of manual qualitative analysis.

Personalised Learning Curation

Work with our LXP's (Learning Experience Platform) AI engine to automatically recommend relevant articles, videos, and courses to employees. Based on their role, stated career goals, and even skills data from performance reviews, the AI helps deliver highly targeted learning experiences without you manually curating every single piece.

Targeted Communication Crafting

Need to announce a new programme or chase compliance? Use AI to draft different versions of your email or internal comms. One for participants, focusing on benefits. Another for managers, highlighting the impact. It helps you tailor your message without starting from scratch every time.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a Learning & Development Specialist?

Common routes in include Learning & Development Coordinator (1-2 years), HR Assistant / HR Generalist (with L&D exposure) (2-3 years) and Training Administrator / Programme Support (2-4 years). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Learning & Development Specialist progress to?

This role can lead on to Senior Learning & Development Specialist / Instructional Designer (3-5 years), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a Learning & Development Specialist?

Increasingly, Prompt Engineering & AI-Assisted Content Refinement and Data Storytelling (Basic). These are the skills our record of this role lists as growing.

Free tools

Want a read on where you stand?

Three free tools, no account needed. Each one ends with a role, a level and a way in.

Read the Zavmo manifesto to understand how you will be taught Meet your tutors

Or try another one

17Where to go from here

Other roles at Level 3

Same depth of qualification, different job. Useful if the work appeals but this particular role does not.

 More jobs in learning and development

Stay in the field you know and move sideways rather than up.
If you leave this industry

The skills in this role carry across industries. L&D professionals are needed in tech, finance, healthcare and retail. The core principles of adult learning and programme delivery stay the same, whatever the product or service.

This role profile is © 2026 Growth Engineering Technologies Ltd. Built from UK occupational standards and regulated qualification data, and written for Zavmo.

You're not behind. You're right on time. The shift is only just beginning. Your role won't look the same in two years. Be the one who leads the change, not the one it happens to. Start my Learning & Development Specialist plan, free What happens next: a free account, then we build your plan as you set up. No card. Build your plan, see your roadmap and meet the twelve tutors matched to you. All free. When you're ready to start learning, it's £70 a month, billed monthly. Cancel any time and billing stops.