UK

United Kingdom · Learning and development · Lead (8-12 years)

Lead, Learning Operations

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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  • Experience bandLead (8-12 years)
  • Direct reports3-5 reports
  • Reports toManager, Learning Operations & Technology
  • UK framework levelUsually a manager, or the deepest specialist in a team

Also advertised as Learning Operations Lead · Learning Systems Lead · Senior Learning Administrator (Operations Focus) · Learning Programme Manager

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

NCFE CACHE Level 5 Diploma in Advanced Playwork (Wales) NCFE · Level 5 · covers 2 of 10 standards
Level 6 Award in Leading Organisational Change Institute of Sales Professionals · Level 6 · covers 1 of 10 standards
ATHE Level 5 Diploma in Supporting Teaching and Learning ATHE Ltd · Level 5 · covers 1 of 10 standards
ATHE Level 5 Extended Diploma in Supporting Teaching and Learning ATHE Ltd · Level 5 · covers 1 of 10 standards
Level 6 Certificate in Professional Sales Institute of Sales Professionals · Level 6 · covers 1 of 10 standards
Focus Awards Level 3 Diploma in Playwork (RQF) Focus Awards Limited · Level 3 · covers 2 of 10 standards

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

The units you would start with

Provide learning opportunities for colleagues NCFE CACHE Level 5 Diploma in Advanced Playwork (Wales)
Lead Organisational Change Level 6 Award in Leading Organisational Change
Supporting Teaching and Learning ATHE Level 5 Diploma in Supporting Teaching and Learning

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 Lead, Learning Operations

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

  1. Provide learning opportunities for colleagues NCFE · covers 2 of 10 standards Level 5
  2. Lead Organisational Change Institute of Sales Professionals · covers 1 of 10 standards Level 6
  3. Supporting Teaching and Learning ATHE Ltd · covers 1 of 10 standards Level 5
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 Lead, Learning Operations?

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

  • Learning Analytics & Storytelling
  • AI-Powered Learning Personalisation
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 Lead, Learning Operations 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

This job involves running learning programmes so they work smoothly day to day. You check systems function properly, keep data accurate, and lead a small team to deliver it all.

4What you'd actually use

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

Cornerstone OnDemand / Workday Learning / Docebo (LMS) Advanced

Leading complex system configurations, managing integrations with HRIS, troubleshooting advanced user issues, designing custom reports, and overseeing UAT for system updates.

Degreed / EdCast / 360Learning (LXP) Advanced

Designing and building new learning pathways, integrating third-party content libraries, analysing usage data for insights, and advising on LXP features for programme delivery.

Articulate 360 (Storyline, Rise) / Adobe Captivate Advanced

Troubleshooting complex SCORM/xAPI publishing issues, advising instructional designers on technical limitations for content development, and ensuring content compatibility across platforms.

Workday HCM / SAP SuccessFactors / Oracle HCM (HRIS) Advanced

Building custom reports for L&D needs, managing the data feed between HRIS and LMS, identifying and resolving systemic data discrepancies, and partnering with HRIT on data governance.

Asana / Jira / MS Teams / Slack (Collaboration & Project Management) Advanced

Managing L&D project plans for large initiatives, building automated workflows for course requests and approvals, and ensuring seamless communication across your team and stakeholders.

Excel (Power Query, PivotTables) / Tableau / Power BI (Analytics & Reporting) Advanced

Connecting multiple data sources, building interactive dashboards to track key learning metrics, and presenting data-driven narratives to leadership that connect learning to business outcomes.

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
LMS/LXP System Configuration & Setup Follows documented procedures to configure basic course settings, enrol users, and upload SCORM packages. All changes reviewed by a senior team member. Independently configures complex learning paths, manages system permissions, and troubleshoots common user access issues. Seeks guidance for novel configurations. Leads system upgrade UAT (User Acceptance Testing), designs and implements new system functionalities (e.g., new reporting dashboards, advanced integrations). Makes recommendations on system enhancements.
Vendor Selection & Management (Content/Platform) Processes invoices from existing vendors, helps track license usage, and logs support tickets with vendor support. Manages day-to-day relationship with a portfolio of smaller content vendors, monitors contract terms, and flags renewal dates. Collects feedback on vendor performance. Evaluates new content providers against defined criteria, leads basic contract negotiations for renewals (under £10K), and manages the integration of new content libraries.
Data Discrepancy Resolution (HRIS-LMS) Identifies basic data errors (e.g., incorrect manager for a single user) and escalates to a senior team member or HRIS for correction. Investigates common data synchronisation issues, identifies root causes for small batches of errors, and implements corrective actions within defined guidelines. Communicates with affected users. Designs and implements data validation rules within the LMS, proactively identifies patterns of data errors, and works with HRIS to improve data quality at the source. Develops processes to prevent future discrepancies.

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.

System Uptime & Stability
Ensuring our core learning systems (LMS, LXP) are available and working correctly for learners and administrators.
Target · Maintain 99.8% uptime across all critical learning platforms.

If our LMS goes down for 3 hours in a month, that's 0.4% downtime. You'd need to ensure total downtime doesn't exceed 1.44 hours per month to hit the 99.8% target.

Process Improvement & Automation
Identifying manual, repetitive tasks within learning operations and implementing solutions to streamline or automate them, freeing up your team's time.
Target · Reduce manual effort for a core operational process (e.g., compliance reporting, course scheduling) by 25% within 12 months.

If compiling the quarterly compliance report currently takes your team 40 hours, you'd aim to get that down to 30 hours or less through better data feeds or automated report generation.

Major Programme Delivery On-Time
The successful, on-schedule launch and administration of large-scale learning initiatives that you're leading the operational delivery for.
Target · Deliver 95% of major learning operations projects (e.g., global programme rollouts, system upgrades) on the original timeline.

You're overseeing the operational launch of a new global leadership programme across 10 countries. If it's scheduled for 1st October, you ensure all enrolments, communications, and system setups are complete and tested by that date.

Data Integrity & Accuracy
Minimising errors and inconsistencies in learning data, particularly between our HRIS and LMS, which can mess up reporting and assignments.
Target · Reduce HRIS-to-LMS data discrepancy tickets by 50% through proactive governance and process improvements.

If we currently get 20 tickets a month about incorrect manager assignments affecting learning paths, you'd aim to get that down to 10 or fewer by improving data synchronisation or validation rules.

Team Effectiveness & Development
How well your direct reports are performing, growing, and feeling supported under your leadership. This isn't just about their output, but their overall engagement and skill development.
  • Regular 1:1s showing clear development plans
  • positive feedback from team members in engagement surveys
  • your team members taking on more complex tasks independently
  • successful delegation and coaching leading to their growth.
Stakeholder Trust & Partnership
How much our L&D Business Partners, HRIS team, and other key internal groups trust your team's operational delivery and value your input.
  • L&D BPs proactively involving you early in programme design for operational input
  • positive feedback in cross-functional project retrospectives
  • being seen as the 'go-to' expert for operational feasibility
  • fewer escalations from stakeholders regarding operational issues.
Operational Resilience & Proactiveness
Your ability to anticipate potential operational problems, put preventative measures in place, and handle unexpected issues calmly and effectively, minimising disruption.
  • You've identified and mitigated a potential system integration risk before it caused an outage
  • you've developed robust contingency plans for major programme launches
  • your team consistently resolves issues without needing your direct intervention
  • a reduction in 'urgent' last-minute requests because you've planned ahead.

7Would you like it

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

What people enjoy
Building & Optimising Systems

You get a real buzz from designing a new workflow that saves hours, or seeing a complex system integration finally work seamlessly. You'll spend time mapping out processes, testing new configurations, and looking for ways to make things run smoother.

You've just implemented a new automated enrolment process for all new hires, reducing manual effort by 70% and ensuring everyone gets the right training on day one. That's a good day for you.

Leading & Developing a Team

You enjoy coaching your direct reports, helping them unstick tricky problems, and celebrating their successes. You'll spend time in 1:1s, delegating challenging tasks, and providing constructive feedback to help them grow.

One of your team members successfully troubleshoots a complex SCORM issue that used to require your intervention, thanks to your coaching and support. You're proud of their progress.

Solving Complex Operational Puzzles

When a new, ambitious learning programme is proposed, you're excited by the challenge of figuring out the operational strategy to make it a reality. You'll be diving into system capabilities, data requirements, and resource allocation to architect the solution.

The business wants to launch a blended learning programme for 2,000 managers across 5 time zones, involving virtual sessions, self-paced modules, and peer coaching. You're the one who maps out the entire operational plan to make it happen.

What frustrates people
  • The 'Compliance Cop' role: Chasing employees and managers for overdue mandatory training, even when you've automated reminders.
  • Garbage In, Garbage Out: Receiving messy, inconsistent employee data from the HRIS which breaks automated assignments and makes reporting a nightmare.
  • Last-Minute Scrambles: Constantly dealing with 'urgent' requests from leaders to change rosters, schedule new sessions, or pull a 'quick report' that derails your team's planned work.
  • The 'Button Pusher' Perception: Being viewed by some as purely administrative, rather than a strategic operator who ensures the entire learning ecosystem functions.
  • SME Wrangling: Trying to get feedback, content, or availability from Subject Matter Experts who are brilliant but overcommitted and unresponsive.
  • The Clunky LMS: Having to work with an outdated, unintuitive Learning Management System that everyone (including you and your team) hates, with no budget or appetite to replace it immediately.
What this role does not give you
  • A purely strategic role with no operational involvement – you'll still be hands-on with system configuration and troubleshooting, just at a higher level.
  • A quiet, predictable routine – expect regular unexpected challenges and shifting priorities that you'll need to lead your team through.
  • Complete autonomy over budget and technology roadmap – you'll influence these significantly, but the final decisions usually sit with your manager or director.

8Who you work with

Your work directly impacts the efficiency of our entire L&D function and the quality of the learning experience for thousands of employees. You'll ensure we can scale our learning programmes effectively, maintain compliance, and provide reliable data that helps leadership make informed decisions about talent development. Essentially, you make sure the learning engine keeps running, and running well.

Inside the business
  • Manager, Learning Operations & Technology (your direct boss)
  • L&D Business Partners (who design the programmes you'll deliver)
  • HRIS Team (for all employee data feeds)
  • IT Support (for system integrations and technical issues)
  • Business Unit Leaders (who need accurate reports on their teams' learning)
Outside the business
  • External Content Vendors (e.g., LinkedIn Learning, Coursera)
  • LMS/LXP Platform Vendors (for technical support and feature requests)
  • External Training Facilitators (who deliver some of our programmes)

9What you need before you start

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

  • Proven experience (5+ years) as a Senior Learning Systems Specialist or similar role, demonstrating deep expertise in LMS/LXP administration and complex problem-solving.
  • A track record of successfully leading significant learning operations projects, from initial design to successful delivery and post-launch optimisation.
  • Demonstrable experience in managing and troubleshooting data integrations between HRIS and learning platforms, with a strong understanding of data governance principles.
  • Experience in mentoring or informally leading junior team members, providing guidance and support on complex operational tasks.
  • Strong analytical skills, including the ability to build and interpret complex reports and dashboards to inform operational decisions.

10What to practise next

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

Learning Ecosystem Architecture

Organisations are moving beyond single LMS solutions to a suite of integrated learning tools. You'll need to understand how to design, integrate, and govern this complex ecosystem to ensure data flows smoothly and learners have a cohesive experience.

API Integrations · Data Flow Mapping · System Interoperability · Vendor Landscape Management

  • This month: Map out our current learning tech stack and identify all existing integrations and data flows.
  • Next quarter: Research common integration patterns for HRIS and LMS/LXP systems. What are the best practices?
  • Month 4-6: Work with IT to understand our internal API capabilities and how they could be used for learning data.
  • Month 7-9: Develop a 'future state' architecture diagram for our learning ecosystem, outlining desired integrations and capabilities.

Quick win: Document a single, complex data flow (e.g., new hire onboarding data from HRIS to LMS) in detail, identifying all touchpoints and potential failure points.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Regularly attend industry webinars and conferences (e.g., Learning Technologies, DevLearn) to stay current on new learning technologies and operational best practices.
  • Actively participate in online communities or forums for LMS/LXP administrators to share knowledge and troubleshoot complex issues.
  • Seek out opportunities to lead cross-functional projects that involve integrating learning systems with other HR platforms.
  • Mentor junior colleagues within the L&D team, helping them develop their technical and operational skills.
  • Take online courses or workshops on advanced data analytics and visualisation to enhance your reporting capabilities.

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.

Learning Analytics & Storytelling

It's no longer enough to just pull reports. Leadership wants to see the impact of learning on business outcomes. You'll need to go beyond dashboards and connect learning activities to tangible results, telling a compelling story with data.

  • Correlation vs. Causation
  • Business KPI Linkage
  • Data Visualisation Best Practices
  • Narrative Building

AI-Powered Learning Personalisation

Learners expect personalised experiences everywhere else in their lives, and learning is no different. AI can help us deliver tailored content recommendations, adaptive learning paths, and even AI-driven coaching, but it requires careful operational design and integration.

  • Adaptive Learning Paths
  • Recommendation Engines
  • Data Privacy for AI
  • AI-Driven Content Curation

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

  • Kirkpatrick's Four Levels of Evaluation (Application)
  • SCORM/xAPI/cmi5 Standards (Deep Troubleshooting & Advising)
  • Compliance Training Management (System Design)
  • Vendor & Content Library Management (Strategic Oversight)
  • Learning Operations & Process Optimisation (Leadership)
  • Data Governance for Learning Systems (Establishment & Enforcement)

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

    Senior Learning Systems Specialist

    5-8 years of experience leading system configurations, troubleshooting, and process improvements.

    Skills to master

    • Deep technical expertise in our core LMS/LXP, a strong track record of successful system-related projects, and demonstrable experience in mentoring junior team members.

    You're ready to move on when

    • You're consistently the 'go-to' person for complex system issues and solutions.
    • You've successfully led at least 2-3 significant system-related projects (e.g., major upgrades, new integrations) from start to finish.
    • You've informally mentored junior colleagues and shown an aptitude for guiding others.
    • You proactively identify and propose solutions for systemic operational inefficiencies.
  2. 2

    L&D Project Manager (with strong operational focus)

    8-10 years of experience managing complex L&D projects, including significant operational components.

    Skills to master

    • Strong project management discipline, excellent stakeholder management, a deep understanding of the operational complexities of learning delivery, and a track record of bringing projects in on time and budget.

    You're ready to move on when

    • You've managed multi-faceted L&D projects that involved significant system and data components.
    • You're adept at managing cross-functional dependencies and influencing diverse stakeholders.
    • You have a keen eye for operational detail and can anticipate potential roadblocks.
    • You've shown leadership in guiding project teams, even without direct reporting lines.
  3. 3

    HRIS Analyst (with L&D specialisation)

    7-10 years of experience as an HRIS Analyst, specifically working with learning modules or integrations.

    Skills to master

    • Deep expertise in HRIS data structures, integration technologies, and a strong understanding of how HR data impacts learning systems. You'd need to pick up the L&D-specific operational nuances quickly.

    You're ready to move on when

    • You're an expert in HRIS reporting and data management, particularly for talent-related data.
    • You have extensive experience with HRIS-LMS integrations and troubleshooting data flows.
    • You've shown a strong interest in learning technology and its operational implications.
    • You're comfortable translating technical requirements into business outcomes and vice-versa.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This work can lead to director-level roles in learning and development operations, or to senior leadership positions overseeing talent strategy. It can also lead to a principal learning operations architect role, focused on the technical design of learning systems rather than managing people.

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 Lead, Learning Operations is actually changing.

Where it leads

Roles this leads to

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 Provide learning opportunities for colleagues, worked against Lead, Learning Operations.

Provide learning opportunities for colleagues Level 5

Applied to your work in Lead, Learning Operations

This unit aims to equip learners with the skills to encourage learning and development in colleagues. Learners will be able to help colleagues identify learning needs, plan and implement learning opportunities, and review and update their development plans.

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 Lead, Learning Operations plan, free
See Your Progress Grow Illustration
Lead, Learning Operations
  • Kirkpatrick's Four Levels of Evaluation (Application)
  • SCORM/xAPI/cmi5 Standards (Deep Troubleshooting & Advising)
  • Compliance Training Management (System Design)
  • Vendor & Content Library Management (Strategic Oversight)
  • Learning Operations & Process Optimisation (Leadership)
  • Data Governance for Learning Systems (Establishment & Enforcement)
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

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

  1. Manager, Learning Operations & Technology (L5)

    Roughly 3-5 years in the Lead role, demonstrating consistent high performance and leadership.

    This is a significant step up, moving from leading a team and specific programmes to managing a function and owning the entire learning technology stack and budget.

    • Learning Technology Roadmap Defining the multi-year vision and roadmap for our entire learning tech stack.
    • Enterprise Integration Strategy Architecting how learning systems integrate with other enterprise systems (e.g., CRM, ERP).
    • Change Management Leadership Leading large-scale change initiatives related to new learning technologies or processes.
    • Talent Analytics Strategy Defining how learning data contributes to broader talent analytics and insights.
Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

Let's be real, you're already doing a lot. But what if your team could handle the routine stuff faster, freeing you up to focus on the bigger operational challenges and strategic planning? AI isn't just a buzzword; it's a practical tool that can transform how your Learning Operations team works, giving you back precious hours every week.

As a Lead, you're not just using AI for your own tasks; you're thinking about how to embed it into your team's workflows to boost their efficiency and impact. This isn't about replacing people; it's about making your team smarter, faster, and more effective, allowing you to focus on the strategic design and oversight that truly moves the needle.

Automated Learner Communications

Imagine AI drafting and scheduling personalised course announcements, reminders for overdue training, and post-session follow-up emails for your team. It can even adjust the tone based on the audience (e.g., new hire vs. senior leader). This means your team spends less time on repetitive comms and more on learner support or system improvements.

Intelligent Feedback Analysis

Your team collects hundreds of open-ended comments from course evaluations. Instead of manually sifting through them, feed them into an AI tool to instantly identify key themes, sentiment (positive/negative), and actionable suggestions. This saves hours of manual categorisation and gives you quicker, data-driven insights to improve programmes.

Smart Content Curation & Tagging

Use AI-powered features within your LXP or external tools to automatically scan, tag, and recommend relevant articles, videos, and podcasts for specific learning paths. This keeps content fresh and relevant without your team spending hours on manual curation, ensuring learners always find what they need.

First-Draft Process Documentation & SOPs

Describe a manual process (like setting up a new course in the LMS or troubleshooting a common issue) to an AI assistant and have it generate a clear, step-by-step Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). This dramatically accelerates documentation, helps onboard new team members faster, and ensures consistency across your operations.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a Lead, Learning Operations?

Common routes in include Senior Learning Systems Specialist (5-8 years of experience leading system configurations, troubleshooting, and process improvements.), L&D Project Manager (with strong operational focus) (8-10 years of experience managing complex L&D projects, including significant operational components.) and HRIS Analyst (with L&D specialisation) (7-10 years of experience as an HRIS Analyst, specifically working with learning modules or integrations.). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Lead, Learning Operations progress to?

This role can lead on to Manager, Learning Operations & Technology (Roughly 3-5 years in the Lead role, demonstrating consistent high performance and leadership.), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a Lead, Learning Operations?

Increasingly, Learning Analytics & Storytelling and AI-Powered Learning Personalisation. 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

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17Where to go from here

Other roles at Level 5

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 built here, in operational design, data governance, and managing complex systems, transfer well elsewhere. You could move into HR operations, IT project management, business systems analysis, or operational roles in other departments.

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 Lead, Learning Operations 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.