UK

United Kingdom · Learning and development · Director/VP (16-20 years)

Director, Learning Measurement & Strategy

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 bandDirector/VP (16-20 years)
  • Reports toChief People Officer
  • UK framework levelUsually a director, accountable for a division and its numbers

Also advertised as VP, Learning Analytics · Head of L&D Insights · Director, Talent Analytics

Built on 43,079 real UK job descriptions we analysed · grounded in what real qualifications cover

Two short quizzes about you

1From this job to a course

The qualifications matched to this job

OTHM Level 7 Diploma in Data Science OTHM Qualifications · Level 7 · covers 3 of 5 standards
NCC Education Level 5 Extended Diploma in Computing with Data Science NCC Education Limited · Level 5 · covers 3 of 5 standards
Pearson BTEC Level 5 Higher National Diploma in Computing for England Pearson Education Ltd · Level 5 · covers 3 of 5 standards
Pearson BTEC Level 5 Higher National Diploma in Digital Technologies Pearson Education Ltd · Level 5 · covers 2 of 5 standards
Level 6 Award in Data-led Decision Making Institute of Sales Professionals · Level 6 · covers 1 of 5 standards

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

The units you would start with

Data Analysis and Visualisation OTHM Level 7 Diploma in Data Science
Introduction to Data Science and Big Data NCC Education Level 5 Extended Diploma in Computing with Data Science
Data Analytics Pearson BTEC Level 5 Higher National Diploma in Computing for England
Data-led Decision Making Level 6 Award in Data-led Decision Making
Apply the Concepts of Data Science to Computer Engineering NOCN Level 5 Diploma in Computer Engineering (Information Technology and Data Science)

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
Your Plan Illustration

Built for Director, Learning Measurement & Strategy

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

  1. Data Analysis and Visualisation OTHM Qualifications · covers 3 of 5 standards Level 7
  2. Introduction to Data Science and Big Data NCC Education Limited · covers 3 of 5 standards Level 5
  3. Data Analytics Pearson Education Ltd · covers 3 of 5 standards Level 5
  4. Data-led Decision Making Institute of Sales Professionals · covers 1 of 5 standards Level 6
  5. Apply the Concepts of Data Science to Computer Engineering NOCN · covers 1 of 5 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 Director, Learning Measurement & Strategy?

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

  • AI/ML Ethics & Governance for Talent Data
  • Organisational Network Analysis (ONA) for Learning
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 Director, Learning Measurement & Strategy plan as you set up, starting with the free Data Fluency module. No card.

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Keep this read. One email with what AI is changing in this job, the new skills it asks for and where to start free. Nothing else follows unless you confirm your address.

3What this role really is

This role covers proving the value of learning and development spend across an organisation. You would build and lead a team that turns complex data into clear insights for senior leaders, showing how learning programmes affect business performance. The work involves setting the strategy behind learning data and shaping how it informs major decisions.

4What you'd actually use

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

Workday HCM / SAP SuccessFactors Strategic/Architect

Providing strategic input on module configuration to ensure data integrity for analytics, managing enterprise-level data governance and API access policies. You'll be guiding your team on data extraction best practices.

Cornerstone OnDemand / Degreed (or similar LMS/LXP) Strategic/Architect

Leading vendor selection and review based on analytics capabilities, architecting the data flow between the LMS/LXP and the enterprise data warehouse, ensuring seamless data capture for measurement.

Tableau Server / Power BI Premium Strategic/Architect

Managing server permissions, performance optimisation, and enterprise-wide data sources. Setting the standards for visualisation best practices and ensuring data security across all dashboards. You'll be reviewing, not building, the dashboards.

Snowflake / BigQuery / Databricks (or similar Data Warehouse) Strategic/Architect

Architecting the L&D data schema within the enterprise data warehouse. Overseeing the ETL/ELT process, ensuring data quality, and managing data governance for all learning-related data assets.

Qualtrics / Glint (or similar Survey Tools) Strategic/Architect

Managing the enterprise license and strategic use of listening tools. Integrating survey data into holistic employee insight models and guiding your team on advanced survey design and analysis.

Python / R (for advanced analytics) Advanced (Oversight)

While you won't be writing code daily, you'll need to understand the capabilities and limitations of these languages for advanced analytics. You'll guide your team on model development, validation, and deployment, ensuring statistical rigour and business relevance.

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
Learning Measurement Strategy N/A N/A N/A
Team Hiring & Structure N/A N/A N/A
Technology & Vendor Selection N/A N/A N/A
Budget Allocation (Analytics) N/A N/A N/A
Strategic Project Prioritisation N/A N/A N/A

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.

L&D Investment ROI (Level 4/5)
Quantifiable return on investment for flagship learning programmes, linking training directly to business outcomes.
Target · Demonstrate >£2M annualised ROI across top 3 strategic programmes

Identifying that a £500K investment in a new sales onboarding programme led to a £2.5M increase in new hire revenue within 12 months, showing a 5x ROI.

Strategic Budget Reallocation
The proportion of the L&D budget reallocated based on data-driven insights, moving spend from low-impact to high-impact areas.
Target · Influence reallocation of >£500K of L&D budget annually

Presenting data showing a specific leadership programme had minimal impact, leading to its budget being shifted to a more effective, data-backed skills development initiative.

Data Maturity Scorecard Improvement
Progress against our internal L&D data maturity model, covering data quality, accessibility, analytical capability, and data-driven decision-making.
Target · Increase overall maturity score by 15% year-on-year

Moving from 'Reactive Reporting' to 'Proactive Insights' on our internal scorecard by implementing automated dashboards and predictive models across 3 key L&D areas.

Executive Decision Impact
The number of C-suite or Board-level decisions directly influenced or shaped by L&D analytics insights.
Target · Directly influence 3-5 major executive decisions per year

Providing data that leads to a fundamental shift in our talent mobility strategy, backed by insights on internal skill gaps and learning pathways, presented directly to the Board.

Executive Trust & Influence
How much the executive team relies on your insights to make strategic talent decisions, and how often you're proactively consulted.
  • Regular invitations to C-suite strategy meetings
  • executives citing your team's data in their presentations
  • direct requests for your strategic input on critical talent issues
  • positive feedback from the Chief People Officer on your strategic contributions.
Team Capability & Development
The growth and effectiveness of the Learning Measurement & Strategy team under your leadership, including their technical skills and business acumen.
  • High team engagement scores
  • low attrition rates within your team
  • successful internal promotions
  • positive feedback from team members on mentorship and development opportunities
  • demonstrable improvement in the quality and impact of team deliverables.
Data Culture & Literacy
The extent to which data-driven thinking and the use of L&D analytics are embedded across the People function and the wider business.
  • Increased adoption of self-service dashboards by HRBPs and business leaders
  • positive feedback from L&D programme owners on the value of analytics
  • a reduction in 'gut-feel' decisions in favour of data-backed choices
  • active participation in data literacy workshops you've championed.

7Would you like it

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

What people enjoy
Driving Enterprise-Level Change

You'll spend your days leading strategic discussions, presenting to the C-suite, and seeing your team's insights directly influence major shifts in how we develop our people and manage our talent. It's about moving the biggest levers in the organisation.

Seeing a new company-wide skills framework, driven by your team's gap analysis, get approved and funded for the next three years.

Building and Leading a High-Impact Team

You'll get a real kick out of coaching your managers and lead analysts, helping them grow their skills and deliver increasingly sophisticated insights. Your team's success is your success, and you'll actively remove roadblocks for them.

One of your junior analysts gets promoted to Lead Analyst, directly attributing their growth to your mentorship and the opportunities you created.

Solving Complex, Ambiguous Problems

You thrive on tackling the 'impossible' questions—like proving the ROI of soft skills training or forecasting future capability needs with limited data. The messier the problem, the more engaged you are.

Successfully designing a quasi-experimental study to demonstrate the impact of a new manager coaching programme on team performance, even without a perfect control group.

What frustrates people
  • Executive requests for 'quick numbers' to validate a decision that's already been made, rather than inform it.
  • The sheer bureaucracy of getting access to critical data from different systems or departments.
  • Building a robust measurement framework for a programme, only for it to be deprioritised or cancelled six months later.
  • The constant battle to move beyond 'smile sheet' metrics and measure true business impact.
  • Dealing with data quality issues and inconsistencies across multiple HR and learning platforms.
What this role does not give you
  • A purely technical, heads-down analytics role without significant people leadership or strategic influence.
  • A predictable, routine work schedule with no urgent, high-stakes requests.
  • An environment where all data is perfectly clean and readily available.
  • A role where you don't have to challenge senior stakeholders or navigate organisational politics.

8Who you work with

This role directly shapes our enterprise talent strategy, ensuring that all L&D investments are data-driven and deliver measurable returns. You'll influence multi-million-pound budget allocations, drive critical skill development programmes, and ultimately ensure we have the right capabilities to meet our strategic business objectives. Your work will directly contribute to improved employee performance, retention, and overall organisational agility, giving us a real edge in the market.

Inside the business
  • CEO and Executive Leadership Team
  • Business Unit VPs and Managing Directors
  • Finance Director and Head of Commercial
  • HR Business Partners and Talent Acquisition Leads
  • IT Director and Data Platform Teams
Outside the business
  • Strategic Learning Technology Vendors (LMS, LXP, LRS)
  • External Consultants in People Analytics and Organisational Development
  • Industry Bodies and Research Institutions
  • Data Governance and Privacy Regulators

9What you need before you start

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

  • Proven track record of building and leading high-performing analytics teams (minimum 5 years in a leadership role).
  • Demonstrable experience in defining and implementing enterprise-level data strategies, specifically within HR or Learning.
  • Extensive experience presenting complex analytical findings and influencing C-suite stakeholders.
  • Deep expertise in learning measurement methodologies (Kirkpatrick, Phillips ROI) and their practical application.
  • A strong understanding of data governance, privacy regulations, and ethical data use.
  • Experience managing significant technology budgets and vendor relationships (typically £1M+).

10What to practise next

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

Data Product Management for Analytics

As our analytics solutions become more sophisticated (dashboards, predictive models, data APIs), we need to treat them like products—designed for users, with clear roadmaps, maintenance, and value propositions. This ensures our work is adopted and sustained.

User-Centric Design (UCD) for Analytics · Analytics Product Roadmap · Value Realisation Frameworks · Maintenance & Lifecycle Management

  • This quarter: Identify one key dashboard or report and apply product thinking—who is the user? What's their pain point?
  • Next 6 months: Shadow a Product Manager in another department to understand their processes.
  • Next 12 months: Develop a formal product roadmap for your team's top 3 analytics deliverables.
  • Ongoing: Integrate user feedback loops into all new analytics solution development.

Quick win: For your next dashboard, interview the intended users before you start building. What questions do they need answered? What decisions do they make?

Econometrics for HR & Learning

Moving beyond simple correlations, econometric methods provide more rigorous ways to establish causal links and quantify impact, especially when true A/B testing isn't possible. This boosts our credibility with Finance and the Board.

Regression Discontinuity Design · Difference-in-Differences · Instrumental Variables · Panel Data Analysis

  • This quarter: Identify a key learning programme where you'd like to prove causal impact more rigorously.
  • Next 6 months: Commission an external expert or upskill a team member in a specific econometric technique.
  • Next 12 months: Apply one econometric method to evaluate a flagship learning programme.
  • Ongoing: Collaborate with academic institutions or external experts on complex causal inference challenges.

Quick win: Start by identifying the biggest confounding variables in your current impact analyses. Simply acknowledging them is the first step towards more rigorous methods.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Active participation in people analytics industry forums, conferences (e.g., People Analytics World, HR Technology Conference), and peer networks.
  • Regularly publishing thought leadership pieces (articles, blogs) on learning measurement or people analytics.
  • Mentoring junior analytics professionals, either formally or informally, to foster the next generation of talent.
  • Engaging with academic research and collaborating with universities on cutting-edge people analytics projects.
  • Continuous learning in emerging technologies (AI/ML, advanced statistical methods) and their application to HR/L&D.

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.

AI/ML Ethics & Governance for Talent Data

As we use more AI in talent analytics (e.g., for skill gap prediction, personalised learning recommendations), the ethical implications around bias, fairness, and transparency become critical. Regulators are paying attention, and our employees expect us to be responsible.

  • Algorithmic Bias Detection
  • Explainable AI (XAI)
  • Data Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PETs)
  • AI Governance Frameworks

Organisational Network Analysis (ONA) for Learning

Formal learning only tells part of the story. ONA helps us understand how people actually learn and share knowledge informally, who the influencers are, and where critical knowledge bottlenecks exist. It's moving beyond 'butts-in-seats' to 'who's talking to whom'.

  • Network Centrality Measures
  • Knowledge Flow Mapping
  • Passive vs. Active ONA
  • Intervention Design based on ONA

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

  • Kirkpatrick & Phillips ROI Models
  • Learning Transfer Analysis
  • Skills Gap & Capability Forecasting
  • Experimental Design & Causal Inference
  • Data Governance & Ethics (L&D Specific)

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

    Head of People Analytics (from another large enterprise)

    Immediate (direct lateral move)

    Skills to master

    • Understanding our specific business context, navigating our organisational politics, and building relationships with key internal stakeholders. You'll need to quickly get up to speed on our existing data architecture and L&D strategy.

    You're ready to move on when

    • A proven track record of leading a similar-sized analytics function in a complex organisation.
    • Demonstrable experience influencing C-suite decisions with data.
    • Strong references highlighting leadership, strategic thinking, and impact.
  2. 2

    Director of Data Science / Analytics (from another function)

    6-12 months (with domain upskilling)

    Skills to master

    • Deep dive into adult learning theory, L&D specific metrics (Kirkpatrick, Phillips), and the nuances of HR data (privacy, ethics, specific HRIS/LMS systems). You'll need to translate your technical leadership into the People domain.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Strong technical leadership in a data-intensive field (e.g., Marketing, Product, Finance).
    • A genuine passion for people, learning, and organisational development.
    • Demonstrated ability to quickly learn new domains and apply analytical rigour.
  3. 3

    Senior Manager, Learning Analytics (internal promotion)

    1-2 years (with leadership development)

    Skills to master

    • Transitioning from managing a team to leading a function. This involves developing a broader strategic vision, influencing at the C-suite level, managing larger budgets, and representing the organisation externally. It's about expanding your scope and impact.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Consistently exceeding performance expectations as a Senior Manager.
    • Demonstrated ability to mentor and develop other managers.
    • Proactive engagement in strategic discussions beyond your immediate scope.
    • Identified as a high-potential leader in succession planning.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This work can lead towards senior leadership roles such as Chief People Officer or Chief Data Officer, or towards independent advisory work in people analytics.

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 Director, Learning Measurement & Strategy 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:

  • VP, Talent & Organisational Analytics
  • Chief People Officer (CPO) / Chief HR Officer (CHRO)

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 Data Analysis and Visualisation, worked against Director, Learning Measurement & Strategy.

Data Analysis and Visualisation Level 7

Applied to your work in Director, Learning Measurement & Strategy

1. To enable the learner to critically analyse the theoretical underpinnings of data analytics and their impact on decision-making in business management contexts. 2. To enable the learner to assess diverse data analysis activities, techniques, and tools applicable to business management scenarios. 3. To enable the learner to compare and contrast various predictive analytic techniques, evaluating their strengths and weaknesses in forecasting future business events. 4. To enable the learner to evaluate how predictive analytic techniques can be practically implemented for forecasting purposes within the business sector. 5. To enable the learner to evaluate prescriptive analytic techniques, illustrating their application with relevant examples from the business management domain. 6. To enable the learner to apply a suitable programming language or data analysis tool to conduct data analysis and visualisation tasks related to business management problems.

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.

See Your Progress Grow Illustration
Director, Learning Measurement & Strategy
  • Kirkpatrick & Phillips ROI Models
  • Learning Transfer Analysis
  • Skills Gap & Capability Forecasting
  • Experimental Design & Causal Inference
  • Data Governance & Ethics (L&D Specific)
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

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

  1. VP, Talent & Organisational Analytics

    3-5 years

    L7

    • Holistic Talent Data Architecture Architecting the data ecosystem for all talent data, not just learning.
    • Advanced Predictive Workforce Planning Developing sophisticated models for long-term workforce supply and demand.
    • External Thought Leadership Becoming a recognised industry voice on talent analytics and human capital measurement.

  2. Chief People Officer (CPO) / Chief HR Officer (CHRO)

    5-10 years

    L7+

    • Labour Relations & Legal Compliance Deep expertise in employment law, industrial relations, and regulatory compliance.
    • Organisational Culture & Engagement Driving company-wide culture initiatives and employee engagement strategies.
    • Global HR Operations Overseeing all HR operations across multiple geographies and legal entities.
Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

Let's be real, at this level, your time is precious. You shouldn't be bogged down with manual data pulls or drafting basic reports. AI isn't here to replace you; it's here to supercharge your strategic impact and free you up for the big-picture thinking that truly moves the needle.

Imagine a world where the routine, time-consuming parts of learning analytics are handled by intelligent assistants, allowing you and your team to focus purely on deep insights, strategic influence, and building the future of our talent measurement. That's the world we're building with AI at Zavmo. Here's a peek at how you'll use it:

Strategic Insight Generation

Feed thousands of internal data points, market research, and external reports into an LLM to instantly synthesise key trends, identify emerging skill gaps, and generate first-draft strategic recommendations for your executive presentations. It's like having a team of research assistants at your fingertips.

Executive Report Drafting & Refinement

Connect AI tools to your Tableau/Power BI dashboards or even raw data, and have them auto-generate a first draft of your board-level narrative summaries, highlighting critical findings, outliers, and potential business implications. You'll then refine, add your strategic perspective, and save hours of writing.

Team Workflow Optimisation

Use AI-powered project management tools to intelligently allocate tasks across your team, predict project completion times, and identify potential bottlenecks. It'll help you optimise resource use and ensure your team is always working on the highest-impact initiatives, freeing you up for leadership.

Advanced Predictive Modelling Oversight

While your team will build the models, AI will help you rapidly prototype new predictive models for skill obsolescence, learning pathway effectiveness, or retention risks. You'll use it to quickly test hypotheses and guide your team's more in-depth analytical work, accelerating your strategic foresight.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a Director, Learning Measurement & Strategy?

Common routes in include Head of People Analytics (from another large enterprise) (Immediate (direct lateral move)), Director of Data Science / Analytics (from another function) (6-12 months (with domain upskilling)) and Senior Manager, Learning Analytics (internal promotion) (1-2 years (with leadership development)). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Director, Learning Measurement & Strategy progress to?

This role can lead on to VP, Talent & Organisational Analytics (3-5 years) and Chief People Officer (CPO) / Chief HR Officer (CHRO) (5-10 years), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a Director, Learning Measurement & Strategy?

Increasingly, AI/ML Ethics & Governance for Talent Data and Organisational Network Analysis (ONA) for Learning. These are the skills our record of this role lists as growing.

Free tools

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

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17Where to go from here

Other roles at Level 7

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 in this role, strategic data leadership, influencing senior stakeholders, building teams, and understanding human capital data, apply across sectors. Similar Director or VP roles exist in People Analytics or wider Data and Analytics functions, in industries from finance to healthcare to government. The ability to show business value through data is sought after everywhere.

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 free Data Fluency module 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.