UK

United Kingdom · Learning and development · Principal/Manager (12-16 years)

Manager, Learning Analytics & Insights

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  • Experience bandPrincipal/Manager (12-16 years)
  • Reports toDirector, Learning Measurement & Strategy
  • UK framework levelUsually a manager, or the deepest specialist in a team

Also advertised as L&D Analytics Manager · Head of Learning Measurement · People Analytics Manager (Learning Focus)

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

Pearson BTEC Level 5 Higher National Diploma in Computing for England Pearson Education Ltd · Level 5 · covers 4 of 10 standards
Pearson BTEC Level 5 Higher National Diploma in Digital Technologies Pearson Education Ltd · Level 5 · covers 2 of 10 standards
NOCN Level 4 certificate for Data Analysts NOCN · Level 4 · covers 7 of 10 standards
OTHM Level 7 Diploma in Data Science OTHM Qualifications · Level 7 · covers 6 of 10 standards
Pearson BTEC Level 4 Higher National Certificate in Computing for England Pearson Education Ltd · Level 4 · covers 3 of 10 standards
Highfield Level 3 Diploma for Team Leaders and Supervisors (RQF) Highfield Qualifications · 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

Data Analytics Pearson BTEC Level 5 Higher National Diploma in Computing for England
Data Analytics Primer NOCN Level 4 certificate for Data Analysts
Data Analysis and Visualisation OTHM Level 7 Diploma in Data Science
Data Analysis Highfield Level 3 Diploma for Team Leaders and Supervisors (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
Your Plan Illustration

Built for Manager, Learning Analytics & Insights

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

  1. Data Analytics Pearson Education Ltd · covers 4 of 10 standards Level 5
  2. Data Analytics Primer NOCN · covers 7 of 10 standards Level 4
  3. Data Analysis and Visualisation OTHM Qualifications · covers 6 of 10 standards Level 7
  4. Data Analysis Highfield Qualifications · covers 2 of 10 standards Level 3
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 Manager, Learning Analytics & Insights?

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

The new skill this role is being asked for

  • Ethical AI & Algorithmic Bias Detection in People Analytics
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 Manager, Learning Analytics & Insights plan as you set up, starting with the free Data Fluency module. No card.

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

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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 leads a team that turns learning data into clear, useful insight. The job involves building and guiding people who translate raw numbers into findings that improve how people are developed. It means going beyond feedback forms to show what training actually achieves.

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 governance and API access policies. Reviewing custom reports built by the team.

Cornerstone OnDemand / Degreed Strategic/Architect

Leading vendor selection/review based on analytics capabilities. Architecting the data flow between the LMS/LXP and the enterprise data warehouse. Overseeing automated report scheduling.

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 dashboard governance. Reviewing team's published dashboards.

Excel (Power Query & VBA) Advanced

Primarily a consumer or reviewer of Excel models created by the team. Occasionally building robust data models for quick ad-hoc analyses or prototyping, but focusing on tools that scale beyond spreadsheets.

Snowflake / BigQuery / Databricks (SQL) Strategic/Architect

Architecting the L&D data schema within the enterprise data warehouse. Overseeing the ETL/ELT process and data governance. Reviewing complex SQL queries written by the team for efficiency and accuracy.

Qualtrics / Glint Strategic

Managing the enterprise license and strategy for listening tools. Integrating survey data into holistic employee insight models. Reviewing survey designs and analysis plans from the team.

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
Project Prioritisation Follows supervisor's prioritisation. Prioritises own tasks within project scope, escalates conflicts. Prioritises own workstreams, provides input on project-level priorities.
Methodology & Tool Selection (within scope) Uses established methods and tools. Chooses appropriate methods/tools for routine problems, seeks guidance for novel ones. Selects and designs complex methodologies, recommends new tools within existing frameworks.
Budget Allocation (for team/tools) No budget authority. Suggests tool purchases, no approval. Recommends budget for specific project needs (e.g., £5K for a new dataset).
Hiring & Performance Management No authority. Provides peer feedback. Mentors juniors, provides input on performance reviews.

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.

Business Outcome Linkage
Quantitatively linking a flagship L&D programme to a measurable improvement in a key business metric.
Target · >5% improvement in relevant business metric (e.g., new hire productivity, sales cycle time, customer satisfaction)

Your team's analysis shows that the new leadership programme is correlated with a 7% reduction in voluntary turnover for managers' direct reports within 12 months, leading to a demonstrable cost saving.

Strategic Influence & Budget Reallocation
Analytics insights directly leading to the reallocation of L&D budget from low-impact to high-impact programmes.
Target · Analytics insights directly lead to the reallocation of >£500K in the annual L&D budget.

Your team's findings on the effectiveness of a particular compliance training programme lead the Director to shift £750K of budget towards a new, more impactful skills development initiative.

Team Productivity & Deliverables
The number and quality of analytical reports, dashboards, and strategic presentations delivered by your team.
Target · Average of 8-10 high-impact analytical deliverables per quarter per analyst, with 90% stakeholder satisfaction.

Your team delivers a comprehensive quarterly L&D impact report to the executive team, including 3 new deep-dive analyses and 2 updated interactive dashboards, all receiving positive feedback for clarity and actionability.

Data Quality Score
The accuracy and completeness of key L&D datasets, ensuring reliable analysis.
Target · >95% accuracy score for critical L&D data points (e.g., completion status, learner demographics, programme costs).

You implement new data governance processes that reduce discrepancies between the LMS and HRIS data by 15% within six months, significantly improving the reliability of all subsequent analyses.

Stakeholder Confidence & Proactive Consultation
Senior leaders and L&D Business Partners actively seek out your team's advice and data before making strategic decisions.
  • Your team is consistently invited to early-stage L&D strategy meetings. Business leaders regularly quote your team's findings in their own presentations. You're seen as the 'go-to' for anything data-related in L&D.
Team Development & Growth
The growth and capability development of your direct reports, both technically and in their ability to consult and present.
  • Your team members are successfully taking on more complex projects independently. They receive positive feedback from stakeholders on their presentations. You see clear progression in their technical skills and business acumen, maybe even leading to internal promotions.
Innovation in Measurement & Methodology
The introduction and successful adoption of new, more robust analytical methods or tools within the L&D function.
  • Your team successfully implements quasi-experimental designs to measure programme impact where true A/B tests aren't possible. You introduce a new data storytelling framework that significantly improves how insights are communicated. You might even pilot a new AI tool for text analysis of feedback.

7Would you like it

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

What people enjoy
Building & Developing a High-Performing Team

You get a real buzz from seeing your team members grow, master new skills, and deliver impactful work. You'll spend time coaching, mentoring, and celebrating their successes.

One of your junior analysts nails a complex presentation to a senior VP, and you feel immense pride, knowing you helped them get there.

Driving Strategic Impact Through Data

You're motivated by seeing your team's analytical work directly influence significant business decisions and lead to tangible improvements in L&D strategy and outcomes.

Your team's analysis leads to a major shift in how we approach leadership development, resulting in a demonstrable improvement in manager effectiveness scores.

Solving Complex, Ambiguous Problems

You enjoy tackling big, messy questions where there isn't an obvious answer. You'll guide your team through the ambiguity, helping them structure their approach and find clarity.

You're asked to 'prove the ROI of our entire learning function' – a huge, multi-faceted challenge that excites you rather than overwhelms you.

What frustrates people
  • Attribution vs. Causation Hell: Constantly being asked to 'prove' a training programme caused an outcome when you can only show correlation.
  • The Data Silo Gauntlet: Spending too much time trying to join disparate, incomplete data from multiple systems.
  • Proxy Metric Purgatory: Being forced to present weaker proxy metrics (like completion rates) because true behavioural data isn't available.
  • The 'Urgent' Vague Request: Senior leaders asking for 'some numbers' to support a decision they've already made, requiring immediate pivots.
  • Lack of Control Groups: The ethical and practical impossibility of running true A/B tests in many L&D scenarios.
  • The 'Flavour of the Month' Initiative: Investing heavily in analysis for a programme that gets deprioritised or cancelled soon after.
What this role does not give you
  • A perfectly clean and integrated data environment from day one.
  • A role where you're solely focused on individual technical contributions without people management.
  • A guarantee that every single analysis your team produces will directly lead to a major strategic shift.
  • An environment free from ambiguity or changing priorities.

8Who you work with

This role directly influences where we invest our significant L&D budget, ensuring programmes are effective and deliver measurable business value. Your team's insights will shape our talent strategy, improve employee capabilities, and ultimately contribute to our company's overall performance and competitive edge. You're making sure we're not just training, but *effective* training.

Inside the business
  • Director, Learning Measurement & Strategy
  • L&D Business Partners
  • HR Business Partners (HRBPs)
  • Senior Business Leaders (e.g., Sales VPs, Product Directors)
  • People Operations & HRIS Teams
  • Finance Leadership
Outside the business
  • LMS/LXP Vendors (e.g., Cornerstone OnDemand, Degreed)
  • Survey Tool Providers (e.g., Qualtrics, Glint)
  • External Consultants or Benchmarking Partners

9What you need before you start

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

  • Proven experience (at least 3-5 years) leading and managing a team of data analysts or similar technical professionals.
  • Extensive hands-on experience (8+ years) in a dedicated analytics role, preferably within People Analytics, HR, or Learning & Development.
  • Demonstrable track record of translating complex analytical findings into clear, actionable business recommendations for senior stakeholders.
  • Deep technical proficiency in SQL for complex data manipulation and experience with at least one major data visualisation tool (Tableau or Power BI).
  • Strong understanding of statistical methods and their application in real-world business problems, including experimental design principles.
  • Experience with data governance, data quality management, and working with large, disparate datasets from multiple source systems (e.g., HRIS, LMS).

10What to practise next

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

Advanced Predictive Modelling for L&D Outcomes

Moving beyond descriptive analytics to actually predict who might churn, who's a high-potential employee, or which learning interventions will have the greatest impact. This helps us be proactive, not just reactive.

Churn Prediction Models · Skills Decay Forecasting · Recommendation Engines · Feature Engineering for People Data

  • This month: Review case studies of predictive analytics in HR/L&D from other companies.
  • Next quarter: Task one of your senior analysts with prototyping a simple churn prediction model using existing data.
  • Month 6: Evaluate potential external vendors or internal data science capabilities for advanced modelling support.
  • Month 9: Present a business case for investing in a predictive analytics capability for L&D to senior leadership.

Quick win: Start identifying which business problems are truly 'predictive' in nature (e.g., 'who will leave?' vs. 'why did they leave?') and map out the data you'd need.

Data Mesh & Distributed Data Governance

As organisations grow, centralising all data becomes a bottleneck. Data mesh principles advocate for domain-oriented, decentralised data ownership, treating data as a product. This will impact how your L&D data is managed and accessed across the enterprise.

Data as a Product · Domain-Oriented Ownership · Self-Serve Data Platforms · Federated Computational Governance

  • This quarter: Read Zhamak Dehghani's 'Data Mesh' book or key articles on the topic.
  • Next quarter: Meet with your enterprise data architecture team to understand their strategy and how L&D data fits in.
  • Month 6: Start documenting your L&D data as if it were a 'product' for other teams to consume, including clear metadata and SLAs.
  • Month 9: Advocate for L&D's needs in the broader data mesh strategy and identify key data products your team can offer.

Quick win: Begin by clearly defining the 'owners' for different L&D data elements within your team and documenting their responsibilities for data quality.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Regularly attending industry conferences (e.g., People Analytics World, Learning Technologies) to stay abreast of trends and network.
  • Subscribing to leading journals or online communities focused on people analytics, data science, and organisational psychology.
  • Engaging in peer-to-peer learning with other analytics managers, both internally and externally, to share best practices and challenges.
  • Taking advanced courses in areas like machine learning, causal inference, or behavioural economics to deepen your theoretical understanding and guide your team.

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.

Ethical AI & Algorithmic Bias Detection in People Analytics

As we use more AI in HR (e.g., for hiring, performance predictions, learning recommendations), the risk of embedding and amplifying biases grows. Regulators are catching up, and ethical considerations are becoming paramount. You need to protect the organisation and ensure fair outcomes.

  • Fairness Metrics
  • Explainable AI (XAI)
  • Data Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PETs)
  • Bias Mitigation Strategies

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 Storytelling for L&D (Leadership)
  • Data Governance & Quality Management

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 Analytics Analyst (Internal Promotion)

    3-5 years as a Senior Analyst

    Skills to master

    • Mastering end-to-end project ownership, leading complex analyses independently, informally mentoring junior colleagues, and consistently delivering high-quality, actionable insights.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Consistently sought out by stakeholders for complex analytical problems.
    • Demonstrates strong informal leadership and mentorship skills.
    • Proactively identifies and proposes new analytical projects or improvements.
    • Successfully manages stakeholder expectations and project timelines.
  2. 2

    People Analytics Specialist / Consultant (External Hire)

    8-12 years in a People Analytics role, with some leadership exposure

    Skills to master

    • Deep expertise in a specific area of people analytics (e.g., talent acquisition, diversity & inclusion), strong consulting skills, and experience influencing senior HR leaders.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Has led significant analytical projects from conception to delivery.
    • Proven ability to manage client/stakeholder relationships effectively.
    • Strong track record of translating data into strategic recommendations.
    • Experience working with diverse datasets across the HR lifecycle.
  3. 3

    Data Scientist / Senior Data Analyst (from another domain)

    10-14 years in a data science or advanced analytics role, with a strong interest in people/learning

    Skills to master

    • Applying advanced statistical modelling and machine learning techniques, but crucially, developing a deep understanding of HR/L&D domain knowledge and the unique ethical considerations of people data.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Strong technical skills in Python/R, advanced SQL, and predictive modelling.
    • Demonstrates a genuine passion for understanding human behaviour and organisational dynamics.
    • Proven ability to work with messy, real-world data and deliver practical solutions.
    • Some experience in a client-facing or consulting role.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This work can lead to senior analytics leadership, or into wider people and talent strategy roles.

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 Manager, Learning Analytics & Insights is actually changing.

Where it leads

Roles this leads to

Also named as a next step, with no page in the catalogue yet:

  • Head of People Analytics (broader scope)

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 Analytics, worked against Manager, Learning Analytics & Insights.

Data Analytics Level 5

Applied to your work in Manager, Learning Analytics & Insights

The objective of this unit is to enable learners to understand and apply data analytics techniques for decision-making. Learners will be able to apply descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytic methods, utilising statistical methods, to convert raw data into actionable insights and determine the best course of action.

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
Manager, Learning Analytics & Insights
  • Kirkpatrick & Phillips ROI Models
  • Learning Transfer Analysis
  • Skills Gap & Capability Forecasting
  • Experimental Design & Causal Inference
  • Data Storytelling for L&D (Leadership)
  • Data Governance & Quality Management
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

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

  1. Director, Learning Measurement & Strategy

    3-5 years in the Manager role

    Level 6 (Director/VP)

    • Defining the organisation's entire learning measurement strategy.
    • Securing significant budget and making technology investment decisions for L&D analytics.
    • Influencing executive-level L&D and talent strategy decisions.
    • Building and managing relationships with external industry bodies and thought leaders.

  2. Head of People Analytics (broader scope)

    4-6 years in the Manager role

    Level 6 (Director/VP)

    • Defining the overall People Analytics strategy for the entire HR function.
    • Integrating learning data with other HR datasets (e.g., recruitment, performance, compensation).
    • Leading the development of enterprise-wide people analytics dashboards and reporting.
    • Presenting a unified people story to the C-suite and potentially the Board.
Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

Let's be real, managing an analytics team means you're always looking for ways to do more with less. AI isn't here to replace your brilliant analysts; it's here to make them, and you, incredibly more productive. Think of it as having a tireless assistant for all the tedious, repetitive tasks, freeing up your team for deeper insights and strategic thinking.

For a Manager in Learning Analytics, AI can transform how your team processes data, generates reports, and communicates insights. It means less time 'scraping the LMS' and more time 'tying it to Level 3 / Level 4.' You'll be able to scale your team's impact without necessarily scaling its size, and crucially, you'll be able to review their work faster and with greater confidence.

Thematic Analysis Accelerator

Imagine feeding thousands of open-ended comments from your team's course feedback surveys into an LLM. It can instantly categorise feedback into themes like 'Instructor Quality' or 'Content Relevance,' saving your analysts days of manual tagging. You'll get to the 'so what' much faster.

Automated Narrative Generation

Your team can connect an AI tool to their Tableau or Power BI dashboards to auto-generate a first draft of the weekly or monthly narrative summary. The AI highlights key trends, outliers, and deltas, giving your analysts a massive head start on their reports, and you a quicker review cycle.

Strategic Comms Drafter

As a manager, you're constantly communicating complex findings. Provide an LLM with a key insight (e.g., 'Correlation between manager coaching and team engagement is r=0.45') and ask it to draft a clear, jargon-free email to a business leader explaining what this means and why it matters. It's a huge time-saver for getting those messages just right.

SQL Query Co-Pilot & Reviewer

Your team can use AI assistants (like GitHub Copilot) to translate natural language requests into valid SQL queries, accelerating data exploration. For you, it means faster code reviews, as the AI can help identify potential errors or suggest optimisations, ensuring your team's queries are robust and efficient.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a Manager, Learning Analytics & Insights?

Common routes in include Senior Learning Analytics Analyst (Internal Promotion) (3-5 years as a Senior Analyst), People Analytics Specialist / Consultant (External Hire) (8-12 years in a People Analytics role, with some leadership exposure) and Data Scientist / Senior Data Analyst (from another domain) (10-14 years in a data science or advanced analytics role, with a strong interest in people/learning). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Manager, Learning Analytics & Insights progress to?

This role can lead on to Director, Learning Measurement & Strategy (3-5 years in the Manager role) and Head of People Analytics (broader scope) (4-6 years in the Manager role), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a Manager, Learning Analytics & Insights?

Increasingly, Ethical AI & Algorithmic Bias Detection in People Analytics. 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.

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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

Leading an analytics team, turning data into insight and influencing senior stakeholders are skills used well beyond learning. They transfer to other data-heavy functions such as marketing analytics or product analytics, and to consulting work in HR or talent.

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.