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
Head of L&D (Large Organisation)
3-5 years in a similar roleSkills to master
- Scaling learning programmes, managing complex vendor relationships, presenting to executive leadership, building and leading a diverse L&D team.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully led a major L&D transformation initiative.
- Managed an annual L&D budget of over £1M.
- Consistently achieved high levels of executive sponsorship for L&D programmes.
- Built and developed a strong, cohesive L&D team.
- 2
VP, Talent Development (Mid-sized Organisation)
4-6 years in a VP-level roleSkills to master
- Integrating L&D with broader talent management (e.g., performance, succession), driving culture change through learning, influencing at the C-Suite level, potentially overseeing other HR functions.
You're ready to move on when
- Demonstrated clear ROI on talent development investments.
- Successfully integrated L&D with other talent functions.
- Played a key role in shaping organisational culture through learning initiatives.
- Proven ability to operate as a strategic business partner to the CEO/CHRO.
- 3
Senior HR Business Partner (with L&D focus)
5-8 years as a senior HRBPSkills to master
- Deep business acumen, understanding of specific business unit challenges, translating business needs into talent solutions, strong stakeholder management across HR and business.
You're ready to move on when
- Led significant talent initiatives within a business unit.
- Consistently identified and addressed critical skill gaps for their business area.
- Successfully influenced business leaders on talent strategy.
- Developed a strong understanding of the entire employee lifecycle beyond just L&D.