UK

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

Director, Learning Ecosystem & Analytics

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)
  • Direct reports25-100+ reports
  • Reports toVP, Talent & Capability
  • UK framework levelUsually a director, accountable for a division and its numbers

Also advertised as VP Learning Technology · Head of Learning Platforms · Director of L&D Operations

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 2 of 7 standards
NCC Education Level 5 Extended Diploma in Computing with Data Science NCC Education Limited · Level 5 · covers 1 of 7 standards
Level 6 Award in Data-led Decision Making Institute of Sales Professionals · Level 6 · covers 1 of 7 standards
NCFE CACHE Level 5 Diploma in Advanced Playwork (Wales) NCFE · Level 5 · covers 1 of 7 standards
Pearson BTEC Level 5 Higher National Diploma in Computing for England Pearson Education Ltd · Level 5 · covers 1 of 7 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-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)
Provide learning opportunities for colleagues NCFE CACHE Level 5 Diploma in Advanced Playwork (Wales)
Data Analytics Pearson BTEC Level 5 Higher National Diploma in Computing for England

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
Sustainability Fluency building care for people and planet into the work
Frontier Fluency the next wave, beyond mainstream AI
Your Plan Illustration

Built for Director, Learning Ecosystem & Analytics

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

  1. Data Analysis and Visualisation OTHM Qualifications · covers 2 of 7 standards Level 7
  2. Introduction to Data Science and Big Data NCC Education Limited · covers 1 of 7 standards Level 5
  3. Data-led Decision Making Institute of Sales Professionals · covers 1 of 7 standards Level 6
  4. Apply the Concepts of Data Science to Computer Engineering NOCN · covers 1 of 7 standards Level 5
  5. Provide learning opportunities for colleagues NCFE · covers 1 of 7 standards Level 5
  6. Data Analytics Pearson Education Ltd · covers 1 of 7 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 Ecosystem & Analytics?

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

  • Ethical AI & Responsible Learning Design
  • Immersive Learning & Metaverse Integration
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 Ecosystem & Analytics plan as you set up, starting with the free Automation 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 sets the strategy for how technology and data are used to support learning across a large organisation, and manages the systems behind it.

4What you'd actually use

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

LMS/LXP (e.g., Cornerstone OnDemand, Workday Learning) Architect

Platform selection and strategy, vendor negotiation, data model ownership, governance, API integration roadmap, budget ownership. You won't be publishing courses, but you'll define the standards for it.

Data & Analytics Platforms (e.g., Power BI, Tableau, Snowflake) Strategic

Defining the learning analytics strategy, integrating learning data into enterprise data warehouses, presenting insights to executive leadership. You'll interpret the dashboards, not build them from scratch.

Digital Adoption Platforms (DAP) (e.g., WalkMe, Whatfix) Architect

Owning the enterprise DAP strategy, integrating it across multiple platforms to support performance 'in the flow of work' beyond just L&D tools. You're thinking about the full user journey.

HRIS (e.g., Workday HCM, SAP SuccessFactors) Strategic

Influencing HR data governance policies to ensure clean data for the entire learning ecosystem. You're the one making sure the data flows correctly at a strategic level.

Project & Portfolio Management (e.g., Jira, Asana, Monday.com) Strategic

Reporting on team SLAs, resource planning based on project pipeline and support volume for major initiatives. You're managing the portfolio, not individual tickets.

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 Technology Investment (e.g., new LMS/LXP) No authority; escalates recommendations to manager. Recommends specific tools within existing budget; requires manager approval. Proposes business cases for new tools up to £50K; requires Director approval.
Organisational Design & Hiring (within L&D Tech) No authority. Provides input on team structure and candidate profiles. Interviews candidates; provides hiring recommendations to Lead.
Strategic Partnership & Vendor Selection No authority. Researches potential vendors; provides summaries to manager. Evaluates vendor capabilities; recommends preferred partners for specific projects.
Learning Data Governance & Policy Adheres to existing policies. Identifies data inconsistencies; reports issues. Proposes improvements to data collection and reporting processes.

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.

Active Monthly LXP Usage
Percentage increase in unique active users engaging with our Learning Experience Platform (LXP) month-over-month.
Target · Increase active monthly usage by 25% year-over-year.

If we had 5,000 active users last year, we'd expect to see 6,250 this year. This isn't just about logging in; it's about meaningful engagement with content.

Business Outcome Correlation
Demonstrable link between key learning programmes and specific business performance indicators.
Target · Show a 5% increase in pipeline velocity for sales teams completing the 'Advanced Negotiation' programme within 6 months.

After implementing a new leadership development programme, we'd track manager retention and team engagement scores, aiming for a measurable uplift.

Learning Technology ROI & Cost Optimisation
Reduction in overall learning technology spend as a percentage of the L&D budget, alongside clear return on investment for new platforms.
Target · Reduce vendor spend by 10% through platform consolidation and renegotiation within 18 months.

Consolidating two separate content libraries into one platform, leading to a £200,000 saving in licence fees and improved content discoverability.

Critical Skill Proficiency Improvement
Measurable uplift in the organisation's overall skill proficiency in defined critical capability areas, as assessed through the learning ecosystem.
Target · Improve overall skill proficiency in 'Cloud Security' by 15% across relevant engineering teams within 12 months.

Tracking pre- and post-training assessment scores, project success rates, and manager feedback to show a tangible increase in the desired skill.

Strategic Influence & Board Alignment
Your ability to shape the executive agenda around talent development and secure investment for key learning initiatives.
  • Regularly invited to C-suite strategy sessions
  • learning ecosystem roadmap directly informs talent strategy
  • board members actively reference learning data in discussions
  • successful approval of significant investment proposals (£1M+).
Organisational Agility & Future-Readiness
The extent to which our learning ecosystem can quickly adapt to new business needs, market shifts, and emerging technologies.
  • Rapid deployment of new learning pathways in response to market changes (e.g., new product launch, regulatory shift)
  • positive feedback from business leaders on the responsiveness of L&D tech
  • successful integration of new, innovative learning tools (e.g., AI, VR) into the ecosystem.
Data-Driven Decision Making Culture
Your success in embedding a culture where learning decisions are consistently informed by robust data and analytics.
  • Business unit leaders routinely request learning data to inform their talent decisions
  • learning analytics dashboards are widely used and trusted
  • a clear, consistent framework for measuring learning impact is adopted across the organisation
  • data governance policies for learning are well-defined and adhered to.

7Would you like it

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

What people enjoy
Shaping Business Strategy

You'll spend a good chunk of your time thinking about how learning can solve real business problems, not just deliver courses. This means diving deep into market trends, understanding our product roadmap, and figuring out how to equip our people for what's next.

Working with the CPO to define the 3-year talent strategy and then designing the learning ecosystem to support it, rather than just reacting to individual training requests.

Large-Scale Impact & Transformation

The idea of influencing the development of thousands of employees, and seeing that translate into measurable business growth, genuinely excites you. You're driven by the opportunity to transform how an entire organisation learns and performs.

Leading a global initiative to embed a new sales methodology using a blend of technology and content, and then seeing a direct uplift in sales figures across all regions.

Building High-Performing Teams & Capabilities

You get a real kick out of seeing your team grow, develop, and deliver exceptional results. You're passionate about mentoring, coaching, and creating an environment where your people can thrive and become future leaders.

Identifying a future leader within your team, giving them a stretch assignment on a critical project, and then seeing them excel and get promoted.

What frustrates people
  • Slow, bureaucratic decision-making processes, especially when you're trying to move quickly on a strategic initiative.
  • Lack of executive buy-in or conflicting priorities from different C-suite members, making it hard to get a clear mandate.
  • Legacy systems and technical debt that slow down innovation and require constant workarounds.
  • The challenge of proving ROI for learning in a quantifiable way, especially when business outcomes have many contributing factors.
  • Managing large teams and multiple vendors, which can sometimes feel like herding cats.
What this role does not give you
  • A quiet, heads-down technical role where you're just coding or configuring systems all day.
  • A role with minimal stakeholder interaction or political navigation.
  • A predictable, unchanging daily routine.
  • The ability to make every decision unilaterally without needing to build consensus or get approvals.

8Who you work with

This role directly shapes the company's ability to develop, retain, and grow its talent at scale. You'll influence business strategy by providing data-driven insights on skill gaps and development needs, ensuring we're building the capabilities required for future growth and market leadership. Your decisions will impact millions of pounds in technology investment and the career trajectories of thousands of employees.

Inside the business
  • C-Suite (CEO, COO, CFO, CTO, CHRO)
  • Board of Directors (for strategy and investment reviews)
  • Business Unit Leaders (Sales, Product, Engineering, Marketing)
  • IT & Security Leadership
  • HR Business Partners
Outside the business
  • Key Learning Technology Vendors (e.g., Cornerstone, Workday Learning)
  • Industry Bodies and Associations
  • Strategic Consulting Partners

9What you need before you start

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

  • A proven track record of 15+ years in Learning & Development technology leadership, with at least 5 years managing a significant budget (£2M+) and a large team (20+ people).
  • Demonstrable experience in defining and executing a multi-year learning technology strategy for a global organisation.
  • Experience presenting to and influencing C-suite executives and Board members on technology and talent strategy.
  • A strong background in learning analytics, with experience integrating learning data into enterprise business intelligence systems and demonstrating measurable business impact.
  • Experience in complex vendor negotiation and contract management for major enterprise software platforms.
  • A Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., Business, Technology, HR, Education) or equivalent professional experience.

10What to practise next

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

Advanced Learning Data Architecture & Governance

As learning data becomes more critical for business decisions, the complexity of its architecture, integration, and governance will grow exponentially. You'll need to ensure our data infrastructure is robust, scalable, and secure.

Data Lake & Data Warehouse Integration · xAPI Data Strategy & Implementation · Data Mesh & Decentralised Data Ownership · Data Security & Compliance Frameworks

  • This quarter: Review our current learning data architecture with your Head of Analytics and identify key areas for improvement.
  • Next 6 months: Engage with enterprise data architects to understand their roadmap and identify integration opportunities for learning data.
  • Within 12 months: Develop a comprehensive 3-year roadmap for learning data architecture and governance, including required investments.
  • Ongoing: Stay abreast of new data technologies and best practices in data governance.

Quick win: Map out the current flow of learning data from all sources to our reporting tools. Identify the biggest bottlenecks and data quality issues.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Regularly attending and speaking at major industry conferences (e.g., Learning Technologies, DevLearn, ATD International Conference) to stay current and build your professional network.
  • Engaging in executive education programmes focused on digital transformation, strategic leadership, or advanced analytics.
  • Mentoring emerging leaders within the L&D or HR technology space, which helps solidify your own expertise and build a strong talent pipeline.
  • Publishing thought leadership articles or whitepapers on the future of learning technology and its impact on business strategy.
  • Participating in industry working groups or advisory boards for learning technology vendors.

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 & Responsible Learning Design

AI is becoming embedded in every aspect of learning, from content creation to personalised pathways. As a leader, you'll be accountable for ensuring our use of AI is ethical, unbiased, and compliant with evolving regulations. Getting this wrong could damage our reputation and create legal risks.

  • AI Bias Detection & Mitigation
  • Data Privacy & AI in Learning
  • Transparency & Explainability in AI
  • AI Governance Frameworks

Immersive Learning & Metaverse Integration

Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and the broader concept of the metaverse are moving beyond novelty to become powerful tools for experiential learning, especially for complex skills. As a Director, you'll need to assess their strategic value, identify use cases, and integrate them into our ecosystem.

  • VR/AR Learning Platforms
  • Experiential Learning Design
  • Metaverse Learning Environments
  • Hardware & Infrastructure Considerations

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

  • Enterprise Learning Ecosystem Strategy
  • Advanced Learning Analytics & Data Science
  • Organisational Change Management
  • Vendor & Partnership Management
  • HR Technology Integration & Data Governance

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

    From Manager, Learning Technology & Operations (L5)

    3-5 years at L5

    Skills to master

    • Transitioning from managing a function to defining its strategic direction, P&L ownership for a larger scope, executive presence and board-level communication, influencing cross-functional leaders without direct authority.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully led a major learning technology implementation or upgrade project end-to-end.
    • Consistently exceeded operational KPIs and demonstrated significant cost savings or efficiency gains.
    • Developed and presented strategic proposals to senior leadership with positive outcomes.
    • Mentored and developed high-potential talent within their team, preparing them for leadership roles.
  2. 2

    From Head of L&D (Smaller Organisation)

    5-7 years as Head of L&D

    Skills to master

    • Scaling strategic thinking to an enterprise level (global scope, larger budget, more complex stakeholder landscape), navigating a larger corporate structure, managing a larger and more diverse team, deeper specialisation in learning analytics and data strategy.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully built and scaled a learning function in a smaller, fast-growing company.
    • Demonstrated strong commercial acumen and managed a significant budget.
    • Proven ability to attract, develop, and retain top talent.
    • Experience in integrating learning technology with business outcomes, even if on a smaller scale.
  3. 3

    From Senior Consultant (Learning Technology Advisory)

    5-8 years as a Senior Consultant/Principal Consultant

    Skills to master

    • Moving from advising clients to owning and executing a strategy internally, building and leading a permanent in-house team, navigating internal politics and securing long-term budget commitments, operational accountability for system uptime and performance.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Led multiple successful learning technology transformation projects for diverse clients.
    • Demonstrated strong client relationship management and influencing skills at an executive level.
    • Developed and implemented strategic recommendations that led to measurable business impact.
    • Understands the operational realities and challenges of managing a learning ecosystem day-to-day, not just the theoretical design.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This work can lead to senior HR leadership such as Chief People Officer, or into wider operational roles such as Chief Operating Officer.

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 Ecosystem & Analytics 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 & Capability (L7)
  • Chief Learning Officer (CLO) / Chief Digital Learning Officer (CDLO)

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 Ecosystem & Analytics.

Data Analysis and Visualisation Level 7

Applied to your work in Director, Learning Ecosystem & Analytics

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 Ecosystem & Analytics
  • Enterprise Learning Ecosystem Strategy
  • Advanced Learning Analytics & Data Science
  • Organisational Change Management
  • Vendor & Partnership Management
  • HR Technology Integration & Data Governance
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 Ecosystem & Analytics is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

  1. VP, Talent & Capability (L7)

    3-5 years in Director role

    From business unit strategy to enterprise-wide talent strategy, reporting directly to the CHRO or CEO.

    • Integrated talent management (performance, succession, career mobility)
    • Executive coaching and leadership development at the C-suite level
    • Global HR policy and compliance
    • Advanced organisational psychology and behavioural economics

  2. Chief Learning Officer (CLO) / Chief Digital Learning Officer (CDLO)

    3-6 years in Director role

    From leading a function to owning the enterprise learning strategy and culture, often reporting to the CHRO or CEO.

    • Advanced instructional design and pedagogy for enterprise learning
    • Learning science and cognitive psychology application
    • Workforce transformation and future-of-work strategies
    • Global diversity, equity, and inclusion in learning
Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

Let's be real, even at the Director level, there's always operational noise that pulls you away from the big strategic thinking. Imagine if you could offload a significant chunk of that, freeing up your time to truly shape the future of learning at Zavmo. That's where AI comes in.

We're not talking about replacing your team, but about supercharging their capabilities and giving you the bandwidth to focus on what really matters: vision, innovation, and direct business impact. Our AI Productivity Hub is designed to help you and your team automate the mundane, gain deeper insights, and communicate more effectively, letting you lead from the front.

Intelligent Ecosystem Optimisation

AI can continuously monitor our entire learning ecosystem—LMS, LXP, DAP—to predict potential issues, identify underutilised features, and suggest optimisations for user experience and content delivery. It's like having a 24/7 digital consultant for platform health.

Strategic Learning Insights

Move beyond basic dashboards. AI can correlate learning engagement data with complex business metrics (e.g., product adoption, customer churn, innovation rates) to uncover hidden patterns and provide predictive insights, giving you a powerful story for the Board.

Automated Strategy Briefings

Need a summary of the latest trends in immersive learning or a competitive analysis of learning technology vendors? AI can rapidly synthesise vast amounts of information into concise, actionable briefings, saving you hours of research for executive presentations.

AI-Powered Talent Mapping & Forecasting

Use AI to analyse internal skill data, external market trends, and our strategic roadmap to proactively identify future skill gaps and forecast talent development needs. This helps you build learning pathways that are truly ahead of the curve.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a Director, Learning Ecosystem & Analytics?

Common routes in include From Manager, Learning Technology & Operations (3-5 years at L5), From Head of L&D (Smaller Organisation) (5-7 years as Head of L&D) and From Senior Consultant (Learning Technology Advisory) (5-8 years as a Senior Consultant/Principal Consultant). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Director, Learning Ecosystem & Analytics progress to?

This role can lead on to VP, Talent & Capability (3-5 years in Director role) and Chief Learning Officer (CLO) / Chief Digital Learning Officer (CDLO) (3-6 years in Director role), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a Director, Learning Ecosystem & Analytics?

Increasingly, Ethical AI & Responsible Learning Design and Immersive Learning & Metaverse Integration. 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 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 leadership, technology management, data analysis and talent development, transfer across industries. Similar Director or VP roles exist in sectors such as FinTech, healthcare and consulting, and some move into advisory work for learning technology firms.

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 Automation 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.