UK

United Kingdom · Learning and development · Mid-Level (2-5 years)

Performance Support Administrator

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.

See how AI is changing this job, and get the full read by email.

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One email: what AI is changing in this job, the new skills it asks for, where it leads, and where to start free. With a link back here. Nothing else follows unless you confirm your address.

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  • Experience bandMid-Level (2-5 years)
  • Direct reportsNo direct reports
  • Reports toSenior Performance Support Administrator or Learning Technology Manager
  • UK framework levelUsually someone starting out, or keeping a process running

Also advertised as Learning Systems Administrator · LMS Administrator · Learning Operations Specialist

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

Focus Awards Level 3 Diploma in Playwork (RQF) Focus Awards Limited · Level 3 · covers 2 of 10 standards
TQUK Level 3 Diploma in Specialist Support for Teaching and Learning in Schools (RQF) Training Qualifications UK Ltd · Level 3 · covers 1 of 10 standards
GQA PAA\VQ-SET Level 3 Certificate in Learning and Development GQA Qualifications Limited · Level 3 · covers 1 of 10 standards
IAO Level 3 Diploma In Specialist Support for Teaching and Learning in Schools Innovate Awarding · Level 3 · covers 1 of 10 standards
OCNLR Level 2 Award in Skills for Learning Support Practitioners OCN London · Level 2 · covers 1 of 10 standards
Highfield Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care (RQF) (England) Highfield Qualifications · Level 3 · covers 1 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 Focus Awards Level 3 Diploma in Playwork (RQF)
Support learning and development within own area of responsibility TQUK Level 3 Diploma in Specialist Support for Teaching and Learning in Schools (RQF)
Engage learners in the learning and development process GQA PAA\VQ-SET Level 3 Certificate in Learning and Development
Support learners with cognition and learning needs IAO Level 3 Diploma In Specialist Support for Teaching and Learning in Schools
The Role of the Learning Support Practitioner in the Classroom OCNLR Level 2 Award in Skills for Learning Support Practitioners
Support individuals to access education, training or employment Highfield Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care (RQF) (England)

The future skills this job leans on

AI Fluency working with AI as a thinking partner
Data Fluency turning numbers into a decision
Automation Fluency building AI into how work runs
Your Plan Illustration

Built for Performance Support Administrator

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

  1. Provide learning opportunities for colleagues Focus Awards Limited · covers 2 of 10 standards Level 3
  2. Support learning and development within own area of responsibility Training Qualifications UK Ltd · covers 1 of 10 standards Level 3
  3. Engage learners in the learning and development process GQA Qualifications Limited · covers 1 of 10 standards Level 3
  4. Support learners with cognition and learning needs Innovate Awarding · covers 1 of 10 standards Level 3
  5. The Role of the Learning Support Practitioner in the Classroom OCN London · covers 1 of 10 standards Level 2
  6. Support individuals to access education, training or employment Highfield Qualifications · covers 1 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 Performance Support Administrator?

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

  • Basic Prompt Engineering for L&D Tasks
  • Understanding of Learning Experience Platforms (LXPs)
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 Performance Support Administrator plan as you set up, starting with the free AI 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

You keep learning platforms running, so training is there when people need it. This is the day to day work behind the scenes of learning and development, handling systems and access so the technology works and people can get on with learning.

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, Docebo, Workday Learning) Intermediate

Managing user accounts and groups, publishing courses (SCORM/xAPI), generating standard reports, troubleshooting Tier 1 support issues, configuring basic course settings.

Microsoft Excel Intermediate

Cleaning exported CSVs from the LMS, performing VLOOKUPs, creating PivotTables for basic completion and 'smile sheet' reports, simple data analysis.

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

Understanding the data flow to the LMS, manually correcting user profile discrepancies caused by bad data feeds, checking user attributes for audience mapping.

Ticketing/Project Management Tools (e.g., Jira Service Desk, Asana) Intermediate

Managing your personal ticket queue, documenting solutions, tracking the status of content uploads, collaborating on small L&D projects.

Articulate 360 (Rise/Storyline) or Adobe Captivate Basic

Uploading and testing SCORM/xAPI packages, identifying common publishing errors, communicating content specifications to designers.

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
Course Publishing & Configuration Follows explicit instructions from a Senior Admin; all settings reviewed. Independently configures and publishes standard courses; consults Senior Admin for complex audience rules or new content types. Designs and approves complex course structures, automation rules, and audience segmentation; makes recommendations for standardisation.
User Support & Troubleshooting Resolves basic password resets; escalates all other issues to Senior Admin. Diagnoses and resolves most Tier 1 and Tier 2 issues independently (e.g., access, completion tracking); escalates system bugs or complex data issues. Handles all escalated technical issues, identifies root causes of systemic problems, and makes recommendations for permanent fixes.
Reporting & Data Analysis Runs pre-defined reports; exports raw data for others to analyse. Builds basic custom reports and dashboards (e.g., in Excel, basic Power BI); cleans and interprets data for routine requests. Designs and builds complex, interactive dashboards (Power BI/Tableau); integrates data from multiple sources; provides actionable insights.
System Enhancements & Process Improvement Identifies minor inefficiencies; suggests simple improvements to supervisor. Proposes solutions for recurring problems; helps draft new process documentation; participates in UAT for minor updates. Leads UAT for major system upgrades; designs and implements automation rules; makes recommendations for significant process changes.

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.

Tier 1 Support Ticket Resolution Rate
The percentage of basic user support tickets (e.g., login issues, course access) that you resolve yourself, without needing to escalate.
Target · 90% or higher

Out of 100 tickets in October, you resolved 92 directly, meaning an 92% resolution rate. This shows you're handling the common stuff well.

Average Ticket Resolution Time (Tier 1)
The average time it takes you to close a Tier 1 support ticket from when it's logged.
Target · Under 4 business hours

Your average resolution time for the last quarter was 3.5 hours, which means users aren't waiting around for basic help.

Course Publishing Accuracy & Timeliness
Ensuring new courses are published correctly (e.g., right audience, correct settings) and on schedule.
Target · 99% accuracy; 24-hour turnaround from final assets

You published 15 new courses last month. All 15 went live within 24 hours, and only one needed a minor adjustment after launch—that's a great hit rate.

Learning Data Integrity
The accuracy of user profiles, course completion records, and other key data within the LMS.
Target · Fewer than 1% detected errors in audits

In the Q2 audit of 500 user profiles, only 3 had incorrect department codes, showing strong data quality.

User Satisfaction & Feedback
How happy our colleagues are with the support they receive and the usability of our learning platforms.
  • Positive comments in support ticket surveys, direct emails of thanks, informal feedback to your manager, proactive suggestions for platform improvements based on user pain points.
Process Adherence & Improvement
How well you follow established procedures for system administration and how you contribute to making those processes better.
  • Consistently using checklists for course deployment, clear documentation in support tickets, proposing a new step in a workflow that reduces errors, a tidy and well-organised LMS backend.
Proactive Problem Identification
Spotting patterns in support issues or system behaviour before they become bigger problems.
  • Noticing a recurring error message across multiple users and flagging it to your manager or IT, identifying an upcoming data feed issue before it impacts new hires, suggesting a new FAQ based on common queries.
Collaboration with L&D Team
Working effectively with instructional designers and other L&D colleagues to ensure content and systems work together.
  • Successfully troubleshooting content issues with designers, sharing insights from user feedback that helps improve course design, smoothly coordinating content updates for major programmes.

7Would you like it

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

What people enjoy
Solving Puzzles & Fixing Things

You get a real kick out of diagnosing a tricky technical issue and finding the solution. That 'aha!' moment when you figure out why a course isn't tracking properly is genuinely satisfying for you.

Spending an hour digging through LMS logs to find the single line of code that explains why a user can't complete a module, then implementing the fix.

Making Systems Work Smoothly

You love the feeling of an organised, efficient system. You'll enjoy setting up new courses, managing user groups, and seeing the LMS run without a hitch. You're driven by creating order out of potential chaos.

Successfully onboarding 50 new hires into the LMS with all their correct assignments and groups, knowing they'll have a perfect first day learning experience.

Helping People Learn

Even though you're not teaching directly, you know that by keeping the tech running, you're directly enabling thousands of colleagues to develop new skills. That behind-the-scenes impact is important to you.

Receiving a thank you email from a colleague who was able to complete their mandatory compliance training just in time because you quickly resolved their access issue.

What frustrates people
  • Inheriting a messy, decade-old LMS with no consistent naming conventions and thousands of 'zombie' courses.
  • Being the default 'IT Helpdesk' for the L&D department, getting blamed for everything from a slow network to a user forgetting their password.
  • Manually enrolling and tracking 5,000 employees for mandatory compliance training because the one-off requirements don't fit the system's automation rules.
  • Explaining to a senior leader for the fifth time why their 'simple request' for a report requires a complex data query that will take two days, not two hours.
  • Chasing instructional designers for their final, tested SCORM packages the day before a major programme launch.
  • Discovering that the 'clean' data from the HRIS feed is missing critical information (like department or manager) for half the new hires.
What this role does not give you
  • A lot of direct instructional design or content creation.
  • Frequent public speaking or presenting to large audiences (though you'll talk to plenty of people).
  • A clear, linear path without any messy, unexpected problems.
  • The ability to completely ignore documentation or process adherence.

8Who you work with

This role directly impacts the efficiency and effectiveness of our entire learning ecosystem. Your work ensures that employees can access, complete, and track their learning, which in turn supports skill development, compliance, and overall organisational performance. Get it right, and learning is easy; get it wrong, and it's a frustrating mess for everyone.

Inside the business
  • Instructional Designers
  • HR Business Partners
  • IT Support Team
  • Departmental Learning Champions
  • Internal Communications
Outside the business
  • LMS/LXP Vendor Support
  • Content Authoring Tool Support

9What you need before you start

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

  • At least 2 years of hands-on experience administering a Learning Management System (LMS) or Learning Experience Platform (LXP) in a corporate environment.
  • Demonstrable experience in troubleshooting user issues related to learning platforms and content.
  • Proven ability to generate and interpret standard reports from an LMS.
  • Solid understanding of SCORM and/or xAPI standards, including how to upload and test content.
  • Experience working with HRIS data feeds and understanding basic user data synchronisation.
  • Strong organisational skills and a meticulous approach to data entry and system configuration.

10What to practise next

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

Advanced Data Visualisation & Dashboarding

Moving beyond basic Excel reports, you'll need to build more interactive and insightful dashboards (e.g., in Power BI or Tableau) that connect directly to LMS data, helping stakeholders understand learning impact at a glance.

Data Modelling · Interactive Dashboard Design · Connecting to Data Sources

  • This week: Watch some introductory tutorials on Power BI or Tableau. Download the free desktop versions.
  • This month: Try to recreate one of your existing Excel reports as an interactive dashboard.
  • Month 2: Experiment with connecting to a dummy dataset or a simple CSV to build a more complex dashboard.
  • Month 3: Present a basic dashboard to your manager and ask for feedback.

Quick win: Identify one recurring report you currently build manually and start thinking about how it could be automated or visualised in a dashboard.

Troubleshooting HRIS Data Feeds

As our organisation grows, the complexity of HR data will increase. You'll need to move beyond just correcting discrepancies to understanding why they happen and working with IT/HR to fix the root cause of feed failures.

HRIS Data Attributes · Integration Logs · Data Mapping Logic

  • This week: Ask your manager to walk you through the current HRIS-LMS data flow and any known pain points.
  • This month: Shadow the IT team (if possible) when they troubleshoot an HRIS data feed issue.
  • Month 2: Document the most common HRIS data issues you encounter and propose potential solutions.
  • Month 3: Work with IT/HR to design a small improvement to the data feed process.

Quick win: Create a clear, step-by-step guide for yourself on how to diagnose the most common HRIS data discrepancies you see today.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Attending webinars or online courses on advanced LMS features and new learning technologies.
  • Joining industry forums or communities for LMS administrators to share best practices and troubleshoot common issues.
  • Taking courses on data analysis, especially using tools like Excel, Power BI, or Tableau.
  • Reading up on adult learning principles and instructional design basics to better understand the content you're managing.
  • Seeking out opportunities to shadow IT or HR colleagues to understand their systems and data flows better.

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.

Basic Prompt Engineering for L&D Tasks

AI is already starting to automate parts of L&D admin, from drafting communications to summarising data. Those who can 'talk' effectively to AI tools (LLMs) will be significantly more productive.

  • Clear & Concise Prompting
  • Context & Constraints
  • Output Validation

Understanding of Learning Experience Platforms (LXPs)

Many organisations are moving beyond traditional LMSs to LXPs, which offer more personalised, social, and continuous learning experiences. You'll need to understand the differences and how to manage them.

  • Content Curation vs. Course Management
  • Personalisation & Recommendations
  • Social Learning Features

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

  • Learning Technology Standards (SCORM/xAPI)
  • User Acceptance Testing (UAT) Management
  • Data Governance & Privacy (Learning Data)
  • Learning Analytics & Reporting
  • Workflow Automation (Basic)

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

    Entry-Level LMS Support / Junior Administrator

    1-2 years

    Skills to master

    • Basic user management, course uploading, Tier 1 ticket resolution, following checklists and documentation, understanding SCORM/xAPI basics.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Consistently resolves basic user issues without escalation.
    • Can independently publish standard courses accurately.
    • Demonstrates a strong understanding of core LMS functionality.
    • Proactively identifies minor process improvements.
  2. 2

    HR Administrator with L&D Exposure

    2-3 years

    Skills to master

    • Understanding of HR data structures, user lifecycle management, basic reporting, cross-functional communication with L&D teams.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Has managed employee data in an HRIS and understands data integrity.
    • Has supported L&D initiatives (e.g., training logistics, basic reporting).
    • Shows a keen interest in learning technology and system administration.
    • Can articulate how HR data impacts learning systems.
  3. 3

    IT Helpdesk / Service Desk Analyst

    2-4 years

    Skills to master

    • Systematic troubleshooting, ticket management, customer service, understanding network basics, strong analytical skills for diagnosing software issues.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Proven track record of resolving complex technical issues for end-users.
    • Excellent communication skills for explaining technical concepts to non-technical people.
    • Experience with ticketing systems and SLA management.
    • Demonstrates an ability to quickly learn and master new software platforms.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This work can lead to system design and technical support roles, to managing learning technology and operations, or to analytics and strategy roles across a wider learning ecosystem.

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 Performance Support Administrator 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 Performance Support Administrator.

Provide learning opportunities for colleagues Level 3

Applied to your work in Performance Support Administrator

This unit aims to enable learners to encourage and support colleagues' learning and development in the workplace. Learners will be able to help colleagues identify their learning needs and styles, plan and implement learning activities, and review their learning and development plans effectively.

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
Performance Support Administrator
  • Learning Technology Standards (SCORM/xAPI)
  • User Acceptance Testing (UAT) Management
  • Data Governance & Privacy (Learning Data)
  • Learning Analytics & Reporting
  • Workflow Automation (Basic)
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

Performance Support Administrator is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

  1. Senior Performance Support Administrator

    3-5 years

    From L2 to L3

    • Advanced LMS Configuration Designing automation rules, complex audience segmentation.
    • Integration Troubleshooting Working with IT to diagnose HRIS or SSO feed failures.
    • Advanced Learning Analytics Building interactive dashboards (Power BI/Tableau) and identifying trends.
    • Vendor Liaison Managing relationships with software vendors for support and feature requests.
Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

Let's be real, a big chunk of admin work can be tedious. But what if you could offload some of that to a smart assistant? We're not talking about replacing you, but giving you a superpower. Imagine having more time for the interesting, complex stuff because AI handles the repetitive drudgery.

In this role, you'll be on the front lines, keeping our learning tech running. AI isn't some far-off dream here; it's already helping L&D teams reclaim hours every week. We're actively exploring and implementing AI tools to make your job smoother, faster, and frankly, more enjoyable. Think of it as having an incredibly efficient, tireless intern who never complains.

Intelligent Ticket Triage & Resolution

Imagine AI scanning incoming support emails or Jira tickets, instantly categorising the issue (e.g., 'login problem,' 'course access,' 'certificate error'), and then automatically drafting a response with a link to the exact knowledge base article. It could even offer one-click solutions for common problems, deflecting up to 40% of those Tier 1 tickets you usually handle. You'd only see the truly complex stuff.

Smart Content Curation & Maintenance

Building and maintaining learning pathways can be a real time sink. An AI assistant could automatically scan internal documents (think Confluence or SharePoint) and external sources (articles, videos) to suggest relevant, up-to-date content for specific topics. It could also flag outdated materials in your LMS for review, saving you hours of manual auditing and ensuring our content is always fresh.

Automated User Communications

Ever spend too long drafting system announcements, outage notifications, or new feature guides? AI can generate clear, friendly drafts in seconds. You could say, 'Draft a clear, friendly email to all managers explaining how to use the new reporting dashboard, including the top 3 benefits for their teams,' and get a near-perfect draft back instantly. Just review, tweak, and send.

Data Insights & Anomaly Detection

Instead of manually hunting for anomalies in your LMS data exports, AI can highlight unusual patterns. For example, it could flag a sudden drop in course completion rates for a specific department or identify users who are struggling with a particular module. This means you spend less time digging and more time understanding what's actually happening, helping you proactively address issues.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a Performance Support Administrator?

Common routes in include Entry-Level LMS Support / Junior Administrator (1-2 years), HR Administrator with L&D Exposure (2-3 years) and IT Helpdesk / Service Desk Analyst (2-4 years). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Performance Support Administrator progress to?

This role can lead on to Senior Performance Support Administrator (3-5 years), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a Performance Support Administrator?

Increasingly, Basic Prompt Engineering for L&D Tasks and Understanding of Learning Experience Platforms (LXPs). 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

Or try another one

17Where to go from here

Other roles at Level 2

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, system administration, data management, user support and learning technology, transfer well. This can lead into HR technology roles, IT support, or administration of other platforms such as CRM systems, in other industries.

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 AI 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.