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
Senior Regional Training Specialist (L3)
5-7 years to progress to ManagerSkills to master
- Deep expertise in instructional design and facilitation, leading complex regional programmes, mentoring junior trainers, and building strong relationships with regional SMEs and managers.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully led multiple high-impact regional training programmes from conception to evaluation.
- Consistently received excellent feedback on programme design, delivery, and measurable impact.
- Demonstrated ability to mentor and guide junior team members, taking initiative on their development.
- Proactively identified and solved complex regional learning challenges, going beyond just delivering requested training.
- 2
Lead L&D Business Partner (L4)
3-5 years to progress to ManagerSkills to master
- Strategic consulting skills, acting as a trusted advisor to a specific business unit, managing a portfolio of learning initiatives, and influencing senior stakeholders without direct authority.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully acted as the primary L&D contact for a major business unit, translating business needs into effective learning solutions.
- Managed complex L&D projects with significant budget and cross-functional dependencies.
- Demonstrated strong influencing skills, securing buy-in and resources for strategic learning initiatives.
- Consistently delivered measurable business impact through tailored L&D interventions for their assigned business unit.
- 3
L&D Manager (from a smaller organisation)
1-3 years to adapt to our scaleSkills to master
- Scaling L&D programmes for a larger, more complex organisation, navigating a more matrixed reporting structure, and managing a larger budget and team.
You're ready to move on when
- Proven track record of managing an L&D function and team in a previous role.
- Demonstrated ability to adapt to new organisational cultures and strategic priorities quickly.
- Strong leadership and people management skills, transferable to a larger team.
- A clear understanding of how to drive L&D impact in a larger, multi-regional context.