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
From Senior Manager, Learning Analytics & Impact
3-5 years as a Senior Manager.Skills to master
- Mastering strategic influence with VPs, managing a larger team of managers, owning a significant P&L, and developing a strong executive presence. You'd be moving from managing a function to shaping a business unit's strategy.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully led and delivered at least two major ROI studies that influenced significant L&D investment decisions.
- Consistently received feedback on your ability to influence senior (VP-level) stakeholders with data-driven insights.
- Demonstrated success in developing and mentoring managers within your team, preparing them for increased responsibility.
- Proactively identified and championed new analytical capabilities or technologies that delivered measurable value.
- 2
From Head of Talent Measurement (in a smaller organisation)
5-7 years in a Head of role.Skills to master
- Adapting to the scale and complexity of a larger enterprise, navigating more intricate political landscapes, and managing a significantly larger budget and team. You'd be moving from 'the' expert to leading a team of experts.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully built and scaled a learning evaluation function from scratch or significantly expanded an existing one.
- Proven ability to operate autonomously and make strategic decisions with limited oversight.
- Experience presenting directly to a board or executive committee, even if for a smaller company.
- Demonstrated capability to integrate learning data with core business metrics to drive measurable impact.