UK

United Kingdom · Learning and development · C-Suite (20+ years)

Chief Learning Officer (CLO) / VP of Talent

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 bandC-Suite (20+ years)
  • Direct reports3-5 reports
  • Reports toChief Executive Officer (CEO)
  • UK framework levelUsually an executive or board-level role

Also advertised as VP, Learning & Development · Head of Enterprise Learning · Chief Talent Development Officer

Built on 43,079 real UK job descriptions we analysed · grounded in qualifications employers recognise

Two short quizzes about you

1From this job to a course

The qualifications matched to this job

SFJ Awards Level 3 Certificate In Learning and Development SFJ Awards · Level 3 · covers 2 of 6 standards
City & Guilds Level 4 Diploma in Learning and Development City & Guilds Limited · Level 4 · covers 2 of 6 standards
Focus Awards Level 3 Diploma in Playwork (RQF) Focus Awards Limited · Level 3 · covers 2 of 6 standards
NCFE CACHE Level 5 Diploma in Advanced Playwork (Wales) NCFE · Level 5 · covers 2 of 6 standards
TQUK Level 3 Diploma in Specialist Support for Teaching and Learning in Schools (RQF) Training Qualifications UK Ltd · Level 3 · covers 1 of 6 standards
City & Guilds Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training City & Guilds Limited · Level 4 · covers 1 of 6 standards

Matched from the standards this job is measured against: a suggestion, not an official ruling.

The units you would start with

Identify individual learning and development needs SFJ Awards Level 3 Certificate In Learning and Development
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)

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
Trust Fluency keeping the digital world safe
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Your Plan Illustration

Built for Chief Learning Officer (CLO) / VP of Talent

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

  1. Identify individual learning and development needs SFJ Awards · covers 2 of 6 standards Level 3
  2. Provide learning opportunities for colleagues Focus Awards Limited · covers 2 of 6 standards Level 3
  3. Support learning and development within own area of responsibility Training Qualifications UK Ltd · covers 1 of 6 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 Chief Learning Officer (CLO) / VP of Talent?

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

  • AI Ethics & Governance in Learning & Talent
  • Neuroscience of Learning at Scale
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 Chief Learning Officer (CLO) / VP of Talent plan as you set up, starting with a Future Fluency module on using AI in your job. No card.

Your first Future Fluency module is free. After that, your AI tutor is £70 a month.

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3What this role really is

A Chief Learning Officer shapes how a workforce learns, grows and adapts, making sure the right skills are in place for the future. The role covers building capabilities and a culture where learning is part of daily work, and sits at senior level, influencing strategy and direction.

4What you'd actually use

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

Learning Ecosystem Architecture (e.g., Cornerstone OnDemand, Degreed, Workday Learning) Strategic/Architect

Evaluating and selecting new learning technologies, defining the integration strategy for the entire learning ecosystem, setting enterprise-wide standards for data flow and reporting, and managing the overall vendor relationships at a strategic level.

Talent Analytics Platforms (e.g., Visier, Workday HCM Analytics) Strategic/Architect

Using advanced analytics to identify enterprise-wide skill gaps, predict future talent needs, measure the impact of talent programmes, and present data-driven insights to the CEO and Board.

Strategic Planning & Collaboration Tools (e.g., Miro, Asana, Microsoft Teams) Strategic/Architect

Leading executive-level strategic planning sessions, overseeing the portfolio management of all L&D/Talent initiatives, and ensuring seamless collaboration across your leadership team and with other C-suite functions.

AI/Generative AI Platforms (e.g., ChatGPT Enterprise, Claude, custom LLMs) Strategic/Architect

Defining the ethical guidelines and strategic applications of AI in learning content generation, personalised pathways, and talent analytics. You'll be evaluating new AI tools for enterprise-wide deployment and ensuring their responsible use.

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
Enterprise Learning Strategy & Philosophy N/A N/A N/A
Major Talent Programme Investment (>£1M) N/A N/A N/A
Organisational Design within L&D/Talent Function N/A N/A N/A
External Representation & Thought Leadership N/A N/A N/A
Board & Investor Communications on Talent N/A N/A N/A

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.

Enterprise Capability Uplift
Measurable improvement in organisation-wide skill ratings for critical capabilities, often tracked through HRIS platforms like Workday Skills Cloud or internal assessments.
Target · Achieve a 15% increase in proficiency for identified critical skills across the enterprise year-over-year.

If our 'Digital Transformation Leadership' skill is rated 3.0/5.0 today, we'd expect it to be 3.45/5.0 by year-end, driven by your programmes.

L&D Budget ROI
Calculated return on investment for strategic learning programmes, demonstrating the financial benefit against the cost.
Target · Achieve a calculated 3:1 (or higher) return on investment for at least three major strategic learning programmes annually.

A £1M investment in a sales leadership programme leads to an attributable £3M increase in revenue from those teams within 12 months.

Talent Pipeline Readiness
Percentage of critical leadership and specialist roles that have identified 'ready-now' internal successors within our succession plans.
Target · Ensure >75% of identified critical leadership roles have at least one 'ready-now' internal successor.

When a VP role opens up, we should have a strong internal candidate ready to step in, rather than always having to go external.

Employee Engagement (Learning & Growth)
Scores on internal employee surveys specifically related to opportunities for learning, development, and career growth.
Target · Maintain top quartile scores against industry benchmarks for learning and development questions in our annual engagement survey.

Our 'I have opportunities to learn and grow' score improves from 65% to 70%, placing us ahead of our key competitors.

Board & Executive Trust
You're not just reporting to the Board; you're proactively sought out for strategic input on talent, organisational health, and future workforce needs. They see you as a critical voice.
  • Regular invitations to Board strategy sessions, direct requests from the CEO or Board members for your perspective on talent risks/opportunities, your insights shaping executive decisions beyond just L&D.
Culture of Continuous Learning
This isn't just about formal training; it's about seeing observable behaviours of knowledge sharing, self-directed learning, experimentation, and a growth mindset across the organisation.
  • Anecdotal evidence from leaders and employees, internal social learning platform activity, adoption rates of self-service learning tools, examples of teams openly sharing lessons learned from failures, a noticeable shift in language around 'development' vs. just 'training'.
Strategic Talent Alignment
Your learning and talent initiatives are demonstrably linked to and actively supporting major business transformations, growth objectives, or market shifts.
  • Clear line of sight between your talent roadmap and the company's 3-5 year strategic plan, examples of how specific learning programmes enabled a new product launch or market entry, positive feedback from business unit leaders on how L&D is helping them achieve their goals.

7Would you like it

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

What people enjoy
Shaping the Future of the Organisation

You'll spend your days thinking about what our company needs to look like in 3-5 years, not just next quarter. This shows up in strategic planning sessions, discussions about new market opportunities, and how you design talent initiatives that build long-term capability.

Leading a workshop with the executive team to identify future skill gaps for a new product line we're launching in three years, then building a plan to address them.

Building Lasting Capabilities

You're driven by the idea of creating a workforce that's genuinely more skilled, adaptable, and innovative. You'll get energy from seeing your talent strategies translate into real improvements in performance, engagement, and retention across the company.

Seeing tangible improvements in our internal mobility rates or a significant uplift in leadership effectiveness scores directly linked to your programmes.

Seeing Talent Grow and Thrive

While you operate at an executive level, you're fundamentally motivated by the success of individuals. You'll find satisfaction in knowing your enterprise-wide strategies are creating pathways for people to develop their careers and reach their full potential.

Hearing stories from employees about how a development programme you championed helped them get promoted or take on a challenging new role.

What frustrates people
  • The 'flavour of the month' leadership trend that distracts from your carefully laid long-term strategy.
  • Bureaucracy and internal politics that slow down critical talent initiatives or block necessary investment.
  • Resistance from some parts of the business to truly invest in people development, seeing it as a cost rather than a strategic asset.
  • The constant tension between short-term business pressures and the need for long-term talent building.
  • Trying to measure the true ROI of learning when the impact is often diffuse and difficult to isolate.
What this role does not give you
  • Daily, hands-on content creation or instructional design (you'll be leading teams who do this).
  • A predictable, stable environment where plans rarely change (expect constant shifts and pivots).
  • A role where you can avoid difficult conversations or challenging executive peers (it's part of the job).
  • A singular focus on one specific area of L&D; you'll be overseeing the entire talent ecosystem.

8Who you work with

This role directly shapes the company's long-term capability, market position, and overall business strategy. You're responsible for ensuring we have the human capital to execute our vision, drive innovation, and maintain a competitive advantage. Your decisions impact our ability to scale, enter new markets, and adapt to disruptive changes. Frankly, you're building the engine that powers our future growth.

Inside the business
  • CEO and Executive Leadership Team
  • Board of Directors
  • Chief People Officer (CPO)
  • Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
  • Business Unit Presidents
Outside the business
  • Investors and Analysts
  • Industry Regulators
  • Key Strategic Partners and Vendors
  • Talent Acquisition Partners
  • Industry Bodies and Associations

9What you need before you start

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

  • Extensive experience (5+ years) leading large-scale L&D or Talent functions at a Director or VP level, with a demonstrable track record of driving significant business impact.
  • Proven ability to manage multi-million pound P&L budgets and make strategic investment decisions for talent development programmes.
  • Demonstrable experience presenting to and influencing C-suite executives and Board members on complex talent strategies.
  • Experience leading and integrating talent strategies during M&A activities or major organisational transformations.
  • A deep understanding of global talent markets, workforce analytics, and the future of work trends.
  • A strong history of building, mentoring, and developing high-performing leadership teams.

10What to practise next

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

Learning Experience Platform (LXP) & Ecosystem Integration

The shift from traditional LMS to more personalised, AI-driven LXPs means you'll need to architect a seamless, integrated learning ecosystem. This involves evaluating new platforms, ensuring robust data flow between systems (HRIS, CRM, performance management), and optimising the overall learner journey.

API-First Integration Strategies · Personalisation Engines & Recommendation Algorithms · Data Governance for Learning Ecosystems · Vendor Landscape & Emerging Technologies

  • This quarter: Conduct a comprehensive audit of our current learning technology stack, identifying integration gaps and future needs.
  • Next 6 months: Lead a strategic review of leading LXP vendors, assessing their fit with our long-term talent strategy.
  • Next 12 months: Develop a multi-year roadmap for our learning technology ecosystem, including budget and implementation plans.
  • Ongoing: Engage with industry analysts and peer CLOs to understand emerging trends and best practices in learning tech.

Quick win: Identify one key data integration challenge between two of our existing learning systems and task your team with proposing a solution. It's a small step towards a more integrated ecosystem.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Regularly engage with industry thought leaders and peer CLOs through executive forums, conferences, and networking events.
  • Actively participate in executive education programmes focused on strategic leadership, digital transformation, or human capital management.
  • Serve on advisory boards or contribute to industry publications to maintain thought leadership and stay abreast of emerging trends.
  • Mentor emerging leaders within the company and externally, fostering a culture of continuous learning and giving back.

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.

AI Ethics & Governance in Learning & Talent

As AI becomes more embedded in every aspect of talent – from hiring to personalised learning pathways – ensuring its ethical, fair, and compliant use is paramount. One misstep could lead to significant reputational damage or legal issues. You need to be the voice of responsible AI.

  • Algorithmic Bias Detection & Mitigation
  • Data Privacy & Security in AI Applications
  • Transparency & Explainability in AI
  • Human-in-the-Loop Design

Neuroscience of Learning at Scale

Moving beyond traditional adult learning theories, a deeper understanding of cognitive science and neuroscience will allow us to design truly effective, brain-friendly learning experiences that drive retention and behaviour change across a large, diverse workforce. This isn't just academic; it's about optimising our investment.

  • Cognitive Load Theory for Enterprise
  • Spaced Repetition & Retrieval Practice Strategies
  • Emotional Regulation & Learning
  • Neuroplasticity & Skill Acquisition

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

  • Enterprise Learning Strategy & Governance
  • Talent Management Frameworks & Integration
  • Organisational Development & Change Management
  • M&A Talent Integration
  • Learning Analytics & Business Impact Measurement

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

    Director of Learning & Development

    5-10 years at this level before CLO

    Skills to master

    • Enterprise learning strategy, large-scale programme management, budget ownership (£2M-£10M), leading teams of managers, executive stakeholder management.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully transformed a major learning function or business unit's learning strategy.
    • Demonstrated ability to link learning outcomes directly to business KPIs at a significant scale.
    • Proven track record of building and mentoring high-performing L&D leadership teams.
    • Regularly presenting to and influencing C-suite executives on talent matters.
  2. 2

    VP of Talent Management / Head of Organisational Development

    5-10 years at this level before CLO

    Skills to master

    • Holistic talent lifecycle management (performance, succession, career), organisational design, change leadership, culture transformation, HR business partnering at an executive level.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully led a major organisational change initiative or culture transformation.
    • Developed and implemented enterprise-wide talent frameworks that drove measurable improvements in retention or internal mobility.
    • Proven ability to influence across all HR functions and align talent strategy with overall business goals.
    • Experience managing complex HR/Talent P&L and vendor relationships.
  3. 3

    Chief People Officer (CPO) / Head of HR (for smaller organisations)

    3-7 years at this level before CLO (often a lateral move or a stepping stone)

    Skills to master

    • Full HR lifecycle (recruitment, compensation, benefits, ER), board-level HR governance, legal & compliance, employee relations, overall people strategy.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully managed a full HR function, demonstrating a broad understanding of all people-related disciplines.
    • Proven ability to operate as a strategic partner to the CEO and Board on all human capital matters.
    • Experience navigating complex employee relations issues and ensuring robust HR compliance.
    • Strong track record of building a positive and productive organisational culture.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This role can lead to chief executive positions, board or non-executive director roles, or work advising organisations on talent and learning strategy.

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 Chief Learning Officer (CLO) / VP of Talent is actually changing.

Where it leads

Roles this leads to

Also named as a next step, with no page in the catalogue yet:

  • Chief Operating Officer (COO) / General Manager

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 Identify individual learning and development needs, worked against Chief Learning Officer (CLO) / VP of Talent.

Identify individual learning and development needs Level 3

Applied to your work in Chief Learning Officer (CLO) / VP of Talent

The objective of this unit is to enable learners to understand and apply the principles of learning needs analysis for individuals. Learners will be able to conduct a learning needs analysis, analyse the findings, and agree on individual learning and development needs with relevant parties, ensuring effective communication throughout the process.

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.

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See Your Progress Grow Illustration
Chief Learning Officer (CLO) / VP of Talent
  • Enterprise Learning Strategy & Governance
  • Talent Management Frameworks & Integration
  • Organisational Development & Change Management
  • M&A Talent Integration
  • Learning Analytics & Business Impact Measurement
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

Chief Learning Officer (CLO) / VP of Talent is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

  1. Chief People Officer (CPO)

    3-5 years as CLO

    This is often a lateral move or a slight increase in scope, overseeing all HR functions.

    • HRIS Implementation & Optimisation (e.g., Workday, SAP SuccessFactors)
    • Workforce Planning & Analytics (broader HR data)
    • M&A Due Diligence (HR specific)
    • Executive Compensation Design

  2. Chief Operating Officer (COO) / General Manager

    5-8 years as CLO

    Significant increase in scope, moving into broader business operations.

    • Financial Modelling & Forecasting (operational focus)
    • Product Lifecycle Management (operational aspects)
    • Customer Experience Strategy
    • Legal & Regulatory Affairs (operational focus)
Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

Let's be real, at the C-suite level, your time is gold. AI isn't here to replace your strategic brain, but it can certainly free you up from the heavy lifting of information synthesis, data analysis, and even first drafts of critical communications. Imagine having more time to focus on truly shaping the future, rather than getting bogged down in the details.

For a Chief Learning Officer, AI means moving beyond just managing the learning function to truly architecting the future workforce. It's about getting insights faster, communicating more effectively, and making data-driven decisions at an unprecedented speed. You'll be using AI to amplify your strategic reach and impact across the entire enterprise.

Talent Strategy Modelling & Scenario Planning

Feed AI models with internal HR data, market trends, and business objectives to simulate the impact of different talent strategies. You'll be able to quickly model scenarios like 'What if we invest £5M in AI upskilling?' or 'How does a new market entry impact our critical skill gaps?', getting actionable insights in minutes, not weeks.

Market Intelligence Synthesis & Trend Analysis

Use AI to rapidly consume and summarise vast amounts of external data—industry reports, competitor talent strategies, economic forecasts, and emerging skill demands. Get instant, distilled insights on what's happening in the talent landscape, helping you stay ahead of the curve and inform your strategic decisions.

Executive Communication Drafting

Generate high-quality first drafts of Board presentations, investor updates, internal all-hands speeches, and strategic memos. Provide AI with your key messages and data points, and it'll help structure and articulate your arguments, saving you significant time on initial composition and allowing you to focus on refining the message.

Personalised Learning Pathway Architecting

Leverage AI to design and recommend highly personalised learning pathways for employees at scale, based on their roles, performance data, career aspirations, and identified skill gaps. This ensures every employee gets the most relevant development, optimising our learning investment and accelerating growth.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a Chief Learning Officer (CLO) / VP of Talent?

Common routes in include Director of Learning & Development (5-10 years at this level before CLO), VP of Talent Management / Head of Organisational Development (5-10 years at this level before CLO) and Chief People Officer (CPO) / Head of HR (for smaller organisations) (3-7 years at this level before CLO (often a lateral move or a stepping stone)). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Chief Learning Officer (CLO) / VP of Talent progress to?

This role can lead on to Chief People Officer (CPO) (3-5 years as CLO) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) / General Manager (5-8 years as CLO), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a Chief Learning Officer (CLO) / VP of Talent?

Increasingly, AI Ethics & Governance in Learning & Talent and Neuroscience of Learning at Scale. These are the skills our record of this role lists as growing.

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17Where to go from here

Other roles at Level 8

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 as a Chief Learning Officer carry across industries, especially those going through digital change or built on human capital, such as technology, professional services, finance and healthcare. The ability to build and develop talent applies almost anywhere.

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 plan, free 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.