UK

United Kingdom · Knowledge management · C-Suite (20+ years)

Chief Learning & Knowledge Officer (CLKO)

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)
  • Reports toChief Executive Officer (CEO) or Board of Directors
  • UK framework levelUsually an executive or board-level role

Also advertised as Chief Knowledge Officer · Chief Learning Officer · EVP, Enterprise Learning & Knowledge · Global Head of Learning & Organisational Capability

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

Focus Awards Level 3 Diploma in Playwork (RQF) Focus Awards Limited · Level 3 · covers 2 of 7 standards
NCFE CACHE Level 5 Diploma in Advanced Playwork (Wales) NCFE · Level 5 · covers 2 of 7 standards
TQUK Level 3 Diploma in Specialist Support for Teaching and Learning in Schools (RQF) Training Qualifications UK Ltd · Level 3 · covers 1 of 7 standards
CMI Level 5 NVQ Diploma in Management and Leadership Chartered Management Institute · Level 5 · covers 1 of 7 standards
CMI Level 4 NVQ Diploma in Management Chartered Management Institute · Level 4 · covers 1 of 7 standards
Pearson Edexcel Level 4 NVQ Diploma in Business Administration Pearson Education Ltd · Level 4 · 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

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)
Manage knowledge in an organisation CMI Level 5 NVQ Diploma in Management and Leadership

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
Change Fluency taking people through change
Systems Fluency seeing the whole picture
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Your Plan Illustration

Built for Chief Learning & Knowledge Officer (CLKO)

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

  1. Provide learning opportunities for colleagues Focus Awards Limited · covers 2 of 7 standards Level 3
  2. Support learning and development within own area of responsibility Training Qualifications UK Ltd · covers 1 of 7 standards Level 3
  3. Manage knowledge in an organisation Chartered Management Institute · 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 Chief Learning & Knowledge Officer (CLKO)?

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 Governance in Learning & Knowledge
  • Adaptive Learning Ecosystem Design
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 & Knowledge Officer (CLKO) 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 & Knowledge Officer leads how an organisation learns, shares and applies knowledge across the business. It is a senior leadership role, setting the strategy for developing people and managing collective expertise.

4What you'd actually use

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

Enterprise LXP/LMS (e.g., Degreed, Cornerstone OnDemand) Strategic/Architect

Defining the enterprise learning data strategy, leading platform selection/RFP processes, governing the entire learning tech ecosystem, and ensuring integration with HRIS and other business systems.

Enterprise KM & Collaboration (e.g., Confluence, Guru, SharePoint) Strategic/Architect

Defining the enterprise knowledge governance model, making build vs. buy decisions for KM platforms, and championing a pervasive knowledge-sharing culture across all business units.

Data Analytics & Executive Dashboards (e.g., Power BI, Tableau, Domo) Strategic/Architect

Defining key learning & performance metrics for the entire organisation, integrating learning data into executive dashboards, and using data to inform Board-level strategic decisions and justify investments.

HRIS & Performance Management (e.g., Workday HCM, SAP SuccessFactors) Strategic/Architect

Partnering with HR leadership to architect the enterprise skills taxonomy, using HRIS data for strategic workforce planning, and conducting organisation-wide skill gap analysis to drive capability development.

Financial Planning & GRC (e.g., Anaplan, Collibra) Strategic/Architect

Owning the entire L&D budget in Anaplan, developing robust business cases for major investments, and ensuring all learning content and knowledge assets comply with enterprise GRC policies via Collibra.

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 & Knowledge Strategy N/A N/A N/A
P&L & Major Investment Approval N/A N/A N/A
Organisational Design & Executive Hiring N/A N/A N/A
M&A Talent & Knowledge Integration 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 Skill Gap Closure
Reduction in identified critical enterprise skill gaps across the organisation.
Target · Close top 5 critical enterprise skill gaps by 25% within 18 months, 50% within 3 years.

After identifying a critical gap in AI literacy, a 28% increase in internal AI certification completion and project application was observed in the first 12 months, reducing the overall skills deficit.

Organisational Agility Index
A composite score reflecting the organisation's ability to adapt to market changes, measured through internal surveys and project success rates.
Target · Increase Organisational Agility Index by 10% year-on-year.

Post-implementation of a new agile learning framework, the Q2 agility survey showed an 11.5% improvement in cross-functional collaboration and rapid problem-solving compared to the previous year.

ROI on Learning & Knowledge Investments
Quantifiable return on investment for major learning technology, content, and KM initiatives, often linked to productivity gains or cost avoidance.
Target · Achieve a minimum 3:1 ROI on all major learning and knowledge technology investments (>£500K) within 24 months.

A £2M investment in a new LXP and KM platform led to an estimated £6.5M in productivity gains and reduced onboarding costs over two years, yielding a 3.25:1 ROI.

Internal Mobility & Talent Retention
Percentage of critical roles filled internally and reduction in voluntary turnover, directly influenced by career development pathways and knowledge sharing.
Target · Increase internal fill rate for critical roles by 15% and reduce voluntary turnover in high-potential groups by 5% within 2 years.

Through enhanced career pathing and internal learning programmes, 62% of leadership positions were filled by internal candidates this year, up from 47% two years ago.

Board & Executive Confidence
The degree to which the Board and Executive Leadership Team trust your strategic guidance and proactively seek your input on major organisational capability decisions.
  • Regular invitations to Board strategy sessions
  • direct consultation on M&A talent integration
  • explicit recognition in annual reports for talent development
  • unsolicited positive feedback from the CEO on strategic impact.
Culture of Continuous Learning
Evidence of widespread adoption of learning and knowledge-sharing behaviours across the organisation, moving beyond mandatory training.
  • Significant increase in voluntary participation in learning programmes
  • organic growth of Communities of Practice
  • employees actively contributing to the knowledge base
  • internal awards for knowledge sharing
  • positive mentions in employee engagement surveys regarding learning opportunities.
Industry Thought Leadership
Your personal and the organisation's recognised influence in the fields of learning, knowledge management, and future of work.
  • Speaking slots at major industry conferences
  • publications in reputable journals
  • active participation in industry consortiums
  • positive mentions in analyst reports
  • being cited as a leader in organisational capability development.

7Would you like it

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

What people enjoy
Shaping Organisational Destiny

You'll spend your days crafting multi-year strategies, presenting to the Board, and making decisions that impact thousands of employees' careers and the company's competitive edge. You're not just building; you're transforming.

Leading the integration of a new AI-driven skills taxonomy that fundamentally changes how the company identifies and develops future talent, directly impacting market agility.

Building a Learning Culture

You'll be a champion for continuous learning, fostering an environment where knowledge sharing is second nature. This means influencing behaviours, designing incentives, and removing barriers to collective intelligence.

Launching a global 'Knowledge Champions' programme that sees a 30% increase in active contributions to the enterprise knowledge base within 12 months.

Driving Business Impact at Scale

Your work will directly contribute to tangible business outcomes: improved innovation, faster product cycles, higher talent retention, and increased profitability. You'll see your vision translate into real-world results across the entire enterprise.

Overseeing a strategic learning initiative that correlates with a 5% increase in sales quota attainment for a key product line, directly impacting the company's revenue.

What frustrates people
  • The sheer inertia of a large organisation, making enterprise-wide change incredibly slow and frustrating.
  • Constantly justifying the ROI of 'soft' skills and cultural initiatives to a financially focused Board.
  • Navigating complex political landscapes and competing agendas among executive peers.
  • The pressure to deliver quick wins while also building a sustainable, long-term strategy.
  • Dealing with legacy systems and entrenched behaviours that resist modernisation.
  • The 'flavour of the month' syndrome, where new executive priorities can suddenly shift your entire strategic direction.
What this role does not give you
  • A quiet, predictable work environment with minimal political navigation.
  • The ability to make unilateral decisions without significant consultation and buy-in.
  • Immediate gratification from seeing every single initiative come to fruition quickly.
  • A role focused solely on hands-on content creation or instructional design.
  • An environment where you can avoid presenting to and influencing the Board or external stakeholders.

8Who you work with

This role directly drives the company's ability to adapt, innovate, and compete in a rapidly changing market. You'll be accountable for ensuring the organisation has the right skills, knowledge, and capabilities to execute its strategic objectives, manage risk, and foster a culture of continuous improvement. Your decisions will influence talent retention, operational efficiency, and ultimately, the long-term financial health and market position of the entire enterprise.

Inside the business
  • Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
  • Board of Directors
  • Executive Leadership Team (CFO, COO, CTO, CHRO, CMO)
  • Business Unit Presidents/MDs
  • Heads of Major Functions (e.g., Sales, Product, Engineering)
Outside the business
  • Investors and Shareholders
  • Industry Regulators and Compliance Bodies
  • Key Strategic Partners and Vendors
  • Industry Analysts and Thought Leaders
  • Academic Institutions and Research Bodies

9What you need before you start

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

  • Proven track record of leading large-scale learning and knowledge management functions within complex, global organisations (typically 15+ years of progressive leadership experience).
  • Demonstrable experience in defining and executing enterprise-level strategies that have driven significant business impact and cultural transformation.
  • Extensive experience presenting to and influencing Boards of Directors and C-suite executives on strategic talent and capability initiatives.
  • Deep financial acumen, including managing multi-million-pound P&Ls and building compelling business cases for strategic investments.
  • A strong understanding of organisational psychology, change management principles, and adult learning theory applied at an enterprise scale.

10What to practise next

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

Generative AI for Knowledge Creation & Synthesis

Generative AI is transforming how knowledge is created, summarised, and accessed. As CLKO, you'll need to understand how to strategically deploy these tools to accelerate content development, improve knowledge discoverability, and reduce the burden on SMEs.

Large Language Model (LLM) Capabilities & Limitations · Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) Architectures · Prompt Engineering for Strategic Outcomes · AI-Powered Knowledge Graph Integration

  • This quarter: Experiment with leading generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT Enterprise, Claude) for summarising complex documents or drafting communication outlines.
  • Next 6 months: Oversee a pilot project using generative AI to automate the creation of a specific type of knowledge asset (e.g., FAQs, process guides).
  • Next 12 months: Develop a strategy for enterprise-wide adoption of generative AI in knowledge creation, including governance and quality control.
  • Ongoing: Stay abreast of advancements in generative AI, attending executive briefings and industry events.

Quick win: Use an AI assistant to summarise a complex Board report or draft an initial outline for a new strategic initiative. It's a low-risk way to see the power.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Active participation in C-suite peer networks and forums focused on learning, talent, and knowledge management.
  • Regularly publish articles, speak at industry conferences, and engage in public discourse as a thought leader.
  • Maintain a strong network with academic institutions and research bodies to stay abreast of cutting-edge developments.
  • Engage in continuous executive coaching and mentorship to refine leadership skills and strategic thinking.
  • Undertake regular executive education programmes on emerging topics like AI governance, digital transformation, or global economics.

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 Governance in Learning & Knowledge

As AI becomes embedded in every aspect of learning and knowledge (personalisation, content generation, skill gap analysis), understanding its ethical implications—bias, privacy, transparency—is paramount. Boards will demand this oversight.

  • AI Bias Detection & Mitigation
  • Data Privacy & AI
  • Transparency & Explainability (XAI)
  • AI for Human-Centred Design

Adaptive Learning Ecosystem Design

One-size-fits-all learning is dead. The future demands highly personalised, dynamic learning experiences that adapt to individual needs, preferences, and performance. You'll need to architect systems that can deliver this at scale.

  • Personalised Learning Pathways
  • Microlearning & Spaced Repetition
  • Skills-Based Organisation (SBO) Integration
  • AI-Driven Content Curation

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

  • Enterprise Learning & Knowledge Strategy
  • Organisational Capability Architecture
  • Advanced Performance Consulting & ROI Measurement
  • Knowledge Governance & Ethics

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/VP of Learning & Development

    5-10 years at this level before CLKO

    Skills to master

    • Enterprise learning strategy, P&L management, large team leadership, Board presentation skills, cross-functional influence, talent pipeline development.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully led a significant enterprise-wide learning transformation programme.
    • Consistently achieved measurable business impact from learning initiatives.
    • Built and mentored a high-performing leadership team within L&D.
    • Demonstrated ability to influence executive peers and secure significant budget approvals.
  2. 2

    Head of Knowledge Management / Chief Knowledge Officer (CKO)

    5-10 years at this level before CLKO

    Skills to master

    • Enterprise knowledge strategy, cultural change for knowledge sharing, information architecture, data governance, leveraging technology for knowledge discovery, demonstrating ROI on KM.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully implemented a robust enterprise knowledge management system with high adoption.
    • Drove a measurable shift towards a knowledge-sharing culture.
    • Managed complex data governance and compliance requirements for knowledge assets.
    • Articulated the strategic value of knowledge capital to the executive team and Board.
  3. 3

    Chief Talent Officer / Head of HR

    3-7 years at this level before CLKO

    Skills to master

    • Holistic talent lifecycle management, workforce planning, HR technology strategy, executive compensation, M&A talent integration, Board-level HR reporting.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully developed and executed an enterprise-wide talent strategy.
    • Demonstrated strong leadership across all HR functions, including learning and development.
    • Played a key role in M&A talent integration or major workforce transformations.
    • Proven ability to influence and partner with the CEO and Board on people strategy.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This role can lead to work as an industry writer or speaker, an advisor to investment firms on talent strategy, or an executive coach to senior leaders.

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 & Knowledge Officer (CLKO) 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:

  • Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
  • Board Member / Non-Executive Director (NED)

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 Chief Learning & Knowledge Officer (CLKO).

Provide learning opportunities for colleagues Level 3

Applied to your work in Chief Learning & Knowledge Officer (CLKO)

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.

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See Your Progress Grow Illustration
Chief Learning & Knowledge Officer (CLKO)
  • Enterprise Learning & Knowledge Strategy
  • Organisational Capability Architecture
  • Advanced Performance Consulting & ROI Measurement
  • Knowledge Governance & Ethics
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 & Knowledge Officer (CLKO) is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

  1. Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

    5-10+ years as CLKO

    Enterprise Leadership

    • Corporate governance and Board management.
    • M&A origination and execution.
    • Macroeconomic analysis and risk management.
    • Public relations and brand management at the highest level.

  2. Board Member / Non-Executive Director (NED)

    3-5+ years as CLKO (often alongside other roles)

    Governance & Oversight

    • Financial statement analysis and audit committee responsibilities.
    • Executive compensation and succession planning.
    • ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) oversight.
    • Market and industry trend analysis for strategic guidance.
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 your most valuable asset. AI isn't here to replace your strategic brain, but it can certainly act as an incredibly powerful co-pilot, freeing you up from the 'noise' to focus on what truly matters: vision, people, and enterprise transformation. Imagine cutting down on prep work and gaining deeper insights, faster.

For a Chief Learning & Knowledge Officer, AI isn't just about automating tasks; it's about gaining strategic foresight, optimising resource allocation across a vast organisation, and understanding the learning landscape at a granular level. You'll use AI to inform your Board presentations, validate your strategic bets, and ensure your function is always one step ahead.

AI-Powered Strategic Foresight

Use AI to scan global talent trends, emerging skill demands, and competitive learning strategies. Get automated summaries of industry reports, academic papers, and competitor moves, giving you a real-time advantage in shaping your multi-year strategy and anticipating future workforce needs. This means less time reading, more time thinking.

Enterprise Skill Gap & Capability Analysis

Leverage AI to analyse HRIS data, performance reviews, project outcomes, and learning platform engagement across thousands of employees. The AI can pinpoint critical skill gaps, predict future talent shortages, and recommend targeted, enterprise-wide learning interventions, allowing you to allocate your £10M+ budget precisely where it's needed most.

Knowledge Ecosystem Architecture & Governance

Employ AI to audit your entire knowledge estate—identifying redundant content, suggesting optimal tagging structures, and even flagging compliance risks in knowledge assets. AI can help you design a more intelligent, intuitive, and secure knowledge architecture that serves the entire organisation, making sure everyone finds what they need, when they need it.

Board Presentation & Communication Assistant

Use AI to draft initial outlines for Board presentations, synthesise complex data into executive summaries, and even refine your messaging for maximum impact. It can help you anticipate questions, craft compelling narratives, and ensure your strategic vision is communicated with clarity and conviction, saving you hours of prep time for those high-stakes moments.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a Chief Learning & Knowledge Officer (CLKO)?

Common routes in include Director/VP of Learning & Development (5-10 years at this level before CLKO), Head of Knowledge Management / Chief Knowledge Officer (CKO) (5-10 years at this level before CLKO) and Chief Talent Officer / Head of HR (3-7 years at this level before CLKO). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Chief Learning & Knowledge Officer (CLKO) progress to?

This role can lead on to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) (5-10+ years as CLKO) and Board Member / Non-Executive Director (NED) (3-5+ years as CLKO (often alongside other roles)), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a Chief Learning & Knowledge Officer (CLKO)?

Increasingly, Ethical AI Governance in Learning & Knowledge and Adaptive Learning Ecosystem Design. 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 knowledge management

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, cultural change, large-scale talent development and knowledge governance, apply across industries. They transfer well to other senior roles, especially in organisations going through digital change or facing complex talent challenges.

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.