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 Talent Development Specialist
3-5 years as a Senior SpecialistSkills to master
- Mastering instructional design for complex scenarios, leading smaller projects end-to-end, conducting thorough needs analyses, and beginning to mentor junior team members.
You're ready to move on when
- You're consistently delivering high-quality learning solutions with minimal supervision.
- You're the go-to person for complex content development or evaluation challenges.
- You're proactively identifying opportunities to improve existing programmes and processes.
- You're comfortable presenting your work and recommendations to mid-level managers.
- 2
L&D Project Manager (from another industry)
2-4 years in a similar project management roleSkills to master
- Translating general project management skills into the specific context of learning programmes, understanding L&D methodologies (ADDIE, Kirkpatrick), and quickly learning our tech stack and stakeholder landscape.
You're ready to move on when
- You can demonstrate a strong track record of managing complex projects with multiple dependencies and stakeholders.
- You're quick to pick up new industry-specific terminology and concepts.
- You've successfully managed budgets and vendor relationships in previous roles.
- You show a genuine passion for learning and development, not just project management.
- 3
HR Business Partner (with L&D focus)
4-6 years as an HRBPSkills to master
- Deepening your understanding of instructional design and learning technologies, moving from identifying broad talent needs to designing specific learning interventions, and mastering programme management.
You're ready to move on when
- You've consistently partnered with L&D in your HRBP role and have a strong understanding of business unit learning needs.
- You've led or significantly contributed to L&D initiatives within your business unit.
- You have a knack for translating business problems into potential learning solutions.
- You're keen to specialise more deeply in the 'how' of talent development.