Learning and development (L&D) teams can look very different from industry to industry and organization to organization. Who is on them, where they fit into the overall company’s structure, and what exactly they do depends on your company’s specific L&D needs and budget.
This resource serves as a guide to help you understand common types of L&D jobs within an organization. Take a look to see how each role might fit into your own L&D strategy.
Use the quick navigation links below to jump to a specific career level:
The Senior Executive L&D editorial team is constantly speaking with L&D leaders to keep up with new developments and trends in the industry for our collection of L&D resources. To suggest additions for this resource, please contact Senior Executive Media at editor@seniorexecutive.com.
Executive or Senior Management
L&D leaders at the C-suite level are responsible for leading their companies’ L&D initiatives. They typically report directly to the CEO.
Chief Learning Officer
Chief Talent Development Officer
Head of Learning and Development
Head of Learning
L&D Director
Director of Learning and Development
Vice President of Learning
Director of Learning and Enablement
Director of Learning and Talent Development
The executive-level L&D team leader, referred to by any of the above titles, oversees all things related to L&D. They are responsible for the design, development, and implementation of up-to-date L&D initiatives across the organization. They are also responsible for keeping those initiatives on budget. Initiatives might include creating and maintaining training plans for onboarding new team members, upskilling workers, or conducting meaningful exit interviews. These executives, in collaboration with the chief information or technology officer, are also often responsible for the organization’s knowledge-sharing systems and processes.
- Salary Range: $179,000 – $262,400
- Years of Experience: Approximately 10+ years
- Industry: General
Chief Talent Officer
Chief Human Resources Officer
Chief People Officer
This position may share responsibilities with the CLO roles mentioned above. However, the chief people officer is primarily responsible for outlining compensation, benefits, labor relations, and employee support services, in addition to attracting and retaining talent. They also build trust with employees and enhance the work experience by creating innovative programs and leading training programs.
- Salary Range: $284,500 – $386,400
- Years of Experience: Approximately 9-12 years
- Industry: General
Middle Management
Middle managers serve as the go-between for executive or senior managers and first-level managers. They may have a team that reports to them, or they might help oversee specific objectives within L&D teams at an organization. This person typically has management experience and a nuanced understanding of how L&D initiatives should be led. Middle management L&D practitioners generally report to the director of L&D.
Senior Manager, Group Learning & Development
Learning and Development Manager
Training and Development Manager
Senior Talent Development Manager
Referred to by the above titles and similar variations, this role reports to and supports the CLO or top L&D executive. They might also work with other C-suite leaders to identify training needs across teams. They oversee the daily operations of an organization’s L&D initiatives from creation to execution. They also measure and maximize the effectiveness of each program.
Salary Range: $128,886 – $168,442
Years of Experience: Approximately 5+ years
Industry: General
First-Level Management
Composed of supervisory roles, these L&D practitioners typically manage entry-level and intermediate employees. They are responsible for making sure an organization’s day-to-day operations run smoothly, and report to L&D leaders in middle management.
Training Manager
Training Program Manager
This position manages the daily operations of assigned L&D initiatives, taking responsibility for developing and maintaining appropriate and effective training program methods, content, and materials. They also identify and work with training vendors that support assigned L&D initiatives.
- Salary Range: $100,442 – $128,623
- Years of Experience: Approximately 5 years
- Industry: General
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Join the WaitlistExperienced
Although team members at the experienced level don’t have supervisory duties, their jobs do require experience and, in some instances, specialized training. These supporting L&D roles work independently to help their team reach L&D goals.
Learning and Development Advisor
Learning and Development Consultant
Management and Professional Development Consultant
Training Business Partner
This may be a full-time or contract position for an individual who serves as the subject matter expert responsible for providing L&D support to an assigned group. They work with key stakeholders to analyze, define, review, coordinate, and implement appropriate training programs. They also measure training programs’ effectiveness and advise on how to make improvements.
- Salary Range: $80,880 – $154,440
- Years of Experience: Approximately 5-7 years
- Industry: General
Instructional Designer
Learning Design Specialist
This professional designs and develops learning systems, educational experiences, and training programs. That may include creating curriculum based on specific training needs and goals, as well as course materials and training guides.
- Salary Range: $57,403 – $73,083 (senior designers with added years of experience earn a median salary of $140,033, according to Salary.com)
- Years of Experience: Approximately 2+ years of experience
- Industry: General
Entry-Level
Entry-level positions are reserved for recent graduates or those starting their career in L&D. These roles typically involve routine daily tasks since employees are gaining the skills and experience to be successful in L&D. They report to mid-level managers. Companies may also opt to hire L&D interns who assist with administrative tasks and participate in an organization’s internship activities and events. Interns typically report to a first-level manager.
Training and Development Specialist
Learning and Development Facilitator
Employee Development Specialist
Learning and Development Trainer
Learning and Development Specialist
This person delivers training to employees at all levels of the organization. They might implement a variety of instructional techniques, creating and maintaining training manuals and other course materials. They also help create, plan, execute, and evaluate training programs.
- Salary Range: $51,946 – $64,888
- Years of Experience: Approximately 0-2 years
- Industry: General
Looking to develop your L&D knowledge? Get to know the industry terms in our L&D glossary.
