Articles / Leadership Training Job Description: Role Guide & Template
Development, Training & CoachingDiscover leadership training job descriptions, responsibilities, and requirements. Template and guide for hiring leadership development professionals.
Written by Laura Bouttell • Fri 9th January 2026
A leadership training job description outlines the responsibilities, qualifications, and competencies required for professionals who design, deliver, and manage leadership development programmes within organisations. These roles range from training specialists delivering workshops to senior directors overseeing enterprise-wide leadership development strategy.
Leadership development professionals play crucial roles in building organisational capability. As companies increasingly recognise that leadership quality directly impacts business performance, demand for skilled practitioners grows. Whether you're hiring for a leadership development role or considering a career in this field, understanding what these positions entail helps ensure appropriate expectations and successful outcomes.
This guide explains common leadership training roles, their responsibilities, required qualifications, and provides templates for creating effective job descriptions.
Leadership development encompasses various roles at different organisational levels.
Role Overview Entry to mid-level role focused on delivering leadership programmes, facilitating workshops, and supporting programme administration.
Primary Focus:
Typical Experience: 2-5 years in training, HR, or related field with facilitation experience.
Role Overview Mid-level role responsible for designing and managing leadership programmes, often overseeing team of specialists.
Primary Focus:
Typical Experience: 5-10 years in learning and development with leadership programme experience.
Role Overview Senior role leading organisation's leadership development function, setting strategy and managing significant budgets.
Primary Focus:
Typical Experience: 10+ years in learning and development with senior leadership exposure.
| Role | Level | Scope | Key Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Training Specialist | Entry/Mid | Programme delivery | Facilitation, administration |
| Development Manager | Mid | Programme management | Design, team leadership |
| Senior Manager | Senior-Mid | Function leadership | Strategy implementation |
| Director | Senior | Enterprise strategy | Executive engagement, strategy |
| Chief Learning Officer | Executive | Organisational learning | Board-level influence |
Core responsibilities vary by level but share common themes.
Needs Assessment Analysing organisational leadership requirements, identifying capability gaps, and determining development priorities.
Curriculum Development Creating leadership content, designing learning experiences, and developing programme materials.
Programme Architecture Structuring comprehensive development journeys combining classroom, experiential, and application elements.
Content Maintenance Updating materials to reflect current best practices, organisational changes, and participant feedback.
Facilitation Leading workshops, facilitating discussions, and creating engaging learning experiences.
Coaching Providing individual guidance to programme participants during and after formal training.
Virtual Delivery Designing and facilitating online learning experiences.
Assessment Administration Managing 360-degree feedback, psychometric assessments, and other development tools.
Logistics Coordination Managing scheduling, venues, materials, and participant communications.
Vendor Management Selecting and overseeing external training providers, consultants, and coaches.
Budget Management Planning and managing training budgets, controlling costs, and demonstrating value.
Stakeholder Engagement Building relationships with business leaders, understanding needs, and securing support.
Impact Measurement Assessing programme effectiveness through participant feedback, behaviour change, and business outcomes.
Continuous Improvement Analysing results to identify improvement opportunities and enhance future programmes.
Reporting Communicating programme results and ROI to stakeholders and leadership.
| Responsibility | Specialist | Manager | Director |
|---|---|---|---|
| Facilitation | Primary | Some | Minimal |
| Design | Supporting | Primary | Oversight |
| Needs assessment | Supporting | Primary | Strategic |
| Budget management | Minimal | Operational | Strategic |
| Vendor management | Supporting | Primary | Oversight |
| Stakeholder engagement | Participants | Business leaders | Executives |
| Strategy | Minimal | Contributing | Primary |
Requirements vary by role level and organisational context.
Common Degrees:
Advanced Degrees: Master's degrees in related fields increasingly expected for senior roles. MBA or specialised master's programmes enhance credibility.
Alternative Paths: Some practitioners transition from operational leadership roles, bringing practical experience to development work.
Learning and Development:
Coaching:
Assessment Tools:
Entry-Level Specialist:
Mid-Level Manager:
Senior Director:
| Level | Education | Certifications | Experience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Specialist | Bachelor's | Helpful | 2-5 years |
| Manager | Bachelor's + | Expected | 5-10 years |
| Director | Master's preferred | Expected | 10+ years |
| CLO | Advanced degree | Senior credentials | 15+ years |
Success requires blend of technical and interpersonal capabilities.
Group Facilitation Leading discussions, managing group dynamics, and creating engaging learning experiences.
Presentation Delivering content effectively to diverse audiences from frontline supervisors to senior executives.
Questioning Using powerful questions to deepen learning and facilitate insight.
Managing Challenges Handling difficult participants, controversial topics, and unexpected situations.
Instructional Design Applying adult learning principles to create effective development experiences.
Curriculum Development Building comprehensive programmes with logical progression and multiple learning methods.
Content Creation Developing materials including slides, workbooks, case studies, and exercises.
Assessment Design Creating evaluation instruments that measure learning and behaviour change.
Organisational Understanding Understanding business strategy, operations, and how leadership impacts performance.
Consulting Skills Partnering with business leaders to diagnose needs and propose solutions.
ROI Focus Demonstrating business value of leadership development investment.
Change Management Understanding how development supports organisational change and transformation.
Relationship Building Establishing credibility with participants and stakeholders at all levels.
Influence Persuading leaders to invest in development and support programme implementation.
Coaching Capability Providing individual guidance and feedback to support development.
Emotional Intelligence Reading individuals and groups, adapting approach to context.
| Skill Category | Specialist Focus | Manager Focus | Director Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Facilitation | Primary | Selective | Executive sessions |
| Design | Supporting | Primary | Strategic |
| Business acumen | Foundational | Strong | Expert |
| Stakeholder management | Participants | Business leaders | Executives |
| Strategy | Awareness | Contributing | Leading |
Effective job descriptions attract qualified candidates and set clear expectations.
Job Title Choose clear, searchable titles:
Summary/Overview Brief description of role purpose, reporting relationship, and organisational context. 2-3 sentences capturing essence of position.
Key Responsibilities Bulleted list of primary duties. Start each with action verb. Include mix of routine and strategic responsibilities appropriate to level.
Required Qualifications Minimum requirements candidates must possess:
Preferred Qualifications Desirable attributes that strengthen candidacy but aren't mandatory:
Competencies Behavioural competencies required for success:
Department: Human Resources / Talent Development
Reports To: Director of Talent Development
Location: [Location]
Overview: The Leadership Development Manager designs, implements, and evaluates leadership programmes that build organisational capability and support business strategy. This role partners with senior leaders to identify development needs and creates solutions that accelerate leadership readiness across the organisation.
Key Responsibilities:
Required Qualifications:
Preferred Qualifications:
Key Competencies:
A leadership training job description outlines the responsibilities, qualifications, and competencies required for professionals who design, deliver, and manage leadership development programmes. These descriptions help organisations recruit appropriate talent and help candidates understand role expectations. They typically cover programme design, delivery, management, and evaluation responsibilities.
Required qualifications vary by role level. Entry positions typically require bachelor's degrees and 2-3 years experience. Manager roles expect 5-10 years experience with design and facilitation background. Director positions require 10+ years with strategic and executive experience. Professional certifications (CIPD, ATD, coaching credentials) strengthen candidacy. Advanced degrees increasingly expected for senior positions.
Essential skills include facilitation (leading engaging learning experiences), instructional design (creating effective programmes), business acumen (understanding organisational context), and interpersonal skills (building relationships and influence). Technical skills with assessment tools, learning management systems, and virtual delivery platforms also matter. Senior roles emphasise strategic thinking and executive presence.
Compensation varies significantly by role level, organisation size, industry, and geography. UK ranges: Specialists £30,000-50,000; Managers £45,000-70,000; Directors £70,000-120,000+. US ranges typically 20-40% higher. Consulting and corporate sectors often pay more than non-profit or public sector. Experience, certifications, and demonstrated results influence positioning within ranges.
Typical progression moves from Specialist to Manager to Director to VP/Chief Learning Officer. Lateral moves between corporate, consulting, and independent practice common. Many practitioners begin in HR, training, or operations before specialising in leadership development. Continuous skill building, professional certifications, and demonstrated business impact accelerate advancement.
Effective practitioners combine several qualities: genuine passion for developing others, strong facilitation presence, credibility with senior leaders, business orientation beyond training focus, continuous learning mindset, and resilience navigating organisational complexity. The best practitioners balance programme excellence with pragmatic business partnership.
Leadership training job descriptions define the roles critical to building organisational leadership capability. Whether hiring for these positions or pursuing careers in leadership development, clarity about responsibilities, qualifications, and competencies enables better matches between organisations and talent. As leadership development gains strategic importance, demand for skilled practitioners continues growing—creating opportunity for those who combine development expertise with business impact.