A learning leader is interested in developing and implementing education for individual employees or larger workforces. Her focus is on creating situations in which people can enhance and improve their on-the-job skills. She administers and facilitates the learning environment and controls and manages the assessment of success. As this type of manager can be required in a wide variety of industries, learning managers typically have extensive industry-specific knowledge of correct practices and information. In many cases, this employee works in the human resources department of an organization or works on collaborative teams with department heads and others within a company's structure.
The main focus of the learning leader job is to assist a company or other type of organization in preparing its workforce for a dynamic and changing marketplace. This may involve technical training, professional development workshops, or ongoing learning of other kinds. In many cases, this leader must create and implement a teaching plan herself, or she may be responsible for developing a plan and then training others to carry it out. She also may manage a staff of educators working to train employees or develop professional skills.
A learning facilitator also may be required to perform a certain amount of assessment in an attempt to determine if learning goals are being met and utilized in the workplace. She may instigate investigations and control record keeping that relates to the effectiveness of teaching methods. Additionally, a learning leader routinely interviews and observes employees to ensure they are utilizing their knowledge from the learning environment and integrating it into their day-to-day career responsibilities.
The learning leader must often work within specific modes, such as online learning or classroom facilitation, either through periodic workshops or ongoing lessons. She may be responsible for facilitating or instructing a classroom full of students, presenting workshops to select groups, or maintaining a distance-learning environment. She will likely be responsible for coordinating the use of technology for communication purposes and also collecting and distributing necessary materials to senior officials, instructors, and students.
Sometimes, a learning leader must coordinate with upper management to determine the best ways to carry out company-wide training and education. This may involve the implementation of new company policies or the training of employees on new equipment or systems. The learning leader may work at one location, or may be required to travel to different geographical sites in order to implement her training and educational strategies.
