WHAT DOES A LEARNING SPECIALIST DO?
Published: Jan 27, 2026 - The Learning Specialist partners with instructional designers and leadership to ensure training materials are accurate, relevant, and aligned with organizational needs. This role involves delivering face-to-face and virtual training, monitoring new hires’ progress, providing coaching, managing training logistics, and supporting on-the-job learning experiences. The Specialist also evaluates program data, identifies learning gaps, and stays current on industry trends and best practices to enhance instructional quality and effectiveness.
A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Learning Specialist
1. Learning Specialist Duties
- Competency Development: Adapt employee competencies to build a sustainable pipeline of required skills.
- Workforce Alignment: Align workforce competencies with current and future business needs.
- Competency Frameworks: Provide a consistent, organization-wide view of required competencies.
- Gap Analysis: Define related actions to address identified competency gaps.
- Learning Solutions: Create common learning and development solutions to support skill growth.
- Learning Culture: Promote a continuous learning and self-directed development culture.
- Knowledge Sharing: Develop awareness and knowledge-sharing initiatives across the organization.
- Learning Deployment: Support learning deployment for critical employee populations.
- Knowledge Management: Ensure efficient and effective knowledge management practices.
2. Learning Specialist Details
- Stakeholder Partnership: Partner with business stakeholders to identify learning needs, solutions, and success metrics.
- Learning Analysis: Analyze organizational challenges to define effective learning strategies.
- Learning Research: Research innovative learning approaches to meet business needs.
- Curriculum Development: Develop a curriculum that builds internal capabilities and competencies.
- Learning Leadership: Lead internal seminars, workshops, and learning events.
- Learning Facilitation: Facilitate engaging learning activities across the organization.
- Content Development: Build and expand a library of internal learning materials and resources.
- Learning Culture: Promote a culture of continuous learning and knowledge sharing.
- E-Learning Design: Design and deliver high-engagement e-learning programs to maximize participation.
3. Learning Specialist Responsibilities
- Program Management: Organize and project manage core curriculum programs and multi-day learning events.
- Project Planning: Plan projects and schedules for learning initiatives.
- Status Leadership: Lead status meetings and deliver assigned action items.
- Task Management: Develop and maintain detailed task lists for programs and events.
- Event Planning: Plan learning events and coordinate logistics.
- Stakeholder Coordination: Organize and align internal stakeholders to support program delivery.
- Internal Marketing: Market learning programs and learning resources internally.
- SME Scheduling: Schedule internal subject matter experts to deliver learning programs.
- Program Hosting: Act as the primary host for junior programs.
- Participant Engagement: Welcome students and junior lawyers to learning events.
- Panel Moderation: Moderate panel discussions and keep programs on track.
- Session Facilitation: Ensure coverage of key topics and facilitate welcome sessions.
- System Administration: Maintain and update learning systems, including the learning management system.
- Relationship Management: Build and manage relationships with internal stakeholders and presenters to deliver effective learning programs.
4. Learning Specialist Accountabilities
- Training Needs Analysis: Identify and analyze training needs in the organization through close cooperation with line managers.
- Training Delivery: Design, deliver, and facilitate internal training programs in webinar and classroom formats at individual, functional, and organizational levels.
- E-Learning Development: Develop e-learning modules and learning paths using tools such as Articulate 360 and a professional learning platform.
- Training Planning: Monitor and manage the annual training plan across retail, headquarters, and distribution centers.
- Best Practice Research: Monitor best practices in the training field and introduce them into the organization.
- Vendor Management: Search, cooperate with, and evaluate external training providers and deliver tailored training programs and courses.
- Portfolio Optimization: Optimize the training portfolio and prepare training manuals.
- Budget Management: Control and monitor the assigned training budget.
- Learning Analytics: Use the e-learning platform, learning management system, and HR information system to generate reports and statistics based on specific key performance indicators.
5. Learning Specialist Functions
- Instructional Support: Support students through data-driven instructional cycles.
- Data Analysis: Use student performance data to inform instructional decisions.
- Tier 2 Planning: Participate in the instructional support team to design Tier 2 academic support plans.
- Tier 3 Planning: Participate in the instructional support team to design Tier 3 academic support plans.
- Disability Collaboration: Collaborate with grade-level teams to support students with suspected disabilities.
- Special Education Support: Collaborate with grade-level teams to support students with identified disabilities.
- Referral Documentation: Gather and compile data for school district referrals.
- IEP Development: Follow referral processes through the development of the initial IEP.
- Team Participation: Participate in weekly meetings within the assigned grade developmental band.
- Professional Development: Commit to ongoing professional development focused on special education support.
- Caseload Management: Serve as the primary point of contact for students on the assigned caseload.
6. Learning Specialist Overview
- Training Facilitation: Facilitate new hire and skills classes to ensure a consistent and complete understanding of programs.
- Learning Coordination: Plan, coordinate, and conduct learning for new and existing personnel.
- Learner Assessment: Assess, monitor, and report the progress of learners during classroom and self-paced modules.
- Learner Coaching: Coach and develop learners to support improvement and retention.
- Performance Analysis: Identify performance gaps, determine root causes, and provide solutions to learning colleagues.
- Learner Support: Research and respond to inquiries from learners to enhance knowledge and understanding.
- Program Evaluation: Evaluate the effectiveness of materials and facilitation based on learner feedback, quality results, and leader evaluation.
- Meeting Participation: Attend weekly conference calls, workgroups, and other meetings.
7. Learning Specialist Details and Accountabilities
- Instructional Design: Conduct instructional design, e-learning development, and training.
- Needs Assessment: Assess training needs and collaborate with internal clients and subject matter experts.
- Content Development: Develop and revise training in multiple formats.
- Learning Assets: Create learning assets based on direction from the Project Manager and subject matter experts, and incorporate feedback from the project team.
- Training Design: Design instructor-led, e-learning, and virtual training content.
- Program Delivery: Design and conduct company training programs.
- Asset Assembly: Assemble learning assets for training initiatives.
- Product Training: Build new product training for sellers to understand and effectively sell products, including sensors, scanners, software, voice headsets, and safety equipment.
- Project Collaboration: Work with a project manager and subject matter experts throughout the development process.
- E-Learning Materials: Gather details and develop PowerPoint materials to build e-learning content.
- Training Evaluation: Monitor and report the effectiveness of training on employees during orientation and for career development.
8. Learning Specialist Tasks
- Business Partnership: Partner with the business to provide technical training guidance.
- Stakeholder Collaboration: Collaborate with management and functional units to build and maintain strong customer relationships.
- Training Planning: Develop training plans aligned with employee and departmental responsibilities.
- Plan Implementation: Implement training plans in partnership with subject matter experts.
- Compliance Management: Maintain training plans to meet training needs and regulatory compliance requirements.
- Needs Assessment: Conduct needs assessments to identify appropriate learning solutions.
- Delivery Strategy: Select effective delivery methods based on identified development needs.
- Technical Training Design: Design GMP and technical training programs to support quality culture.
- Regulatory Training: Promote regulatory compliance through structured technical training.
- Training Facilitation: Facilitate technical training programs, including new hire orientation.
- Trainer Development: Facilitate train-the-trainer programs while adhering to company policies and health and safety regulations.
9. Learning Specialist Roles
- Instructional Partnership: Partner with the instructional designer to ensure instructional materials are accurate before implementation.
- Training Delivery: Conduct face-to-face or virtual classroom training for new hires using instructionally designed materials.
- Learner Observation: Observe and monitor new hires throughout training and provide constructive feedback and coaching.
- Workshop Facilitation: Deliver all content and facilitate face-to-face or virtual workshops designed by the learning and development department.
- Training Logistics: Complete all logistical steps for facilitated training sessions, including room reservations, online course assignments in the learning management system, and virtual classroom setup.
- On-the-Job Training: Partner with leadership to provide new hires with on-the-job experience through job shadowing, roundtables, and other activities during the training program.
- Needs Analysis: Collaborate with the instructional designer and leadership to complete the learning needs analysis to identify the root causes of learning gaps.
- Program Evaluation: Work with the instructional designer to collect, monitor, and evaluate program data to assess effectiveness, relevance, and quality of materials, content, and instruction.
- Market Awareness: Stay current with market trends and demands.
- Industry Knowledge: Remain informed on industry and facilitation best practices and learning technology trends, and their impact on the organization.
10. Learning Specialist Additional Details
- Training Design: Design, develop, and implement IT systems and occupational training that support the development of a growing workforce in alignment with company values, culture, and leadership behaviours.
- Training Standards: Implement and maintain tools, templates, processes, and standards that support the development of high-quality training for SMEs and trainers.
- Educator Support: Provide education, consultation, guidance, and support to the extended team of educators on curriculum design, materials development, and effective learning strategies, including teaching, facilitation, and simulation.
- Program Development: Develop, revise, and maintain existing educational programs as well as new programs, courses, and development training opportunities.
- Learning Evaluation: Establish evaluation plans using logic and Kirkpatrick models to ensure learning programs meet learning outcomes.
- Resource Management: Ensure the development and updating of resources to develop and maintain employee capabilities with changing procedures and processes.
- Project Delivery: Ensure deliverables are completed on time and on budget.
- Adaptability: Respond to the needs of a growing business by being open, curious, creative, and flexible.
11. Learning Specialist Essential Functions
- Academic Advising: Advise students on learning needs and appropriate learning strategies, and ensure appropriate accommodations and learning resources to foster academic success.
- Disability Assessment: Work with students with learning disabilities to assess needs, strengths, and weaknesses and identify ways to improve functioning and performance.
- Student Consultation: Conduct individual meetings with students to discuss diagnostic testing, learning styles, and academic needs.
- Student Empowerment: Partner with students to foster acceptance, understanding, and management of disability by maximizing the balance of strengths and weaknesses.
- Progress Documentation: Maintain accurate documentation on student progress and guide students to become self-advocates and self-aware.
- Success Strategies: Create strategies with students that promote academic success, address poor habits in time management, motivation, academic deficiencies, and goal setting, and help develop effective learning preferences.
- Learning Strategy Development: Guide students to develop learning strategies that support academic improvement.
- Case Management: Manage and provide a full range of services to address academic, personal, career, and social concerns related to disability.
- Workshop Facilitation: Facilitate self-advocacy workshops and conduct independent living assessments.
- Accommodation Determination: Determine individualized accommodations based on applicable assessment.
- Accommodation Planning: Recommend reasonable accommodations, academic adjustments, auxiliary aids, therapeutic interventions, further testing, and referrals to appropriate university resources.
- Effectiveness Evaluation: Evaluate the effectiveness of accommodations and recommended strategies.
- Student Counseling: Provide counsel and possible referral to non-identified students who inquire about a perceived need.
- Interdepartmental Liaison: Serve as liaison between disability services and schools, including academic advisors and deans.
- Faculty Collaboration: Meet with academic staff to support understanding of a student’s specific disability profile.
Editorial Process and Content Quality
This content is part of Lamwork's career intelligence platform and is developed using structured analysis of real-world job data, including publicly available job descriptions, skill requirements, and hiring patterns.
Lam Nguyen, Founder & Editorial Lead, defines the research framework behind Lamwork's career intelligence platform, including job role analysis, skills taxonomy, and structured career insights.
All content is reviewed by Thanh Huyen, Managing Editor, who oversees editorial quality, content consistency, and alignment with real-world role expectations and Lamwork's editorial standards.
Content is developed through a structured process that includes data analysis, role and skill mapping, standardized content formatting, editorial review, and periodic updates.
Content is reviewed and updated periodically to reflect changes in skills, role requirements, and labor market trends.
Learn more about our editorial standards.