How to Become a Training and Development Manager in Australia

What does a Training and Development Manager do?

Training and Development Managers (also called Learning and Development Managers) lead the capability-building function of organisations — conducting training needs analyses, designing learning curricula, managing internal trainers and external delivery partners, overseeing leadership development programs, and measuring training effectiveness and ROI. Their work spans both strategic planning (aligning learning investment to workforce needs) and practical delivery (facilitating workshops, managing LMS platforms, and reviewing vendor performance). In Australia, the role is common in medium-to-large organisations across healthcare, government, finance, resources, retail, and technology. Growing recognition of the link between learning culture and employee retention is elevating the T&D Manager role to a strategic business partner position, particularly for those with Graduate Diploma credentials in management learning.

Key responsibilities

• Conduct training needs analysis across the organisation
• Design and develop learning programs and curricula
• Manage internal trainers, RTOs, and external providers
• Deliver leadership development and onboarding programs
• Measure and report on learning effectiveness and ROI
• Align learning strategy with business and workforce strategy

Qualifications for this role

Nationally recognised qualifications most commonly held by Training and Development Managers in Australia.

Typical career progression

1. 1Trainer / Facilitator → L&D Coordinator
2. 2L&D Coordinator → L&D Specialist
3. 3L&D Specialist → Training Manager
4. 4Training Manager → Head of Learning / CLO

Skills in demand