According to Training Industry research, 50% of learning professionals aspire to the chief learning officer (CLO) level, but fewer than 1% reach it. Developing the strategic mindset, skills and business acumen needed to lead at the executive level is a tall order. In addition, many organizations don’t yet have a designated CLO or executive-level L&D position. But this doesn’t mean L&D professionals can’t advocate for the creation of such a role.

In fact, Amy DuVernet, Ph.D., CPTM, vice president of learning products at Training Industry, says the biggest challenge L&D leaders face when advocating for a CLO role is that many never actually advocate for it in the first place. “A lot of L&D leaders find themselves in an organization where there isn’t that next step above where they are, and it feels like they’re stagnated and there’s nowhere to go.”

Here, we’ll share practical strategies to help you advocate for a CLO role in your organization and highlight the skills you need to succeed at that level.

Steps to Advocate for the Creation of a CLO Role

Advocating for the creation of a CLO or executive-level L&D role can feel daunting, especially if one has never existed in your organization. Consider these steps to get started.

Assess the Current State of Learning and Identify “Quick Wins”

One of the first things you need to do is a portfolio review, says Barbara Jordan, CPTM, group vice president, head of global learning and development at Sims Limited. Consider: “What’s out there? What are people doing? Who’s doing what?’” A portfolio review can help you understand what programs exist, who is responsible for them and where gaps or inconsistencies lie. Many organizations have duplicated efforts, Jordan says. Documenting these inefficiencies creates a strong foundation for your case.

DuVernet agrees, sharing, “There are costs when training is spread across different pockets, with each group doing its own thing. You can end up with duplicated technology or multiple teams creating the same training. Without a cohesive point of learning leadership, it’s very difficult to develop a strategy that aligns with the overall business.”

Surveying what’s already in place can also help you identify quick wins — areas “where you can make the biggest bang right away,” Jordan says.

Connect L&D to Business Objectives

Tying L&D to business objectives is crucial when advocating for a CLO role. Highlight how the absence of executive-level L&D leadership limits impact, alignment and the ability to drive business outcomes.

For example, without a CLO, learning leaders are often left out of executive-level conversations and decision-making. This can result in training programs that fall behind evolving business priorities and miss emerging skills gaps.

Aaron Jones, CPTM, director of onboarding and training at Live Nation, demonstrated the business impact of L&D by showing that immersive, role-specific training programs contributed to an increase in retention to 98%, providing clear return on investment (ROI). Jones says, “The way we’re tying the success [of training] to the business outcome” has “been the most fruitful” in showing the business impact of training.

Build the Case and Gather Support

Take the insights you gained from your portfolio review and the connection to business objectives to create a case for a CLO role. Present it to your stakeholders who champion L&D, highlighting gaps and measurable impact.

Engaging allies early helps you build momentum and strengthen your case for executive-level L&D leadership.

Anticipate Roadblocks

L&D professionals often face several types of pushback when proposing the creation of a CLO or executive-level learning role. Common objections include:

“We don’t need another executive.”

DuVernet says some leaders may resist the idea of a CLO role because they believe, “We’ve already got plenty of C- or VP-level folks who are voicing opinions, creating conflict and bringing different perspectives, and we just don’t need another one.” This pushback can stem from concerns about resource competition, power dynamics or fear that another C-suite leader might interfere with existing responsibilities.

When addressing this objection, it’s important to show how an executive-level L&D role can actually make other leaders’ jobs easier. Highlight how inefficiencies, such as duplicated training or inconsistent messaging, create extra work for managers and executives, and show how a CLO could help prevent these issues. Position the CLO as a trusted partner who advocates for leaders’ teams or departments, emphasizing how this role would provide strategic support and help stakeholders achieve their goals.

“We’re not ready yet.”

Others may acknowledge the value of a CLO but feel the organization’s L&D function or governance structure isn’t yet ready to support it. DuVernet recommends not viewing this as an outright rejection but as an opportunity to build readiness. “That’s actually a good sign that they may be open to the creation of a CLO role in the future,” she says.

This is something Jones experienced firsthand. When he joined his current organization, he quickly realized the training function was still emerging. “I told them the function of my role needed to change to a more director function, really starting to build the vision around what training actually needed to look like.”

“What’s the value?”

Another common challenge is ROI. Stakeholders may struggle to see the tangible value or business impact of adding an executive-level L&D position, particularly given the additional salary and resources it requires. DuVernet suggests countering this by clearly articulating what the organization misses without centralized L&D leadership, such as continuity, alignment and strong governance, and how a CLO can drive measurable business outcomes.

Jones adds that framing programs in terms of efficiency and time savings can make the business case even stronger. L&D leaders need to help stakeholders “tangibly see how they’re going to save time, because ultimately that means either they’re saving money, or we’re doing more with the time that we have.”

Build and Highlight Executive-Level Skills

As a final step in advocating for a CLO role, highlight the skills that will position you for success in this role, such as:

• Executive Presence: Executive presence involves projecting confidence and credibility, influencing key decisions, building strong relationships with stakeholders and clearly communicating the strategic value of L&D.
• Strategic Thinking: Executive-level L&D leaders think beyond programs to the enterprise strategy they support. By aligning all learning initiatives with business goals and future needs, they position L&D as a strategic driver of organizational success.
• Financial and Business Acumen: Executive L&D leaders must understand the costs and implications of training initiatives and be able to demonstrate how L&D drives business results. This includes anticipating workforce capabilities the organization will need in 3-5 years and positioning L&D to “prepare for that future state,” DuVernet says.
• Data-Driven Decision-Making: Use metrics and evidence-based results to guide decisions and demonstrate impact. Connecting L&D initiatives to business outcomes, such as retention or engagement, helps make the case for executive-level L&D leadership.
• Resilience and Adaptability: Jones shares that executive L&D leaders must be able to pivot approaches based on business needs, rather than rigidly adhering to standard L&D methods.

Building these skills — and showcasing them to your employer or to a future employer — isn’t easy. Earning a credential “takes some pressure off you to demonstrate those skills on the job, because the credential itself shows you have them,” DuVernet shares.

Professional development can also help you build an executive, strategic mindset. For example, with the Training Industry Senior Leaders program, “the goal is to help L&D leaders shift their approach and develop an executive mindset. It’s about asking, ‘How do I approach business challenges and problems in a more strategic, intentional and thoughtful way?’ The program is designed to help professionals move from being more reactive and task-oriented to adopting a broader, macro-level view, understanding how the organization operates, how its systems fit together and how L&D serves as a linchpin within that structure,” DuVernet says.

The Path Forward May Be Nonlinear

For many L&D professionals, the pathway to an executive-level L&D role will be nonlinear. For instance, Jordan began her career as a flight attendant, before moving into operations and training. Then, she transitioned into instructional design and development roles as new technologies and online learning emerged. She led eLearning at UBS before becoming the first vice president of L&D and chief learning officer at Jackson Hewitt, where she built the department, established structure and standards and created consistency across franchises. She then became the first global head of L&D at Sims Limited.

Jones’ career also followed a nonlinear path. With a background in classical music and opera, Jones pivoted to corporate L&D after the COVID-19 pandemic. He leveraged transferable skills from performing to enter corporate roles, often in brand-new or evolving positions. Through creativity in marketing himself and strong mentorship, he moved into roles that allowed him to build and scale training programs, first at Home Smart International and later at Live Nation. These experiences helped him discover his passion for L&D, gain expertise and eventually assume higher-level responsibilities.

These real-world career stories show that there is no single path to a CLO role. What matters most is taking intentional steps to demonstrate L&D’s strategic value, connect initiatives to business outcomes and build the executive-level skills that position you for L&D leadership.

Want to gain the mindset, tools and network to rise to the C-suite? Learn more about the Training Industry Senior Leaders Program below.