The pathway
How you actually get there, here
How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.
- 1
From Senior Continuous Improvement Analyst (L3)
2-4 years as a Senior AnalystSkills to master
- Moving from leading individual workstreams to managing a portfolio of projects, developing strong leadership and mentorship skills, and becoming adept at managing senior stakeholder expectations and conflicts.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully led 3+ complex, cross-functional projects end-to-end with significant ROI.
- Consistently sought out for advice and mentorship by junior colleagues.
- Demonstrated ability to influence decisions at the Director level.
- Proactively identified and scoped new improvement opportunities.
- 2
From Project Manager (Operations/IT)
3-6 years in a dedicated Project Management role, plus CI experienceSkills to master
- Deepening your CI methodology expertise (e.g., getting a Black Belt), developing a strong process-minded systems thinking approach, and shifting from project delivery to process design and optimisation.
You're ready to move on when
- Managed complex projects with significant operational impact.
- Developed a strong understanding of Lean Six Sigma principles and tools.
- Demonstrated ability to analyse and improve business processes, not just manage project timelines.
- Strong track record of managing project budgets and resources effectively.
- 3
From Management Consultant (Process/Operations)
3-5 years at a consulting firm (Senior Consultant level)Skills to master
- Adapting consulting frameworks to an internal, long-term impact model, building internal relationships, and developing direct people leadership skills rather than just project leadership.
You're ready to move on when
- Led client engagements focused on process improvement or operational efficiency.
- Skilled in stakeholder management and executive communication.
- Comfortable with data-driven analysis and presenting recommendations.
- Desire to own implementation and sustained change within one organisation.