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
Director, Operational Resilience (L6)
3-5 years at Director levelSkills to master
- Expanding scope beyond traditional BCM to include IT DR, crisis management, physical security, and enterprise risk. Mastering board-level communication and P&L management for a significant business unit.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully led a major multi-year resilience transformation programme for a business unit.
- Consistently delivered clean resilience audits and positive regulatory engagements.
- Proven ability to influence C-suite peers and present effectively to Board committees.
- Managed a team of 25+ resilience professionals and a budget of £2M+.
- 2
Global Head of Enterprise Risk (L6 equivalent)
4-6 years in a global enterprise risk leadership roleSkills to master
- Deep expertise across all risk domains (operational, financial, strategic, reputational). Developing and implementing an integrated ERM framework. Extensive experience with risk quantification and reporting to the Board.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully implemented an enterprise-wide risk management framework.
- Demonstrated ability to translate complex risk data into strategic insights for the C-suite.
- Proven experience in managing cross-functional risk committees and driving risk culture.
- Strong understanding of regulatory expectations for enterprise risk management.
- 3
Senior Operations Leader (e.g., VP of Global Operations) (L6)
5-7 years in a broad operational leadership role with significant P&LSkills to master
- Holistic understanding of end-to-end operational processes, supply chains, and their inherent vulnerabilities. Experience in driving operational efficiency and managing large-scale, complex teams. Developing a 'resilience mindset' from an operational perspective.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully managed a large, complex global operations function (e.g., manufacturing, logistics).
- Demonstrated ability to implement significant operational improvements and cost efficiencies.
- Proven experience in managing operational crises and recovering from disruptions.
- Strong track record of developing and leading large operational teams.