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
Change Analyst / Project Coordinator
2-3 yearsSkills to master
- Mastering communication drafting, organising training logistics, basic data tracking, understanding project lifecycles, and supporting senior change managers.
You're ready to move on when
- Consistently delivers high-quality communication drafts with minimal supervision.
- Successfully organises and supports multiple training events without hitches.
- Proactively identifies and flags potential issues to their manager.
- Receives positive feedback from project teams on their support and organisational skills.
- 2
HR Business Partner / Learning & Development Specialist
3-4 yearsSkills to master
- Understanding employee engagement, talent development, organisational culture, and how to influence behaviour within teams. This path brings a strong people-centric view.
You're ready to move on when
- Has led or significantly contributed to a major HR initiative involving cultural or process change.
- Demonstrates strong coaching and influencing skills with managers and employees.
- Understands the 'people impact' of business decisions.
- Has experience designing and delivering learning programmes that drive behaviour change.
- 3
Business Analyst / Junior Project Manager
3-4 yearsSkills to master
- Developing strong analytical skills, understanding business processes, requirements gathering, and the mechanics of project delivery. This path brings a strong process and project understanding.
You're ready to move on when
- Has experience translating business requirements into functional specifications.
- Can clearly articulate the 'as-is' and 'to-be' states of a business process.
- Has managed small project workstreams or significant project tasks independently.
- Recognises the importance of user adoption for project success.