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 Community Engagement Manager (L5)
3-5 years as an L5Skills to master
- Mastering P&L ownership, developing multi-year strategic roadmaps, building and leading a team of managers, and effectively influencing C-suite stakeholders.
You're ready to move on when
- Consistently exceeding business unit KPIs and ROI targets.
- Successfully leading a major organisational transformation or strategic initiative.
- Demonstrating strong executive presence and influencing skills in cross-functional settings.
- Having a clear succession plan for your current team.
- 2
From Head of Public Relations / Communications
5-7 years in a Head of PR roleSkills to master
- Deepening understanding of community lifecycle management, building advocacy programmes, and integrating PR strategy with direct user engagement.
You're ready to move on when
- Proven track record of managing brand reputation at a national or international level.
- Experience leading large communications teams and managing significant budgets.
- Demonstrable ability to translate PR objectives into measurable business outcomes.
- A strong understanding of digital engagement channels beyond traditional media.
- 3
From Head of Customer Experience / Success
4-6 years in a CX/CS leadership roleSkills to master
- Developing strategic content calendars, advanced social listening, and building scalable advocacy programmes to drive proactive customer value.
You're ready to move on when
- Success in driving customer loyalty and reducing churn through proactive engagement.
- Experience managing large customer-facing teams and operational budgets.
- A data-driven approach to understanding customer needs and improving experience.
- Ability to integrate customer insights into product development and marketing.