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 IMS Manager (L5) within a large organisation
3-5 years as an IMS ManagerSkills to master
- Deepen strategic planning capabilities, P&L management for a functional area, executive stakeholder management, and leading managers (not just individual contributors).
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully led a major IMS platform implementation or upgrade.
- Managed a team of 10+ people, including at least 2-3 direct reports who were managers.
- Consistently delivered strong audit results with zero major non-conformances.
- Presented strategic recommendations to senior leadership (e.g., Head of Business Unit, VP level).
- 2
From Director of EHS or Quality in a smaller/mid-sized company
5-8 years as a Director, looking for a larger scopeSkills to master
- Adapting to the complexity of a larger, multi-national organisation, navigating more intricate internal politics, and managing a significantly larger budget and team.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully built and scaled an EHS or Quality function from the ground up.
- Managed all aspects of regulatory compliance and certification for their previous company.
- Demonstrated strong commercial acumen and ability to link CQHS to business value.
- Experience with M&A integration from a CQHS perspective.
- 3
From a Senior Management Consultant specialising in GRC/EHSQ
8-10 years in consulting, with significant project leadershipSkills to master
- Transitioning from project-based work to long-term operational ownership, building and developing an internal team, and navigating internal organisational dynamics rather than external client relationships.
You're ready to move on when
- Led multiple large-scale IMS implementation or transformation projects for diverse clients.
- Managed client relationships at a senior executive level.
- Demonstrated strong analytical and problem-solving skills in complex business environments.
- A desire to 'own' the outcomes and build a lasting impact within one organisation.