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
Senior Strategic Planner (L3) at Zavmo
3-5 years as an L3Skills to master
- Mastering end-to-end project leadership, developing strong stakeholder relationships with mid-level management, and consistently delivering actionable insights. You'd also be mentoring 1-2 junior team members.
You're ready to move on when
- Consistently leads small-to-medium strategic projects independently.
- Proactively identifies and frames strategic problems for leadership.
- Receives positive feedback on mentorship and guidance of junior colleagues.
- Can present complex analyses clearly to Director-level audiences.
- 2
Management Consultant (Senior Associate/Manager)
5-8 years in consultingSkills to master
- Experience leading client engagements, managing project teams, and developing strategic recommendations for diverse clients. You'd bring a strong toolkit of frameworks and problem-solving approaches.
You're ready to move on when
- Led multiple workstreams or small engagements for consulting clients.
- Managed project teams of 2-4 consultants.
- Demonstrated strong client relationship management skills.
- Experienced in presenting strategic recommendations to senior client executives.
- 3
Corporate Development Manager
6-10 years in corporate developmentSkills to master
- Deep expertise in M&A lifecycle, from target screening and due diligence to integration planning. Strong financial modelling skills for deal evaluation.
You're ready to move on when
- Played a lead role in multiple M&A transactions (e.g., due diligence lead, integration planning lead).
- Built and presented complex M&A financial models.
- Managed cross-functional teams during deal execution.
- Demonstrated understanding of post-merger integration challenges.