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
Technical Support Manager (Internal Promotion)
5-8 years in a Manager role before DirectorSkills to master
- Strategic planning, multi-team leadership, budget management, executive communication, cross-functional influence, vendor management.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully led multiple high-impact strategic initiatives.
- Consistently exceeded departmental KPIs and SLAs.
- Developed and promoted multiple leaders from within their teams.
- Demonstrated strong financial acumen and managed a significant budget effectively.
- Consistently sought out opportunities to present to and influence senior leadership.
- 2
Lead / Staff Support Engineer (Internal IC Promotion)
8-12 years as a Lead/Staff IC before transitioning to DirectorSkills to master
- Transitioning from deep technical expertise to strategic operational leadership, people management (if not already present), budget ownership, executive presence.
You're ready to move on when
- Acted as a de facto leader for complex programmes and initiatives.
- Mentored and guided multiple senior technical staff.
- Demonstrated a strong understanding of the business impact of technical decisions.
- Proactively identified and solved systemic organisational problems, not just technical ones.
- Expressed a clear desire and aptitude for people and strategic leadership.
- 3
Director of Technical Support (External Hire)
Direct entry from a similar role in another mid-to-large SaaS or FinTech company.Skills to master
- Quickly understanding our product, culture, and existing operational challenges. Building trust and credibility with new teams and executive peers.
You're ready to move on when
- A demonstrable track record of success in a comparable role, evidenced by metrics and strategic achievements.
- Strong references from previous VPs or C-suite leaders.
- A clear vision for how they would approach the challenges and opportunities of our specific business.
- Proven ability to adapt to new environments and lead through change.