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
Financial Analyst / Business Analyst (with innovation focus)
3-5 yearsSkills to master
- Deep dive into financial modelling, data analysis, understanding business processes, and early exposure to project management. You'd be building the foundations for complex business cases.
You're ready to move on when
- Consistently delivering high-quality analysis and reports with minimal supervision.
- Proactively identifying process improvements or new opportunities in your current role.
- Taking initiative to learn about new technologies or market trends relevant to finance.
- Successfully managing smaller projects or significant workstreams independently.
- 2
Product Analyst / Junior Product Manager (FinTech)
3-4 yearsSkills to master
- Understanding the full product lifecycle, user research, requirements gathering, and working closely with engineering teams. You'd be learning how to translate user needs into technical specifications.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully launching features or small products, even if just internally.
- Strong grasp of user experience (UX) principles and customer journey mapping.
- Ability to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical teams.
- Demonstrated ability to prioritise features based on business value and customer impact.
- 3
Consultant (Financial Services / Innovation)
4-6 yearsSkills to master
- Client management, problem framing, strategic analysis, and presenting solutions to senior leadership. You'd be used to working on diverse projects and quickly grasping new business contexts.
You're ready to move on when
- Managing client relationships and delivering impactful projects.
- Developing and presenting compelling business cases and strategic recommendations.
- Experience working across multiple financial services domains.
- Comfortable with high-pressure environments and tight deadlines.