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
Director, Global Payroll
5-7 years at Director levelSkills to master
- Leading a large global payroll function, managing complex vendor relationships, driving process automation, ensuring global compliance, and building high-performing teams.
You're ready to move on when
- Consistent track record of 100% payroll accuracy and compliance across all countries.
- Successful leadership of a major global payroll system implementation or transformation.
- Demonstrated ability to manage multi-million-pound budgets and achieve cost efficiencies.
- Strong executive communication skills, with experience presenting to C-suite and Board committees.
- 2
VP, People Operations
5-7 years at VP level in a broader HR operations roleSkills to master
- Overseeing the full spectrum of people operations (HRIS, employee lifecycle, shared services), driving operational excellence, and integrating HR functions with business strategy.
You're ready to move on when
- Proven ability to scale people operations for rapid global growth.
- Successful leadership of major HR technology transformations.
- Strong experience in M&A integration for people functions.
- Demonstrated ability to build and lead large, diverse global teams.
- 3
Head of Compensation & Benefits
5-7 years at Head of C&B levelSkills to master
- Designing and managing global compensation structures, executive compensation, equity programmes, and comprehensive benefits packages. Deep understanding of market trends and regulatory compliance.
You're ready to move on when
- Track record of designing competitive and compliant global total rewards programmes.
- Experience with executive compensation and board-level reporting.
- Strong analytical skills for compensation benchmarking and modelling.
- Ability to balance cost control with talent attraction and retention goals.