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
Head of TA Operations (Large Enterprise)
3-5 years in a similar role at a large, complex organisation.Skills to master
- Managing global teams, multi-vendor ecosystems, large budgets, and influencing executive stakeholders.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully led a major TA tech implementation or migration.
- Consistently delivered significant improvements in TA operational metrics (TTF, CPH) at scale.
- Built and developed high-performing TA Operations teams.
- 2
VP of People Operations (Smaller/Mid-size Company)
5-7 years, often expanding scope from TA Ops to broader People Ops.Skills to master
- Broader HRIS management, payroll integration, employee lifecycle management, and deeper collaboration with Finance and IT.
You're ready to move on when
- Owned the entire HR tech stack beyond just TA.
- Demonstrated strong cross-functional leadership across HR disciplines.
- Proven ability to scale People Operations for rapid growth.
- 3
Management Consultant (Specialising in HR/TA Transformation)
7-10 years in consulting, with significant project leadership.Skills to master
- Client relationship management, strategic problem-solving for diverse organisations, project delivery at scale, and change management.
You're ready to move on when
- Led multiple successful HR/TA transformation projects for various clients.
- Developed and sold large-scale consulting engagements.
- Deep expertise in best practices across multiple industries.