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
Lead, International Strategy / Country Manager (L4)
3-5 years in previous roleSkills to master
- Deep understanding of a specific market's P&L, strategic analysis for regional expansion, leading small project teams, influencing senior stakeholders.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully owned the P&L for a small country or led strategic analysis for a major region.
- Demonstrated ability to make independent decisions on market approach and resource allocation within a defined scope.
- Proven track record of mentoring junior team members and leading complex workstreams.
- 2
Senior International Business Specialist (L3)
5-8 years in previous role (with accelerated growth)Skills to master
- End-to-end project management for international initiatives, onboarding and managing channel partners, making technical decisions within project scope, informal team leadership.
You're ready to move on when
- Consistently led and delivered complex international projects (e.g., new product launches in foreign markets).
- Acted as a go-to expert for specific international trade or market entry challenges.
- Demonstrated strong informal leadership by mentoring junior colleagues and taking ownership of critical processes.