UK

United Kingdom · Internal consulting · Director/VP (16-20 years)

Director, Enterprise Solutions

Here is the whole job, in plain words. What it is, what you decide, how you're judged, how people get here and where they go next. Then the part no course gives you: twelve AI tutors who learn your work.

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  • Experience bandDirector/VP (16-20 years)
  • Direct reports25-100+ reports
  • Reports toChief Operating Officer (COO) or Chief Strategy Officer (CSO)
  • UK framework levelUsually a director, accountable for a division and its numbers

Also advertised as VP, Solutions Consulting · Head of Internal Consulting · Director of Strategic Programmes

Built on 43,079 real UK job descriptions we analysed · grounded in what real qualifications cover

Two short quizzes about you

1From this job to a course

The qualifications matched to this job

OTHM Level 7 Diploma in Data Science OTHM Qualifications · Level 7 · covers 2 of 5 standards
NCC Education Level 5 Extended Diploma in Computing with Data Science NCC Education Limited · Level 5 · covers 1 of 5 standards
Level 6 Award in Data-led Decision Making Institute of Sales Professionals · Level 6 · covers 1 of 5 standards
Pearson BTEC Level 5 Higher National Diploma in Computing for England Pearson Education Ltd · Level 5 · covers 1 of 5 standards
Pearson BTEC Level 5 Higher National Diploma in Digital Technologies Pearson Education Ltd · Level 5 · covers 1 of 5 standards

Matched from the standards this job is measured against: a suggestion, not an official ruling.

The units you would start with

Data Science Foundations OTHM Level 7 Diploma in Data Science
Introduction to Data Science and Big Data NCC Education Level 5 Extended Diploma in Computing with Data Science
Data-led Decision Making Level 6 Award in Data-led Decision Making
Apply the Concepts of Data Science to Computer Engineering NOCN Level 5 Diploma in Computer Engineering (Information Technology and Data Science)
Data Analytics Pearson BTEC Level 5 Higher National Diploma in Computing for England

The future skills this job leans on

AI Fluency working with AI as a thinking partner
Data Fluency turning numbers into a decision
AI Governance Fluency using AI responsibly
Foresight Fluency seeing round the corner
Change Fluency taking people through change
Your Plan Illustration

Built for Director, Enterprise Solutions

5 units that map to this job, from the qualifications that cover it.

  1. Data Science Foundations OTHM Qualifications · covers 2 of 5 standards Level 7
  2. Introduction to Data Science and Big Data NCC Education Limited · covers 1 of 5 standards Level 5
  3. Data-led Decision Making Institute of Sales Professionals · covers 1 of 5 standards Level 6
  4. Apply the Concepts of Data Science to Computer Engineering NOCN · covers 1 of 5 standards Level 5
  5. Data Analytics Pearson Education Ltd · covers 1 of 5 standards Level 5
These are the real units behind this job, in the order they rank for it. Nothing here is marked done, because this plan has not been started by anyone yet. Yours would fill in as you go.

2AI and this work

Will AI change your work as a Director, Enterprise Solutions?

Nobody can say exactly how. Here is what this job is being asked for next, and where to start.

The new skills this role is being asked for

  • AI-Driven Strategic Foresight & Scenario Planning
  • Digital Transformation Leadership & Ecosystem Orchestration
Why each one is rising

The future skills this job leans on

We'll only ever tell you what we can actually back up. No hype, no scare tactics.

What happens when you start

Next, a free account. We build your Director, Enterprise Solutions plan as you set up, starting with the free Automation Fluency module. No card.

Your first Future Fluency module is free. After that, your AI tutor is £70 a month.

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Keep this read. One email with what AI is changing in this job, the new skills it asks for and where to start free. Nothing else follows unless you confirm your address.

3What this role really is

This role shapes strategic direction for a major business unit or the whole enterprise, working closely with senior leadership. It means driving multi-year transformations that affect the whole company, not running single projects. The job sits between high-level vision and practical delivery, making sure internal consulting work delivers real value. It carries big scope and big responsibility.

4What you'd actually use

The tools this job runs on, and how well you'd need to know each one.

Tableau Server / Power BI Premium (Governance) Strategic

Defining enterprise-wide KPI standards, governing data lineage for strategic dashboards, and overseeing the security and access protocols for all business intelligence assets. You're ensuring the entire company has reliable, consistent data for decision-making.

Anaplan / Workday Adaptive Planning (Strategic Modelling) Advanced/Architect

Directing the building of complex financial and operational models to quantify the multi-year P&L, cash flow, and NPV impact of strategic recommendations, and using these models to stress-test scenarios for the C-suite. You're proving the financial viability of our biggest bets.

Diligent Boards / BoardVantage (Board Comms) Expert

Preparing and presenting highly confidential strategic materials for the Board of Directors and C-suite audiences using secure board portals. This involves ensuring clarity, conciseness, and absolute accuracy in high-stakes reporting.

Jira / Asana (Portfolio Integration) Strategic

Overseeing the integration of project data from across the enterprise into a unified portfolio management system. This allows you to track progress, allocate resources, and report on the overall health and impact of all strategic initiatives to the C-suite.

5What you get to decide, and how that grows

Power in a job isn't your title. It's what you're allowed to decide. Here's how it grows as you move up.

The choiceComing in Where you are nowThe step above
Strategic Programme Portfolio Definition N/A N/A Propose and refine programme ideas to Engagement Managers.
Budget Allocation (Internal Consulting Function) N/A N/A Recommend project-level spend within approved limits.
Organisational Design & Team Structure N/A N/A Suggest improvements to team processes.

6How you'll be judged

The scoreboard, and what is not on it. The hard targets, how often each is actually looked at, and the quiet signals that never reach a dashboard.

Realised Business Value
The documented financial impact (cost savings, revenue generation, efficiency gains) from your portfolio of strategic programmes.
Target · Exceed £5M-£10M in annualised value across your portfolio.

Leading a supply chain optimisation programme that reduces logistics costs by £7M annually, or a customer experience programme that adds £6M in recurring revenue.

Strategic Programme Adoption Rate
The percentage of key recommendations and changes from your programmes that are fully adopted and embedded within the target business units.
Target · Achieve >80% adoption rate for critical initiatives within 12-18 months post-implementation.

After designing a new operating model for the sales division, 85% of sales teams are consistently following the new processes and using the new tools.

Internal Client Satisfaction (C-Suite/VP Level)
Feedback from C-suite and VP-level sponsors on the strategic relevance, quality, and impact of your team's work.
Target · Average feedback score of 4.5/5 or higher from executive sponsors.

The COO praises your team's work on the digital transformation roadmap, noting its clarity and alignment with company goals, giving a 5/5.

Talent Development & Retention within Function
The growth and retention of your direct reports and the broader internal consulting team.
Target · Maintain team attrition at <10% annually and achieve >75% internal promotion rate for senior roles.

Your team sees two Engagement Managers promoted to Principal Strategist this year, and overall team turnover is 8%, well below the industry average.

Strategic Influence & Thought Leadership
Your ability to shape the company's strategic agenda and be seen as a go-to expert for complex business problems.
  • You're proactively invited to C-suite strategy sessions, your insights are referenced in board meetings, and you're asked to lead new, ambiguous strategic initiatives. People genuinely seek your perspective before making major decisions.
Organisational Alignment & Collaboration
How effectively you get disparate business units and functions working together towards a common strategic goal.
  • You're consistently able to broker agreements between competing departments, foster genuine cross-functional teamwork on major programmes, and reduce internal friction. People say you're a 'unifier'.
Risk Anticipation & Mitigation
Your foresight in identifying potential roadblocks, political challenges, or market shifts that could derail strategic programmes, and your ability to proactively address them.
  • You present clear, well-thought-out contingency plans for major programmes. You're often the first to flag emerging risks to the executive team, and your solutions prevent significant issues before they escalate.

7Would you like it

Both sides. What people enjoy, and what grinds them down.

What people enjoy
Driving Large-Scale, Tangible Change

You're energised by the idea of seeing your strategic vision transform a business unit, watching the numbers shift, and knowing your work directly led to that. You thrive on the complexity of multi-year programmes and the satisfaction of overcoming significant obstacles.

The thought of a £10M cost saving programme that you architected and championed, seeing it implemented and the financial benefits realised, truly excites you.

Building and Mentoring High-Performing Teams

You enjoy developing future leaders, coaching your managers, and creating a culture where top talent thrives. You get a kick out of seeing your team members grow and take on bigger challenges, knowing you've helped shape their careers.

You spend time each week actively coaching your Principal Strategists, helping them navigate tricky stakeholder situations and refine their strategic thinking.

Solving the 'Hardest Problems' for the Business

You're drawn to the most ambiguous, complex, and high-stakes challenges the company faces. The more difficult the problem, the more engaged you become, seeing it as an opportunity to demonstrate significant value.

When the CEO asks for a plan to integrate a newly acquired company, you're the first to volunteer, eager to tackle the organisational and operational complexities.

What frustrates people
  • Executive sponsors changing their minds mid-programme, forcing a costly pivot or even cancellation.
  • Departments passively resisting change, making implementation far slower and more painful than planned.
  • The constant need to justify your team's value and budget, even after delivering significant results.
  • Seeing a brilliant solution get bogged down in bureaucratic approvals or a lack of follow-through from operational teams.
  • The sheer volume of urgent, high-stakes requests that pull you in multiple directions simultaneously.
What this role does not give you
  • A predictable, routine work schedule with minimal surprises.
  • The ability to make unilateral decisions without significant consultation and buy-in.
  • A role where you can avoid internal politics or difficult conversations with senior leaders.
  • A guarantee that every single one of your strategic recommendations will be fully implemented as designed.

8Who you work with

This role directly influences the strategic direction and operational effectiveness of major business units, impacting P&L performance, market positioning, and long-term growth. Your decisions and the programmes you champion can lead to multi-million pound savings, significant revenue uplift, or critical competitive advantages. Frankly, you're shaping a chunk of the company's future.

Inside the business
  • CEO and Executive Leadership Team
  • Business Unit Managing Directors/VPs
  • Heads of Finance, HR, Technology, and Legal
  • Board of Directors (for specific presentations)
Outside the business
  • Strategic vendor partners
  • Industry bodies and thought leaders
  • Consulting firm partners (for co-delivery or niche expertise)

9What you need before you start

Not a wish list. The things you would be expected to already have.

  • A proven track record of leading and delivering multiple large-scale, complex strategic transformation programmes (typically £5M+ in impact or budget).
  • Extensive experience (10+ years) in a senior leadership role within internal consulting, external management consulting (e.g., Big 4, MBB), or a strategic planning function.
  • Demonstrated ability to build, mentor, and manage large teams (20+ people, including managers) in a fast-paced, demanding environment.
  • Deep commercial acumen, including P&L responsibility and the ability to develop robust financial models and business cases for multi-million pound investments.
  • Exceptional executive presence and communication skills, with a history of successfully influencing C-suite executives and Board members.

10What to practise next

Where the job is going, and what to do about it starting this week.

Advanced Data Governance & Ethics for AI

As AI becomes central to strategic decision-making, ensuring data quality, privacy, and ethical use is paramount. Directors will need to establish robust governance frameworks to manage the risks and maximise the value of AI-driven insights.

Data lineage and quality for AI models · AI bias detection and mitigation · Data privacy in AI applications · Regulatory compliance for AI (e.g., EU AI Act)

  • This quarter: Review current company data governance policies through an AI lens.
  • Next 6 months: Lead a task force to develop internal guidelines for ethical AI use in strategic programmes.
  • Next 12 months: Partner with Legal and Compliance to establish a formal AI governance framework.
  • Ongoing: Engage with industry experts and consortia focused on AI ethics and responsible innovation.

Quick win: Implement a mandatory 'AI Impact Assessment' for any new strategic programme proposing AI solutions, ensuring ethical considerations are addressed upfront.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Regularly engage with industry thought leaders through conferences, webinars, and executive roundtables to stay abreast of emerging trends and best practices in strategic management and internal consulting.
  • Participate in executive education programmes focused on digital transformation, AI strategy, or advanced leadership to continuously sharpen your skills and perspective.
  • Actively mentor senior members of your team, fostering their growth and ensuring a strong leadership pipeline within the internal consulting function.
  • Publish articles or present at industry events, positioning yourself and the company as leaders in strategic problem-solving and transformation.

12The rising capability

The rising capability

Zavmo analysis

What's rising in its place

This is where the work is heading, and the higher pay with it. Get fluent here and the shift stops being a threat and starts being your edge.

AI-Driven Strategic Foresight & Scenario Planning

Traditional strategic planning is too slow for today's volatile markets. AI can process vast amounts of data to identify emerging trends, predict market shifts, and model various future scenarios far more effectively than human teams alone. Directors who can harness this will gain a significant competitive edge.

  • Predictive analytics for market dynamics
  • Generative AI for scenario generation
  • Risk modelling with AI
  • Ethical AI in decision-making

Digital Transformation Leadership & Ecosystem Orchestration

Every strategic programme now has a significant digital component. Directors need to move beyond understanding technology to leading complex, multi-vendor digital ecosystems, integrating new platforms, and ensuring seamless data flow across the enterprise. It's not just about 'a' digital strategy, but about leading 'the' digital transformation.

  • Platform business models
  • Cloud-native architecture principles
  • API-first integration strategies
  • Cybersecurity governance at scale

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

  • Enterprise Operating Model Design
  • Strategic Portfolio Management
  • Advanced Change Leadership (Kotter's 8-Step, ADKAR)
  • M&A Integration Strategy & Execution

14The pathway

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. 1

    Principal Solutions Strategist (Internal Promotion)

    3-5 years as a Principal

    Skills to master

    • Deepen expertise in a specific business domain, demonstrate consistent success in managing a portfolio of engagements, develop strong executive relationships, and prove ability to influence strategic direction without direct authority.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully led 2-3 major enterprise-level programmes with documented £5M+ impact.
    • Consistently received top-tier feedback from C-suite sponsors.
    • Built and mentored a high-performing team of Engagement Managers and Senior Consultants.
    • Recognised as a thought leader within the internal consulting function and a trusted advisor to senior VPs.
  2. 2

    External Management Consulting Director/Partner

    Direct entry, assuming relevant experience

    Skills to master

    • Strong client relationship management at the executive level, experience leading large consulting engagements (multi-million pound), deep industry knowledge, and a proven ability to drive complex transformations.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Managed a P&L for a consulting practice or major client portfolio.
    • Demonstrated ability to sell and deliver large-scale strategic projects.
    • Extensive experience presenting to and influencing C-suite and Board members.
    • Proven track record of building and developing high-performing consulting teams.
  3. 3

    Head of Strategy / VP of Business Operations (Large Corporation)

    Direct entry, assuming relevant experience

    Skills to master

    • Deep operational experience, strong commercial acumen, experience leading strategic planning cycles, and a track record of driving operational excellence and efficiency across a large business unit.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Owned a significant operational P&L or strategic budget.
    • Led major cross-functional initiatives with tangible business impact.
    • Demonstrated ability to translate strategic objectives into operational plans.
    • Experience managing complex stakeholder environments and driving consensus.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This role can lead towards a Chief Executive Officer position, a Non-Executive Director or board role, or a partner position in venture capital or private equity.

The ten Future Fluencies

Zavmo analysis

The credential is what you can do today. These are what keep you valuable.

A qualification proves you can do the job as it's defined today. These ten are what decide whether you're still the obvious person for it in five years. They're the capabilities employers are now writing into senior roles faster than people are learning them. Zavmo weaves them through whatever you study, so you come out with both: the credential and the fluency.

The highlighted ones are the Fluencies your role leans on hardest, from how Director, Enterprise Solutions is actually changing.

Where it leads

Roles this leads to

The record names a next step, but the catalogue has no page for it yet:

  • Chief Solutions Officer (CSO)
  • Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) / Chief Operating Officer (COO)

How you would learn this

One to one, on the work you already do

A tutor sets the task against your own job and marks the reasoning, at your pace. There is no cohort to fall behind.

A lesson from Data Science Foundations, worked against Director, Enterprise Solutions.

Data Science Foundations Level 7

Applied to your work in Director, Enterprise Solutions

1. To enable the learner to define the scope and landscape of Data Science and differentiate the roles of Data Scientists from other IT professionals. 2. To enable the learner to evaluate key topics within Data Science, including data administration, governance, and big data sources. 3. To enable the learner to describe the architecture and core elements of Apache Hadoop. 4. To enable the learner to analyse the advantages and disadvantages of utilising Artificial Intelligence techniques in a business context. 5. To enable the learner to critically analyse the impact of Big Data on digital transformation within organisations and its effects on users. 6. To enable the learner to review strategies for ensuring data compliance and explain the responsibilities and challenges faced by data specialists.

How the thinking builds
  1. 1 Remember
  2. 2 Understand
  3. 3 Apply
  4. 4 Analyse
  5. 5 Evaluate
  6. 6 Create
An illustration of a Zavmo lesson, built from this role’s own route. The unit, its objective and every criterion above are the awarding body’s own words, not an example.

It is £70 a month, billed monthly. Your free first module is Future Fluency, and you can cancel any time.

See Your Progress Grow Illustration
Director, Enterprise Solutions
  • Enterprise Operating Model Design
  • Strategic Portfolio Management
  • Advanced Change Leadership (Kotter's 8-Step, ADKAR)
  • M&A Integration Strategy & Execution
This is your Mind Palace on learn.zavmo.ai. Every skill above comes from this role's own record, not an example borrowed from another job. A node lights up when you evidence it, and what you build stays yours between jobs. That is the part a course cannot do.

16The detail, folded away

Everything else the record holds

The career branches in full, how AI is already showing up in the day-to-day, and the questions people ask about this job. Here when you want them, out of the way while you decide.

Where it leads next, rung by rung

Where it leads

The career path, and where it branches

Director, Enterprise Solutions is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

  1. Chief Solutions Officer (CSO)

    3-5 years as Director, Enterprise Solutions

    From L6 to L7 (C-Suite)

    • Defining the overall internal consulting mandate and operating model for the entire organisation.
    • Building and managing relationships with external analysts and media.
    • Driving cultural transformation across the entire company.

  2. Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) / Chief Operating Officer (COO)

    3-7 years as Director, Enterprise Solutions

    From L6 to L7 (C-Suite)

    • Developing and executing corporate-wide strategic plans.
    • Optimising end-to-end operational processes and supply chains.
    • Managing large-scale organisational change across all departments.
    • Leading international expansion or new market entry strategies.
Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

Let's be honest, even at the Director level, a chunk of your week can get swallowed by reviewing decks, synthesising information, and drafting communications. But what if you could offload a significant portion of that to AI? Imagine having more time for genuine strategic thought, executive engagement, and guiding your team.

Our internal AI Productivity Hub is designed specifically for senior internal consultants like you. It's not about replacing your expertise; it's about augmenting it, giving you superpowers to cut through the noise and focus on what truly matters: driving enterprise-level impact. Think of it as having a super-smart, always-on executive assistant for all your information processing and communication needs.

First-Draft Executive Summaries

Use AI tools to rapidly generate initial drafts of executive summaries, board papers, and strategic programme updates from your team's detailed reports. This frees you from the initial 'blank page' syndrome and allows you to focus on refining the narrative and key messages for C-suite consumption.

Unstructured Data Synthesis for Strategic Insights

Leverage AI to quickly analyse vast amounts of unstructured data – think thousands of employee survey comments, customer feedback, or market sentiment reports. AI can identify key themes, emerging risks, and strategic opportunities in minutes, giving you a comprehensive overview to inform your strategic recommendations.

Accelerated Market & Competitor Analysis

Direct AI assistants to synthesise complex market research reports, competitor financial filings, and industry news. Get a concise, executive-ready briefing on market trends, competitive landscapes, and potential disruptors in a fraction of the time, allowing you to react faster to strategic shifts.

Tailored Executive Communication Assistant

Use AI to draft nuanced communications for different executive stakeholders – whether it's a progress update for the CEO, a budget justification for the CFO, or a change management message for business unit VPs. AI can help you hit the right tone and focus for each audience, saving you precious time.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a Director, Enterprise Solutions?

Common routes in include Principal Solutions Strategist (Internal Promotion) (3-5 years as a Principal), External Management Consulting Director/Partner (Direct entry, assuming relevant experience) and Head of Strategy / VP of Business Operations (Large Corporation) (Direct entry, assuming relevant experience). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Director, Enterprise Solutions progress to?

This role can lead on to Chief Solutions Officer (CSO) (3-5 years as Director, Enterprise Solutions) and Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) / Chief Operating Officer (COO) (3-7 years as Director, Enterprise Solutions), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a Director, Enterprise Solutions?

Increasingly, AI-Driven Strategic Foresight & Scenario Planning and Digital Transformation Leadership & Ecosystem Orchestration. These are the skills our record of this role lists as growing.

Free tools

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Three free tools, no account needed. Each one ends with a role, a level and a way in.

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17Where to go from here

Other roles at Level 7

Same depth of qualification, different job. Useful if the work appeals but this particular role does not.

 More jobs in internal consulting

Stay in the field you know and move sideways rather than up.
If you leave this industry

The strategic and leadership skills built in this role carry across industries and sectors. The ability to break down complex problems, drive large-scale change and influence senior leaders applies in most large organisations. This can lead to senior leadership roles in other large corporations, private equity firms, or start-ups looking for strategic guidance.

This role profile is © 2026 Growth Engineering Technologies Ltd. Built from UK occupational standards and regulated qualification data, and written for Zavmo.

You're not behind. You're right on time. The shift is only just beginning. Your role won't look the same in two years. Be the one who leads the change, not the one it happens to. Start my free Automation Fluency module What happens next: a free account, then we build your plan as you set up. No card. Build your plan, see your roadmap and meet the twelve tutors matched to you. All free. When you're ready to start learning, it's £70 a month, billed monthly. Cancel any time and billing stops.