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
Senior Intranet Content Strategist (L3)
Moving from L3 to L5 typically takes 4-7 years of dedicated development and leadership experience.Skills to master
- You'd need to expand your scope from owning content strategies for specific personas to managing entire functional areas, taking on budget responsibility, and developing a team. Focus on strategic planning, stakeholder management at a higher level, and understanding the full technology stack.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully led multiple complex content strategy projects end-to-end.
- Consistently mentored junior team members and demonstrated leadership potential.
- Developed and presented strategic recommendations to senior management.
- Proven ability to manage conflicting stakeholder priorities and drive consensus.
- 2
Lead Knowledge & Content Architect (L4)
Progression from L4 to L5 usually takes 3-5 years, building on architectural expertise with leadership and strategic ownership.Skills to master
- You'd need to shift from designing the system to managing the people who design and maintain it, as well as owning the budget and strategic roadmap. Focus on team leadership, vendor management, and translating technical architecture into business value for executives.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully designed and implemented enterprise-level taxonomy and metadata schemas.
- Demonstrated ability to influence technical decisions and advocate for user needs.
- Led small cross-functional teams or projects with significant impact.
- Developed a deep understanding of various DXP platforms and their capabilities.
- 3
Digital Communications Manager (from another organisation)
This path usually takes 2-4 years to adapt to our specific context and build internal credibility, assuming you bring strong relevant experience.Skills to master
- You'd need to quickly get up to speed on our specific intranet platforms, internal culture, and knowledge management methodologies. Focus on understanding our unique challenges, building relationships, and demonstrating your strategic leadership in a new environment.
You're ready to move on when
- Proven track record of managing digital communication channels and teams.
- Experience with content strategy, governance, and user engagement.
- Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills.
- A clear understanding of the difference between external and internal digital experiences.