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 Internal Communications Specialist, Marketing
3-5 years in a senior specialist roleSkills to master
- Leading end-to-end comms programmes, advising mid-level managers, mentoring junior colleagues, managing complex projects independently.
You're ready to move on when
- Consistently delivering high-impact comms strategies for major Marketing initiatives.
- Demonstrating strong leadership potential and a knack for developing others.
- Successfully navigating complex stakeholder environments and influencing outcomes.
- Proactively identifying comms opportunities and proposing strategic solutions.
- 2
Marketing Lead (Comms-focused)
4-6 years in a comms-adjacent Marketing leadership roleSkills to master
- Understanding the full Marketing lifecycle, translating business objectives into comms strategies, managing cross-functional projects, influencing senior Marketing leaders.
You're ready to move on when
- Proven ability to lead comms for major marketing campaigns or product launches.
- Strong understanding of the Marketing department's strategic priorities and challenges.
- Demonstrating an ability to manage and motivate small project teams.
- Successfully bridging the gap between external marketing and internal comms needs.
- 3
Internal Communications Manager (from another department)
5-8 years as a Comms Manager in a different business unit or industrySkills to master
- Adapting comms strategies to a new industry context, quickly understanding Marketing-specific jargon and priorities, building new stakeholder relationships, demonstrating transferable leadership skills.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully managed an internal comms function in a complex organisation.
- Strong track record of people management and team development.
- Ability to quickly learn and adapt to a new business domain (Marketing).
- Demonstrating strategic thinking and the ability to influence at a senior level.