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
Emergency Operations Manager (L5)
3-5 years in roleSkills to master
- Mastering full EOC management, leading complex incident activations, advising executive leadership during crises, and managing a multi-functional team of managers and specialists.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully managed multiple complex EOC activations from start to finish.
- Consistently delivered on departmental objectives and budget targets.
- Received strong peer and upward feedback on strategic thinking and leadership.
- Developed and mentored junior managers, demonstrating succession planning capabilities.
- 2
Head of Business Continuity / Risk Management
4-6 years in roleSkills to master
- Developing and implementing enterprise-wide business continuity programmes, conducting comprehensive risk assessments, managing organisational-level recovery strategies, and influencing cross-functional leaders on risk mitigation.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully implemented a new enterprise-wide BCMS (Business Continuity Management System).
- Demonstrated ability to quantify and communicate complex risks to executive leadership.
- Proven track record of driving risk reduction initiatives across multiple business units.
- Strong understanding of the operational implications of risk management decisions.