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
Operations Risk Analyst (L2)
2-3 yearsSkills to master
- Independent control testing, drafting incident reports, process mapping, basic data analysis, and effective stakeholder communication at a peer level.
You're ready to move on when
- Consistently delivers high-quality control tests and incident reports with minimal supervision.
- Proactively identifies minor process improvements or control gaps.
- Effectively manages workload and meets deadlines for assigned tasks.
- Demonstrates a solid understanding of our core operational processes and risk framework.
- 2
Internal Auditor (Mid-Level)
3-4 yearsSkills to master
- Conducting end-to-end audit engagements, assessing control effectiveness, identifying process inefficiencies, and making recommendations for improvement. Strong report writing and stakeholder engagement skills.
You're ready to move on when
- Has led several successful internal audit engagements, including operational audits.
- Can clearly articulate control weaknesses and their potential impact.
- Has experience working with business units to implement audit recommendations.
- Demonstrates a strong 'investigative' mindset and attention to detail.
- 3
Process Improvement Specialist
4-5 yearsSkills to master
- Expertise in process mapping, value stream analysis, Lean/Six Sigma methodologies, and driving process re-engineering projects. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
You're ready to move on when
- Has successfully led multiple process improvement initiatives with measurable results.
- Deep understanding of operational workflows and how to optimise them.
- Skilled in identifying root causes of process inefficiencies and failures.
- Can effectively influence operational teams to adopt new ways of working.