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
Junior Operational Risk Analyst
1-2 yearsSkills to master
- Core risk frameworks (3LOD, RCSA basics), incident logging, basic control testing, clear documentation.
You're ready to move on when
- Consistently accurate and timely completion of assigned tasks.
- Proactively identifies minor issues and suggests solutions.
- Demonstrates a solid grasp of basic operational processes.
- 2
Internal Audit Associate
2-3 yearsSkills to master
- Control testing, evidence gathering, audit report writing, understanding of internal control effectiveness.
You're ready to move on when
- Strong understanding of control design and operating effectiveness.
- Ability to challenge processes constructively.
- Experience working with various business units to assess controls.
- 3
Operations Process Improvement Specialist
2-4 yearsSkills to master
- Process mapping, root cause analysis, identifying process inefficiencies, stakeholder engagement.
You're ready to move on when
- Proven ability to analyse and improve operational workflows.
- Good understanding of how process flaws create risk.
- Experience implementing process changes and measuring their impact.