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
Change Practitioner / Change Consultant (Internal or External)
3-5 yearsSkills to master
- End-to-end delivery of specific change deliverables (e.g., comms plan, training module), independent stakeholder engagement, basic data analysis for readiness assessments.
You're ready to move on when
- You've successfully owned and delivered multiple change deliverables on time and to a high standard.
- You're comfortable presenting to mid-level managers and can handle pushback gracefully.
- You've taken initiative to identify and solve problems, not just waiting to be told what to do.
- You've started informally mentoring junior colleagues or new joiners.
- 2
HR Business Partner (with Change Focus)
4-6 yearsSkills to master
- Deep understanding of employee relations, talent management, and organisational development, coupled with experience leading HR-specific change initiatives (e.g., new performance management systems).
You're ready to move on when
- You've led significant HR projects that involved managing people-side impacts.
- You're adept at coaching managers through difficult employee transitions.
- You understand the business strategy and how HR initiatives support it.
- You've actively sought out opportunities to work on broader business transformation projects.
- 3
Project Manager (with People Focus)
5-7 yearsSkills to master
- Strong project planning, risk management, and governance skills, combined with a proven track record of managing projects with significant human impact, and a desire to specialise in the 'people' side.
You're ready to move on when
- You've managed projects where the success hinged on user adoption, not just technical delivery.
- You're known for your ability to manage diverse stakeholder groups and communicate effectively.
- You've proactively identified and mitigated 'people risks' in your projects.
- You're passionate about the human element of change, beyond just hitting timelines and budgets.