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Apprenticeship training course

Senior leader (level 7)

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Information about Senior leader (level 7)

A leader who has senior management responsibility.

Knowledge, skills and behaviours
View knowledge, skills and behaviours

Knowledge

  • How to shape organisational mission, culture and values.
  • Organisation structures; business modelling; diversity; global and horizon scanning perspectives; governance and accountability; technological and policy implications.
  • New market strategies, changing customer demands and trend analysis.
  • Innovation; the impact of disruptive technologies (mechanisms that challenge traditional business methods and practices); drivers of change and new ways of working across infrastructure, processes, people and culture and sustainability.
  • Systems thinking, knowledge/data management, research methodologies and programme management.
  • Ethics and values-based leadership theories and principles.
  • Competitive strategies and entrepreneurialism, approaches to effective decision making, and the use of big data and insight to implement and manage change.
  • Financial strategies, for example scenarios, modelling and identifying trends, application of economic theory to decision-making, and how to evaluate financial and non- financial information such as the implications of sustainable approaches
  • Financial governance and legal requirements, and procurement strategies.
  • Organisational/team dynamics and how to build engagement and develop high performance, agile and collaborative cultures.
  • Approaches to strategic workforce planning, for example, talent management, learning organisations, group work, workforce design, succession planning, diversity and inclusion.
  • Influencing and negotiating strategies both upwards and outwards.
  • The external social and political environment and use of diplomacy with diverse groups of internal and external stakeholders.
  • Working with board and other company leadership structures.
  • Brand and reputation management.
  • Working with corporate leadership structures, for example, the markets it operates in, roles and responsibilities, who its stakeholders are and what they require from the organisation and the sustainability agenda.
  • Crisis and risk management strategies.
  • Coaching and mentoring techniques.
  • Approaches to developing a Corporate Social Responsibility programme.
  • The organisation’s developing communications strategy and its link to their area of responsibility.

Skills

  • Use horizon scanning and conceptualisation to deliver high performance strategies focusing on growth/sustainable outcomes.
  • Set strategic direction and gain support for it from key stakeholders.
  • Undertake research, and critically analyse and integrate complex information.
  • Lead change in their area of responsibility, create an environment for innovation and creativity, establishing the value of ideas and change initiatives and driving continuous improvement.
  • Lead and respond in a crisis situation using risk management techniques.
  • Act as a Sponsor/Ambassador, championing projects and transformation of services across organisational boundaries such as those impacted by sustainability and the UK Net Carbon Zero by 2050 target.
  • Challenge strategies and operations in terms of ethics, responsibility, sustainability, resource allocation and business continuity/risk management.
  • Apply principles relating to Corporate Social Responsibility, Governance and Regulatory compliance.
  • Drive a culture of resilience and support development of new enterprise and opportunities.
  • Oversee development and monitoring of financial strategies and setting of organisational budgets based on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and challenge financial assumptions underpinning strategies.
  • Uses financial data to allocate resources.
  • Oversee procurement, supply chain management and contracts.
  • Use personal presence and "storytelling" to articulate and translate vision into operational strategies, demonstrating clarity in thinking such as consideration of sustainable approaches.
  • Create an inclusive culture, encouraging diversity and difference and promoting well-being.
  • Give and receive feedback at all levels, building confidence and developing trust, and enable people to take risks and challenge where appropriate.
  • Enable an open culture and high-performance working environment and set goals and accountabilities for teams and individuals in their area.
  • Lead and influence people, building constructive working relationships across teams, using matrix management where required.
  • Optimise skills of the workforce, balancing people and technical skills and encouraging continual development.
  • Manage relationships across multiple and diverse stakeholders.
  • Lead within their area of control/authority, influencing both upwards and outwards, negotiating and using advocacy skills to build reputation and effective collaboration.
  • Shape and manage the communications strategy for their area of responsibility.

Behaviours

  • Work collaboratively enabling empowerment and delegation.
  • Take personal accountability aligned to clear values.
  • Curious and innovative - exploring areas of ambiguity and complexity and finding creative solutions.
  • Value difference and champion diversity.
  • Seek continuous professional development opportunities for self and wider team.
Apprenticeship category (sector)
Business and administration
Qualification level
7
Equal to master’s degree
Course duration
24 months
Maximum funding
£18,000
Maximum government funding for
apprenticeship training and assessment costs.
Job titles include
  • Associate director
  • Business unit head
  • Chief executive officer
  • Chief financial officer
  • Chief information officer
  • Chief operating officer
  • Divisional head
  • Executive director
  • He registrar
  • Head of department/faculty
  • Warrant officer

View more information about Senior leader (level 7) from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.