Management and Leadership Career Development
Learn more about how to develop your career path in management and leadership. On this page you’ll find plenty of resources about career options, courses, development opportunities and more. Don’t forget, your tutor is always available to support you when it comes to any questions you may have about your career journey.
Roles and Levels in Management and Leadership
There are management levels and roles in every industry, so you may find the huge variety of job titles a little confusing at first. Below, we’ve explained some of the common levels in management career paths, and what those levels may translate to in industry job roles.
Team Leader / Shift Supervisor
A team leader or shift supervisor is typically the title you will encounter when you first take on a management position. Typically, you will be responsible for the administration of a small team, and report in to a higher manager who is responsible for strategic goals.
Example Job Titles:
Retail Supervisor, Warehouse Team Leader, Call Centre Team Manager, Night Shift Supervisor, Service Leader, Assistant Manager, Marketing Supervisor.
Qualifications Required:
In-house training, Team Leadership Level 3.
Team Manager / Office Manager
Team leaders typically progress to becoming team managers. One manager may be responsible for several team leaders, but also have some direct interaction with employees who usually report to team leaders. This is often because managers can be responsible for overall site rotas, daily schedule planning, or individual performance reviews. Typically managers stick to strategic planning.
Example Job Titles:
Office Manager, Store Manager, Registered Manager, Executive, Branch Manager, General Manager.
Qualifications Required:
In-house training, Team Leadership Level 3, CMI Qualifications, 1-3 years experience
Department Manager
Department manager is a senior role within a business, but the title can denote various levels depending on the industry you work in. For example, in an office environment, the Head of Marketing would be a department manager, with high-level responsibilities, reporting directly in to the business owner, or executive board.
However, in a retail environment or customer service environment, a department manager is typically a specialist manager in a particular part of the business (i.e. the furniture department, IT complaints department.). They still have a lot of responsibilities, but typically do not report in to the business directors.
Example Job Titles:
Head of Marketing, Strategic Business Manager, Chief Officer, Operations Manager, Business Partner, Senior Project Controller.
Qualifications Required:
In-house training, Departmental Manager Level 5, CMI Qualifications, Generally 5 years+ experience.
Divisional / Regional Manager
In industries such as sales and retail, national and international businesses often require managers that focus on specific divisions or regions in which the business operates. This can help managers become experts in finding the most effective strategy for a more specific group of stakeholders. For example, car producers may have divisional managers for personal use, and others who focus on business use. They then may also have regional managers for ‘North-West’, ‘London’ or ‘Wales’.
Typical Job Titles:
Territory Manager, Regional Director, District Manager, Group Area Manager, Division Coordinator, Senior Group Report, Regional Cluster Manager.
Qualifications Required:
In-house training, Departmental Manager Level 5, CMI Qualifications, Generally 5 years+ experience.
Director / Chief Officer
The highest level of management and leadership varies in title depending on the company structure, but they are often Directors, Heads of Department or Chief Officers. They will either report to the CEO, Business Owner, or be accountable to shareholders. Often, they do not get involved with the day-to-day running of a business and instead are responsible for strategy, planning, innovation and growth.
This job level is often described as the ‘C-Suite’ or ‘Chief Suite’.
Typical Job Titles:
CEO, Corporate Director, Partner, Head of Marketing/Finance/Sales, President, Vice President.
Qualifications Required:
At this level, individuals have generally have degree level or Masters degree qualifications, they often require 10+ years of experience in senior management positions. However, this can be very different for those in newer, smaller companies.
Skills Required in Management and Leadership
Team Leader / Shift Supervisor
Hard Skills Required
Sector Knowledge
IT Skills
Strategic Approach
Data Analysis
Written Communication
Verbal Communication
Maths Skills
Conflict Resolution
Impact on Business
Customer Expectations
Working with Stakeholders
Financial
Producing Documents
Soft Skills Required
Delegation
Time Management
Leadership
Management
Emotional Intelligence
Calm Under Pressure
Confidence
Problem-Solving
Organisation
Planning
Procurement
Diary Management
Analytical
Inspirational
Team Manager / Office Manager
Hard Skills Required
Sector Knowledge
IT Skills
Strategic Approach
Data Analysis
Written Communication
Verbal Communication
Maths Skills
Conflict Resolution
Impact on Business
Customer Expectations
Working with Stakeholders
Financial
Producing Documents
Soft Skills Required
Delegation
Time Management
Leadership
Management
Emotional Intelligence
Calm Under Pressure
Confidence
Problem-Solving
Organisation
Planning
Procurement
Diary Management
Analytical
Inspirational
Department Manager
Hard Skills Required
Sector Knowledge
IT Skills
Strategic Approach
Data Analysis
Written Communication
Verbal Communication
Maths Skills
Conflict Resolution
Impact on Business
Customer Expectations
Working with Stakeholders
Financial
Producing Documents
Soft Skills Required
Delegation
Time Management
Leadership
Management
Emotional Intelligence
Calm Under Pressure
Confidence
Problem-Solving
Organisation
Planning
Procurement
Diary Management
Analytical
Inspirational
Divisional / Regional Manager
Hard Skills Required
Sector Knowledge
IT Skills
Strategic Approach
Data Analysis
Written Communication
Verbal Communication
Maths Skills
Conflict Resolution
Impact on Business
Customer Expectations
Working with Stakeholders
Financial
Producing Documents
Soft Skills Required
Delegation
Time Management
Leadership
Management
Emotional Intelligence
Calm Under Pressure
Confidence
Problem-Solving
Organisation
Planning
Procurement
Diary Management
Analytical
Inspirational
Director / Chief Officer
Hard Skills Required
Sector Knowledge
IT Skills
Strategic Approach
Data Analysis
Written Communication
Verbal Communication
Maths Skills
Conflict Resolution
Impact on Business
Customer Expectations
Working with Stakeholders
Financial
Producing Documents
Soft Skills Required
Delegation
Time Management
Leadership
Management
Emotional Intelligence
Calm Under Pressure
Confidence
Problem-Solving
Organisation
Planning
Procurement
Diary Management
Analytical
Inspirational
Management and Leadership Courses
Continuous professional development is essential for those who choose a management career path. Managers need to be thought leaders and need to inspire those within their teams. A strong, up-to-date knowledge of best practice in their field empowers them to make quick, informed and effective decisions.
Here are a few courses you can take, that we personally recommend for your professional development:
CMI Management and Leadership Qualifications
Free Management Short Courses at Alison
Team Leader / Supervisor Level 3 Apprenticeship
Operations / Departmental Manager Level 5
Careers Advice
Remember, when you study with NTG Training, your tutor will always be happy to answer any specific questions you may have about the next steps in your career. However, if you’d like to view our favourite online resources for careers advice, you can find them here.
