Equipping you to lead and manage in the future world of work.
Transformative. Innovative.
Designed to future-proof your leadership pipeline while delivering commercial value, the Senior Leader Executive Programme is a unique, executive-level apprenticeship for existing and high-potential managers and leaders.
This programme is accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) through its award of the Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership Practice, on successful completion enabling you to gain a professionally recognised qualification, along with a Level 7 Senior Leader Apprenticeship.
Our offer
The programme has two enrolment options to meet your specific organisational needs.
Closed cohort
An organisation who can identify a closed cohort of a minimum of 30 individuals, benefitting from flexible intake options and tailored programme content, with the valuable opportunity to apply learning across departmental functions.
Open cohort
An organisation with one or more individuals who will join a group of like-minded aspiring leaders from other organisations, benefitting from networking cross-industry.
Eligibility
This programme meets the requirements of the revised Level 7 Senior Leader Apprenticeship Standard. Organisations can use £14,000 of their Apprenticeship Levy to cover the programme tuition fee. View Fees and Funding information
This is a non-award bearing course where successful completion will result in Chartered Manager Fellow status (CMgr FCMI) and the award of the Level 7 Senior Leader Apprenticeship.
Upskilling strategic leaders
Build a strong foundation of new knowledge, skills and behaviours which enables you to advance your existing leadership competencies and champion the ability of others. Become a transformational leader and a key driver of organisational change.
Creating workplace impact to address future skill need
Transform existing workplace practice through using specific module content addressing sustainability, resilience and digital innovation. You will be able to apply your knowledge and skills to find appropriate solutions to business challenges.
Personal development
Develop as a well-rounded citizen, through the acquisition of necessary skills and behaviours which help you to develop your teams, your organisation and contribute to your community and wider society.
Application of learning to workplace practice
Use your enhanced leadership capabilities acquired through on-programme learning, to positively change workplace practice.
Overview
- Start dateJune 2025, September 2025, November 2025
- Duration15 months + 5 months End-point Assessment
- Delivery<p><img height="311" alt="Programme module top-level structure" width="947" src="/-/media/images-for-new-website/som-ced/slep-modules-graphic-2.ashx?la=en&hash=FA05D2A15398C5EA60F675C37BC686A0FA19C032" style="display: inline; max-width: 100%; height: auto; width: 100%;" /></p>
- Study typePart-time
- CampusCranfield campus, Online
Programme impact
The Senior Leader Executive Programme is an opportunity for organisations to use their Apprenticeship Levy at scale to harness the necessary leadership skills which will enable apprentices to challenge existing thinking and identify new ways of responding to organisational challenges. Apprentices will learn new and innovative ways to future-proof themselves, their team and the organisation, whilst applying their learning to create valuable workplace impact.
For individuals
- Set strategic direction, embed vision and a clear sense of purpose, whilst tracking longer-term opportunities and risks.
- Address your organisation’s future skills needs and act as a champion of transformational change, responding to contemporary issues and macro trends.
- Act as a role model for authentic and inclusive leadership practice.
- Use coaching and mentoring to lead, develop and retain talent in your function and within the wider organisation.
- Monitor and interpret disruptive industry trends and technological change.
- Deliver commercial and strategic outcomes that fulfil your organisation's long-term purpose, leveraging collaborative relationships and interpersonal excellence to land and embed transformational change.
- Acquire the personal and professional development skills to progress your career as a senior leader.
For organisations
- Enhance succession planning by creating a network of change makers.
- Develop and retain key talent.
- Improve diversity and inclusion.
- Address future skill needs.
- Facilitate digital transformation or culture change.
- Boost innovation.
- Increase leadership agility.
- Improve organisational resilience.
- Boost wellbeing.
- Build a ‘test and learn’ mindset.
Who is this for?
The Senior Leader Executive Programme that will be funded by the apprenticeship levy is suitable for:
- High-potential and emerging leaders.
- Functional leads and department heads.
- Existing directors and executives.
What you will learn
Our Senior Leader Executive Programme provides you with a leading-edge opportunity to develop a suite of new knowledge, skills, and behaviours. You will learn to build sustainable, ethical, innovative, and supportive work cultures that get the best from people and enable transformational change across organisational functions. The programme will enable you to develop personally as a leader into one who places curiosity at the centre of your approach as a high-performing leader.
Develop competencies beyond your existing skill set
Challenge your own personal and professional development by drawing on new competencies, enabling you to actively keep pace with, and respond to change, using a leadership style that enables agile transformation.
Future-proof yourself and your organisation
Acquire a range of development tools and techniques that are sustainable and will add significant value as you can effectively respond to ever-changing organisational need.
Cultivate and maintain relationships
Develop collaborative relationships with a variety of internal and external stakeholders to influence decision making and lead effectively on projects to deliver organisational strategic goals.
Respond to changing organisational trends
Respond to social, economic and technological trends within your area of responsibility, identifying and promoting new opportunities and addressing organisational challenges.
Unique and practical programme features
- Application of new learning to real-life practical challenges, using the knowledge, skills and behaviours of the apprenticeship to ensure you add impact to your organisation.
- Up-to-date and contemporary programme content, drawing on the expertise of experienced academics and business practitioners to provide you with an inspirational, challenging and thought-provoking learning experience.
- Modules designed explicitly to help you to future-proof your organisation by exposing you to the areas of likely future skill need, including sustainable business, digital innovation and organisational resilience.
- The opportunity to acquire personal and professional development skills which go beyond the module content.
- Peer-to-peer support through online discussions, drop-in sessions, and digital masterclasses.
- Attain an integrated suite of leadership development tools.
- Engagement with Cranfield’s renowned faculty – drawing on their research, thought leadership and global perspective on key issues to equip you with powerful insights.
Course details
Course delivery
Programme Orientation
Module 1: Personal Development, Study and Research Skills
Module 2: Developing the Strategic Leader
Module 3: Macro Trends in the Global Economy
Module 4: Developing Organisational Strategy
Module 5: Finance for the Boardroom
Module 6: Sustainable Business
Module 7: Strategic Marketing
Module 8: Organisational Resilience and Risk
Module 9: Leading and Developing People to Optimise Performance
Module 10: Strategy to Implementation
End-point Assessment (5 months)
Teaching team
Accreditation
Cranfield School of Management is one of an elite group of business schools worldwide to hold triple accreditations from:
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
- Association of Master of Business Administration (AMBA)
- European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS).
The Senior Leader Executive Programme is accredited by the Chartered Management Institute. At the end of the apprenticeship, successful completion will result in Chartered Manager Fellow status (CMgr FCMI).
The Senior Leader Executive Programme is led by Cranfield Executive Development and draws on the expertise of faculty from Cranfield School of Management, one of an elite group of triple-accredited business schools and consistently ranked as one of the top 30 business schools in Europe for executive development.
How to apply
Next steps
Our team of executive development experts will be happy to talk to you about your development needs, please email us or call +44 (0)1234 754500.
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