Senior Leaders are integral to organizations of all sizes—small, medium, and large—across various sectors, including public, private, and third sectors. They operate within diverse industries such as health, finance, engineering, manufacturing, business services, education, retail, leisure, technology, and construction. Wherever there is a workforce to lead, manage, and support, Senior Leaders play a pivotal role in shaping the direction and success of the organization.
The primary purpose of this role is to provide clear, inclusive, and strategic leadership within their area of responsibility. Senior Leaders set, manage, and monitor the achievement of core objectives that align with the overall strategic goals of their organization’s Board or equivalent governing body. In smaller organizations, they may also be directly involved in executing and achieving these strategic objectives.
Senior Leaders exert influence at higher levels within the organization, often interacting with the Board or equivalent, and are responsible for setting the culture and tone across their departments. They work in a variety of environments, including offices, onsite locations, or remotely, and demonstrate high levels of flexibility and adaptability to meet the needs of the organization.
On a daily basis, Senior Leaders engage with internal stakeholders such as team members, other senior leaders or managers, support services (e.g., finance, marketing, HR), and project groups. In larger organizations, they may also be part of a specialized team. Depending on the organization’s size, a Senior Leader may report on their area of responsibility to a Board, trustees, shareholders, executive team, or senior management. Externally, they act as ambassadors for their organization, interacting with a wide range of networks, including customers or clients, supply chains, and statutory or regulatory bodies.
A Senior Leader’s responsibilities include:
Typical job titles include:
Set the overall strategic direction of their area of responsibility in partnership with the Board (or equivalent), encouraging employees to buy into the organisation’s vision.
Lead On The Development And Critical Review Of Operational Policies And Practices Within Their Area Of Responsibility, To Ensure They Are Aligned To The Needs Of The Organisation And Remain Fit For Purpose And Sustainable.
Knowledge must have for Duty 2:
Skills must have for Duty 2:
Behavior must have for Duty 2:
Lead And Influence Agreed Projects To Deliver Organisational Strategy Such As Change And Agile Transformation Programmes, Diversification, New Product Implementation, And Customer Experience Improvement.
Knowledge must have for Duty 3:
Skills must have for Duty 3:
Behavior must have for Duty 3:
Make Decisions About Organisational Resource Requirements (Budgets, People, Technology) Based On Strategic Insight And Reliable Evidence.
Knowledge must have for Duty 4:
Skills must have for Duty 4:
Behavior must have for Duty 4:
Lead And Respond To Crisis Management, Assessing The Risks And Opportunities Which Could Affect Business/Department Performance, And Finding Solutions That Meet The Needs Of Both The Organisation And Its Customers/Stakeholders In A Responsible And Ethical Way.
Knowledge must have for Duty 5:
Skills must have for Duty 5:
Behavior must have for Duty 5:
Lead People Development Including Talent Management, Succession Planning, Workforce Design, Coaching, And Mentoring Arrangements For People Within Their Area Of Responsibility.
Knowledge must have for Duty 6:
Skills must have for Duty 6:
Behavior must have for Duty 6:
Promote An Ethical, Inclusive, Innovative, And Supportive Culture That Generates Continuous Business Improvement.
Knowledge must have for Duty 7:
Skills must have for Duty 7:
Behavior must have for Duty 7:
Report To The Board (Or Relevant Governance/Management Structure) On The Progress Of Their Operational Activities Towards Achieving Business Goals.
Knowledge must have for Duty 8:
Skills must have for Duty 8:
Behavior must have for Duty 8:
Cultivate And Maintain Collaborative Relationships With Key Senior Internal And External Stakeholders To Influence Key Decision Makers As Appropriate.
Knowledge must have for Duty 9:
Skills must have for Duty 9:
Behavior must have for Duty 9:
Shape The Approach To External Communications For Their Area Of Responsibility And Ensure It Aligns With Any Wider Organisational Communications Strategy.
Knowledge must have for Duty 10:
Behavior must have for Duty 10:
Proactively Keep Up To Date With Social, Economic, And Technological Trends And Developments Relevant To Their Area Of Responsibility And Wider Organisation, And Promote Innovation To Address Changing Requirements And Take Advantage Of New Opportunities.
Knowledge must have for Duty 11:
Skills must have for Duty 11:
Behavior must have for Duty 11:
Ensure That Their Area Of Responsibility Is Compliant With Internal Governance, Such As Any Assurance Framework Requirements, And With External Governance, Such As Any Regulatory And Statutory Requirements.
Knowledge must have for Duty 12:
Skills must have for Duty 12:
Behavior must have for Duty 12:
SIMI Swiss is actively preparing to seek accreditation from the Swiss Agency of Accreditation and Quality Assurance (AAQ), which is approved by the Swiss Accreditation Council (SAC), by 2027.
SIMI Swiss is actively preparing to seek accreditation from the Swiss Agency of Accreditation and Quality Assurance (AAQ), which is approved by the Swiss Accreditation Council (SAC), by 2027.