Senior Leader Apprenticeship
Give your senior leaders the tools to take their strategy, innovative thinking and bold decision making to the next level and drive organisational impact from within.
At a glance
Next intake: May 2025—Apply by 31 March, 2025
18-24 months
Option to level up to an MSc.
Open and closed cohorts available
Program Details
Level 7 Postgraduate Diploma in Leadership and Management
With over 65 years of expertise in delivering leadership and management training, we go far beyond the apprenticeship standard. Led by world-renowned faculty who teach the knowledge, skills and behaviours to enable senior professionals to grow in confidence, think innovatively and make bold decisions—all fully funded by the apprenticeship levy up to the Level 7 Senior Leader Standard.
Key outcomes
Gain a deep understanding of leadership, change management and team-building for high-performance cultures
Cultivate critical thinking skills to apply management concepts in complex settings demonstrating accountability.
Develop expertise in financial decision-making, strategic thinking and measuring business performance.
Acquire comprehensive knowledge of strategic marketing, operations management and digital transformation.
Module Overview
Introduction & Orientation
This module helps learners to understand the different learner management systems that they will use during the program. They also gain an understanding of their own starting points as leaders and how best to develop impact from their learning back in the workplace.
Strategy
The strategy module takes participants through an end-to-end process for how to develop strategy. A practical toolkit to develop strategy from first principles through to strategy implementation will be covered with plenty of opportunities to apply the toolkit both to a variety of cases as well as to significant strategic issues in the participant’s own organisation.
Marketing
Today’s organisations ‘live’ within connected ecosystems that include customers, partners, regulators and others. The marketing module focuses on thriving within these ecosystems by building meaningful relationships, fostering trust and co-creating value with partners.
Innovation
Cover the principles of innovation as a driver of growth, organisation performance and competitive advantage. Consider factors impacting change, including disruptive technologies, trends and new business models. In addition to identifying gaps and opportunities to improve innovation capabilities and outcomes in their organisation, participants will explore the leadership, culture and behaviours conducive to successful innovation.
Leading
Embark on this transformative six-week leadership journey covering key topics like leadership history, styles, diversity, influence and teamwork. Dive into fun readings and videos each week, plus three webinars and a full-day live event. Show what you've learned through assignments, and leave feeling confident in your leadership skills and goals.
Change
Prepare to navigate and lead change effectively amid today's dynamic business landscape. You'll learn to understand change drivers, develop leadership skills for managing organisational, team and individual responses. You’ll also tackle contemporary challenges like transformational change, sustainable approaches, system-wide change and resistance.
Module Overview
Innovation
Cover the principles of innovation as a driver of growth, organisation performance and competitive advantage. Consider factors impacting change, including disruptive technologies, trends and new business models. In addition to identifying gaps and opportunities to improve innovation capabilities and outcomes in their organisation, participants will explore the leadership, culture and behaviours conducive to successful innovation.
Finance
This program is primarily for managers looking to better understand financial terminology and concepts for meaningful contributions to strategic financial decisions. Topics include the Basics of Business Finance, Budgeting & Forecasting and Investment Appraisal—each aiming to demystify the terminology, concepts and principles in an easy-to-understand way.
Operations
Immerse yourself in the dynamic world of operations and supply chain management and equip yourself with essential knowledge and practical skills to excel in operational performance. Delve into the latest digital technologies and evolving practices, gaining insights that will empower you to optimize processes and drive innovation in today's rapidly changing business landscape.
Developing Business Benefit
This module provides an opportunity for learners to prepare and plan for their EPA proposal by developing a strategic business proposal within their organisation. The module covers developing a topic and how to plan and write a proposal that delivers business benefits.
End Point Assessment
Completion required to obtain diploma.
A 4,000-word strategic business proposal, which forms the assessment part of the apprenticeship program.
Throughout the program
Practice & Action Learning Sets (PALS)
For two hours per module, learners will engage in small groups for peer support and networking. The format of these sessions is issue-led and the first session facilitated by the faculty lead for that module.
In-Class Assessments
In-line with our educational ethos and the needs of employers today, our learners are assessed on what they can do, not just what they know. That's why our grading system incorporates in-class performance as well as assignments.
Tripartite Reviews
Every 10 weeks, learners meet together with their Hult Ashridge progress partner and their line manager to review ongoing progress and development areas.
Level up your learning
With further options to leverage our world-class, triple-accredited business education, upon successful completion of the Postgraduate Diploma (including End Point Assessment, or EPA), our apprentices have the option to level up to a Master's with as little as six months of extra study.
MSc Level Up
Complete the Postgraduate Diploma in Leadership & Management and then level up to earn a Master's with as little as six months of additional study.
3 additional modules required to earn MSc
Top-up fee of £6,000
Decide to level up at any point throughout apprenticeship
MBA Pathway
If you want to graduate with an MBA, then our EMBA pathway could be for you.
An opportunity to earn a world-class, triple-accredited MBA, partially funded by the levy. Complete the apprenticeship plus 6 additional months of study and a final work-based project to earn an Executive MBA.
31 months (including EPA)
Top up to MBA with as little as 6 months' extra study (£10,000 top-up fee)
Must opt for MBA Pathway prior to application for apprenticeship
Studying at Hult Ashridge
The Level 7 Senior Leader Apprenticeship is delivered via a hybrid model of face-to-face workshops with colleagues on your cohort, live online lectures and self-directed study through our virtual learning environment (myCourses) and other resources such as our very own Leadership Live platform.
Ashridge House provides an inspiring backdrop for learning to take place, with on-site accommodation, cafes, nature walks and a state-of-the-art lifestyle centre.
PLAY VIDEO
Luis Preto is a Level 7 Apprentice at the Shangri-La. In this short video he talks to us about his experience on the MBA pathway so far.
Practitioner faculty
Our apprenticeship faculty are renowned for their extensive industry experience as much as they are for their academic achievements. They have real, lived experience of business and boardrooms, as well as a commitment to academic rigour and research.
Associate Dean and Academic Director
Dr. Hari Mann
PhD, MSc
Academic Director
Paul Griffith
MEng, MBA, ACGI
Roger Delves
MA (Oxon), FRSA
Dr. Mike Cooray
PhD, MBA, MSc, PGCE, DipM
Victoria Harrison-Mirauer
BA (Cantab), MA, MSc
Judith Parsons
BA, MSc, Cert Ed
Dr. Matthew Gitsham
MA(Hons), MA, PGDip, PhD
Brian Worsfold
MA (Oxon), ACIB, Dip.FS, MBA
Funding & admissions
This programme is fully funded under the UK apprenticeship levy for employers in England.
We work with employers to set the selection criteria for their apprenticeships. A strong personal motivation to benefit from and contribute to the programme is essential. The support of a line manager is vital in the success of the apprentice, providing access to off-the-job training, time to complete work-based assignments and regular progress reviews.
Entry requirements
Skills Scan: to be completed by all applicants and their line managers
A levels (work experience will be considered in place of formal qualifications)
Candidates will typically have five GCSEs at Grade C or higher, including English and Maths, and hold a minimum of 48 UCAS points (or equivalent)
Funding rules require individuals to be employed and working at least 50% in England
Provide proof of achievement for English and/or Maths qualification at Level 2 with a Grade C or above
Programme funding
| Fees | |
|---|---|
| Postgraduate Diploma in Leadership & Management Programme Fee + End Point Assessment | Fully funded through Apprenticeship Levy (Funding band 14,000 GBP) |
| Level Up to MSc | GBP 6,000+VAT top-up fee |
| Executive MBA pathway | GBP 10,000+VAT top-up fee |
Application processs
To ensure we match candidates with the right apprenticeship, we go through a pre-application process with employers before we take applications.
01 Talk to your line manager
If you are an employee wishing to study this apprenticeship, the first step is to talk to your line manager.
If we are not already working with your employer, we will need to set this up before you can apply.
02 Attend an Information & Guidance Session
Now that we are working with your employer to deliver this apprenticeship, the next step is for you to attend an IAG. This is a session for employees to talk to Hult Ashridge, explore the apprenticeship in more detail and make sure it is right for you.
03 Skills Scan & Suitability Check
Both you and your line manager will complete a Skills Scan, which will identify how much new learning this apprenticeship will provide. By mapping the apprenticeship against your job description and career goals, we can ensure that you are eligible to receive the funding for this apprenticeship.
04 Gather your evidence
Before embarking on the online application process, it is worth making sure you have all of the certificate and evidence to demonstrate your eligibility. This may include:
- GCSE (or equivalent) certificates for English and Maths
- Your CV
- Degree or qualification certificates
- Job description
05 Complete an online application
Provide your personal, employment and education details on our application platform, and upload the evidence you have gathered in the previous step.
06 Wait for an admissions decision
Our faculty and admissions team will review your application, alongside the funding rules and eligibility criteria.
We may as you for more information if needed.
Once your application is accepted, you will receive an offer letter from our admissions team, as well as guidance on next steps.
Join our upcoming webinar for the latest on the government’s plans for industry growth in 2025 and the skills you and your people should be developing to thrive in an ever-changing landscape.
The Skills Scan is a vital part of the apprenticeship application process for apprentices and line managers.
If you have any questions about our apprenticeships and how they can work for your organisation, our apprenticeships team are here to help.
Ashridge (Bonar Law Memorial) Trust is registered on the list of approved apprenticeship providers. UK PRN 10008899