Level 5 Diploma in Management and Leadership

Who is it for?

To achieve this qualification you will be a middle manager with responsibility for substantial programmes and resources. To achieve Level 5, you will:

• Be accountable for the quality of the goods or services supplied by their area of responsibility and for improvements in quality and efficiency of operations.
• Engage in project leadership where such projects are designed to bring about changes in products, services, resources or systems.
• Operate within defined boundaries and report progress and budgetary performance to more senior managers on a regular basis.
• Be responsible for establishing, maintaining and improving systems (e.g. quality, marketing, sales, energy, health and safety, etc) as well as/rather than operating them.
• Be accountable for the performance of all those people over whom they have direct or indirect control
• Be responsible for allocating resources with some autonomy within defined boundaries, reflected in financial accountability for their area of activity
• Have responsibility for recruiting, promoting and disciplining people
• Engage in direct negotiation with internal and external customers and suppliers

What topics does the qualification cover?

Contribute to the development of a strategic plan

You will demonstrate how you have made viable contributions to strategic planning within your organisation, these contributions should be consistent with both strategic objectives and resource constraints.

You will also analyse and evaluate:

• Strategic planning models for effectiveness
• Analytical techniques
• Perspectives of, and approaches to, business strategy
• The range of factors affecting the development of strategic plans
• The application of scanning tools to strategy development
• The relationship between strategic intentions, strategic choice and strategy formulation
• The impact of a proposed strategy on a business

Design business processes

This will require you to complete an analysis of current processes using SWOT and PESTEL, a scoping exercise showing how improvements and constraints have been rigorously evaluated and developing a system for capturing information. You will demonstrate the use of a range of tools and describe the considerations you made in planning and implementing your proposed change or improvement to a business process. You will evaluate:

• Workflow patterns, including testing their usability
• A range of business process modelling tools
• Factors that impact on the efficiency and effectiveness of a business process

Manage strategic change

Using work-based examples of strategic change you have planned, managed and evaluated, you will

• Describe the change management model you used
• Select an appropriate change management model
• Analyse stakeholder mapping techniques and develop a stakeholder engagement plan
• Provide examples of business continuity and crisis management factors
• Assess reasons for change in terms of ‘scope’ and ‘risk’
• Evaluate the internal and external influences on change
• Identify implications of change on knowledge management systems and operational plans  

Provide leadership and management

This requires you to demonstrate effective leadership and management. You will give examples of how you adapt plans, priorities and resource allocations to meet changing circumstances and priorities, how you secure ongoing commitment of stakeholders and colleagues, make planning and resourcing decisions, use delegation techniques –  underpinned by a thorough understanding of the principles supporting leadership and management. You will analyse and evaluate:

• how leadership and management theories may be applied
• the influence of an organisations culture / structure on its leadership styles and management practices
• how theories of motivation may be applied
• the role of stakeholder engagement

Optional Units

These cover a variety of tasks and skills you perform in your management role. Key topic areas include:

• Risk Management
• Tendering processes
• Project management
• Customer service operations
• Marketing
• Managing budgets
• Customer service operations
• Technology

Programme structure

You will provide evidence of your work practice, including completing assignments, case studies, written accounts and providing work products. Evidence is uploaded to an e-portfolio which is available 24/7 on computers, tablets and mobile devices.

An Open University assessor will observe work-based practice on at least one occasion, assess evidence uploaded to the e-portfolio and provide developmental feedback.

You will have access through VQLearner Home to online resources specific to your qualification and links to suggested further study with The Open University.

Support will be provided throughout the qualification by the VQAC Learner Support Team.