iCQ Level 5 Diploma in Management and Leadership (RQF)
Course Overview
This qualification is for experienced supervisors and managers who want to step up into senior or strategic roles. It builds the knowledge and skills to lead teams, make sound decisions, manage risk, handle finance and drive change across a business — not just within one small area.
Assessment is through a portfolio of evidence based on real work. No written exams, just proof that you can apply this at management level.
Who Is This For?
- Existing managers with responsibility for people, budgets, projects or functions
- Supervisors or team leaders ready to move into a senior or department-level role
- Professionals who need a recognised Level 5 management qualification
- Employers who want to develop a stronger, more strategic management layer
Progression Opportunities
This qualification supports progression into roles such as:
Operations Manager / Department Manager
Business Unit Manager / Service Manager
Senior Team Leader or Functional Manager
Project or Programme Manager with strategic responsibilities
It also supports progression to higher level management and leadership study (Level 6 and above) or more specialist leadership, HR, finance or strategy programmes.
Entry Requirements
- Typically suited to learners aged 19+ already in a management, supervisory or senior role
- Must have access to a real work environment with management responsibilities (people, projects, budgets, processes or services)
- Sufficient literacy, numeracy and IT skills to work with reports, data and written evidence
- Ability to gather workplace evidence for a portfolio (e.g. documents, reports, feedback, records of activities and decisions)
What You Cover (Summary)
How organisations set goals, values and long term direction
Classic and contemporary strategy models and planning tools
Analysing internal and external environments, risk and governance
Using information systems and quantitative techniques to support strategic decisions
Leadership and management theories and how they play out in real teams
Matching leadership styles to different situations and ethical considerations
Motivation, empowerment, reward and performance management
Staff recruitment and selection linked to business need
Managing personal and professional development as a leader
- Innovation as a source of competitive advantage
- How organisational culture can support or block innovation and change
- Change management models and stakeholder impact
- Business process management and designing sustainable processes
- Operational planning, work activities and quality improvement
Interpreting accounts and management information
Business finance, funding options and cost–benefit analysis
Budget management, variance and financial control
Business risk management, probability, resilience and continuity planning
- Customer relationship management at strategic level
- Principles of customer service management and service as a competitive tool
- Marketing management, segmentation and marketing mix at strategic level
- Corporate communications and reputation management
- Corporate social responsibility, sustainability and ethical leadership
- Stakeholder engagement and managing competing interests
Business administration systems and information flow
Information and knowledge management across the organisation
Product and service portfolio management and lifecycle thinking
Learners do a core of strategic and leadership units, then choose optional units that fit their role and sector.
Why Choose This Qualification?
Learners develop the ability to:
Set and support strategic business plans and long term goals
Make informed, evidence-based decisions using management information and data
Lead, motivate and develop teams to deliver performance and results
Manage change, innovation and continuous improvement
Understand and manage business risk, resilience and continuity
Work confidently with budgets, costs, financial information and business cases
Align marketing, customers, operations and people with organisational strategy
Handle corporate governance, ethics, CSR and sustainability at management level
The mix of mandatory and optional units means the qualification can be shaped around roles in operations, projects, HR, finance, customer management, or general leadership.
Qualification Details
- Qualification Title: iCQ Level 5 Diploma in Management and Leadership (RQF)
- Qualification Number (QAN): 601/6908/4
- Level: 5
- Sector Subject Area: Business Management
- Total Credits: 39
- Minimum Credits at Level 5 or above: 30
- Guided Learning Hours (GLH): 194–219 (depending on optional units)
- Total Qualification Time (TQT): 390 hours
- Age Range: 19+
- Assessment Method: Portfolio of evidence
- Overall Grade: Pass
- Delivery: Work-based and/or blended learning, depending on centre
