CMI Level 6 Award in Professional Management and Leadership Practice
Why Choose Us
The CMI Level 6 Award in Professional Management and Leadership Practice is designed for senior leaders, regional specialists, and directors who want to refine their leadership approach and drive organisational success. It’s ideal for experienced managers seeking to tailor their skills to meet the specific demands of their role and industry.
What’s included
In your CMI Level 6 Award in Professional Management and Leadership Practice Course
The CMI Level 6 Award in Professional Management and Leadership Practice is perfect for senior managers and leaders who want to strengthen their expertise with a respected, industry-recognised credential. You won’t be studying alone, you’ll benefit from expert guidance and support throughout your learning journey while building on advanced management theories and models to enhance your strategic thinking, leadership capabilities, and decision-making skills to drive organisational success.
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Handpick Your Units
ITonlinelearning offers all the Level 6 study units from the CMI – so you have the widest selection available to tailor a study programme that best suits you and your career!
To achieve the CMI Level 6 Award in Management and Leadership Practice, you will need to complete 1 module below to a minimum of 50 TUT (Total Unit Time) hours and 5 credits.
An outstanding professional manager and leader is someone who has the ability to select and apply knowledge, skills, values and behaviours effectively in their working role. Whilst many of these attributes can be developed through experiential learning, these can be sharpened and amplified through an in-depth exploration of the topic.
The aim of this unit is to enable the professional manager and leader to consider the influence of an organisation’s context on how individuals are managed and led. They will reflect on the values, behaviours, knowledge and skills required, not only to deliver successful organisational outcomes, but to lead individuals with confidence.
Individuals and teams are a highly prized resource which, if developed, managed and led effectively, can transform an organisation’s reputation, productivity and success.
The aim of this unit is for the professional manager and leader to understand the principles for developing, managing and leading individuals and teams. On completion of the unit, learners will understand the multi-dimensional factors which influence the way individuals and teams are developed and led. They will examine the role of organisational structures for managing human resources and be given the opportunity to research classic and contemporary approaches to the management and development of individuals and teams. Ultimately, this unit will culminate in an assessment of the skills required to lead and develop individuals and teams in a manner that not only achieves results but is ethical, fair, empowering and collaborative.
Culture matters. Beliefs, principles, ideologies, behaviours and values have the power to influence an organisation’s success. Culture is emergent, it develops over time and is influenced by the cultural identity of staff and stakeholders and the approaches taken to lead and manage others. It is also influenced by an organisation’s history, purpose, activities, vision, mission and values.
The aim of this unit is to equip professional managers and leaders with an understanding of the role and impact of culture within organisations and the approaches to make and sustain cultural change.
Programme and project management is an essential skill for a professional manager and leader to develop. Whilst a project is singular, programmes will encompass a range of projects. The reality of managing programmes and projects is complicated. There are a broad range of multi-dimensional issues which influence how these are led; not least the impact of stakeholder involvement, financing, resourcing and appetite for risk. Ultimately, the success of a programme or project is judged on the achievement of goals within the parameters of cost, quality, resources used and timescales.
The aim of this unit is to equip professional managers and leaders with an understanding of how to proactively respond to the demands of project and programme management, regardless of their type, size and complexity.
The ability to drive innovation and change is an essential skill for a professional manager and leader. Innovation, defined simply as ‘doing something new or different,’ is a powerful catalyst for change. It can revolutionise an organisation’s operational activities, create dynamic new opportunities, and contribute to the achievement of strategic goals. Change occurs in many forms and leaders must be able to respond to changes which are radical, incremental or evolutionary.
This unit has been designed to enable the professional manager and leader to understand innovation and change within organisational contexts. It explores the rationale for innovation and change, such as the impact of technology and digitalisation. Most importantly it focuses on the knowledge, values and behaviours that ultimately will equip the professional managers and leaders to successfully drive innovation and change.
Organisational strategy is often seen as a blueprint which guides an organisation’s path. It can be created to provide stakeholders with the organisation’s direction for the future, as well as enabling an organisation to measure and monitor its success. Organisational strategy may evolve over time to respond to different circumstances, new opportunities or unexpected challenges. Ultimately, successful outcomes result from the way the organisational strategy is led, managed and implemented.
The aim of this unit is to enable professional managers and leaders to understand approaches to developing organisational strategy and how to formulate and lead operational strategy to achieve a strategic aim.
The ability to procure, purchase and contract goods, services and capital items effectively is of paramount importance if an organisation is to succeed. For the professional manager and leader this knowledge and understanding is invaluable. It has the power to enhance decision making, strategic and operational planning, and the effective delivery of outcomes within budgetary constraints. It is important to recognise that the terms ‘procurement’ and ‘purchasing’ are interpreted differently depending on the type of organisation. For the purpose of this unit, ‘procurement’ is recognised as the strategic activity that will be underpinned by ‘purchasing’ and ‘contracting’.
The aim of this unit is for managers and leaders to realise business objectives though competent, ethical and professional contracting, purchasing and procurement practices.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and sustainability are topics keenly related to organisational accountability. Definitions and approaches taken to manage and lead CSR and sustainability vary according to the type and purpose of an organisation and its governance. Approaches typically include the development of aims and objectives, policy and strategy, with the intent to address the impact of an organisation’s activity on society, the environment and a commitment to ethical and responsible conduct.
The aim of this unit is to enable professional managers and leaders to understand CSR and sustainability in an organisational context. They will assess the enablers, constraints and barriers to its success, present a case for organisational engagement, identify approaches for its implementation and ultimately, identify strategies to gain ongoing stakeholder commitment.
Effective quality management is critical to meeting stakeholder needs and expectations, developing trust and reputation. It impacts on profitability, processes and procedures and the achievement of strategic objectives. Quality is not something that occurs by chance. It is reliant on strategic and operational planning and the commitment and drive by professional managers, leaders, teams and individuals to make it a success.
The aim of this unit is to enable professional managers and leaders to understand the rationale and approaches to quality management. Critically, the unit focuses on how quality and continuous improvement can be instilled into all aspects of working practice.
The principles laid down in organisational, corporate, functional and departmental policies have a direct bearing on the daily activities of an organisations workforce. Policy focuses on the activities which are of critical importance to an organisation. Policies can be used to set strategic direction. Policies also set expectations about the behaviours and values required by staff to work ethically and professionally within their roles and when representing the organisation.
Policy writing is an art form which requires great skill. An in-depth understanding of the context in which policy is developed, the factors which drive the need for policy, and crucially, the influence of stakeholders in policy development is required to write effective policies.
The aim of the unit is to enable professional managers and leaders to take a fresh look at the role policy plays within an organisation, know how policy can be developed and ultimately, cascaded successfully to its intended audience.
The approach taken to manage knowledge within organisations has the power to impact on productivity, competitive advantage, succession planning and ultimately an organisation’s success. Knowledge management is more than the use of information and communications technologies to exchange data and information. Knowledge management also focuses on strategy, experiential learning and context. It includes human interaction and understanding.
On successful completion of the unit, professional managers and leaders will understand the impact of knowledge management on an organisation and the individuals working within it. Vitally, professional managers and leaders will develop a strategy to drive knowledge management in an organisational context.
Coaching is a powerful learning and development tool. Used effectively, it is able to optimise individual and team performance and the achievement of organisational goals. Coaching has rapidly become an essential leadership tool. It enables the professional manager and leader to support, motivate and empower individuals and teams in a conversational and insightful way. This contrasts with and complements the use of traditional directive leadership approaches.
This unit focuses on these specific coaching skills, techniques and approaches that are required by leaders to develop the knowledge, skills and resourcefulness of individuals. It focuses on the benefits and types of coaching used by leaders in different contexts and how the application of coaching impacts in the organisational environment.
A key part of this unit is for leaders to critically reflect on own their own ability to coach individuals and identify opportunities for improvement. In order to achieve this, learners will need to use coaching skills in their leadership practice.
The ability to lead equality, diversity and inclusion in an organisational context requires insight, knowledge and a commitment to valuing individuals regardless of their similarities and differences. Whilst an in-depth understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks is essential, managers and leaders must constantly keep abreast of changes and influences which impact on how equality, diversity and inclusion is led and managed. To do this effectively, managers and leaders need to create an environment where individuals and teams feel able to have honest conversations and share their needs, expectations and opinions in an open and constructive way.
The aim of this unit is to equip professional managers and leaders with the understanding and knowledge of how to lead equality, diversity and inclusion with confidence.
The ability to make ethical decisions under pressure is a fundamental requirement of a professional manager and leader. Ethical decision making is not easy, especially when decisions are under the spotlight of stakeholder opinion, constrained by organisational, legal and regulatory requirements, where ambiguity exists, where risks are high or where the outcome of decisions will be unpopular.
All decisions involve some form of value-based judgement and could involve ethical considerations. Whilst mechanistic decision making is the ability to select an action from different alternatives, ethical decision-making focuses on value-based judgements and a wider range of issues that are typically more complicated in nature.
The aim of this unit is to equip professional managers and leaders with the understanding of how to make ethical decisions in different organisational contexts.
Good relationships, whether they are with customers, suppliers, partners or staff, are a key contributor to an organisation’s success. To build stakeholder relationships that are long lasting and sustainable, they need to be planned and developed.
This unit explores the types and purposes of stakeholder relationships and the skills required to overcome challenges and manage these effectively.
Business outcomes are optimised when risks are identified and managed effectively.
This unit has been designed to equip learners with an understanding of the scope and purpose of business risk management. This includes an evaluation of the types of business risks, the governance and approaches for managing these effectively, and how risk management can be implemented successfully within organisations.
Delivering an exceptional customer experience is a challenge which requires skill, commitment, and an in-depth understanding of customer needs.
The aim of the unit is to develop managers understanding of their role and responsibilities in managing the customer experience. Learners will develop an understanding of the key features of a customer service culture and the customer journey, which if managed effectively will impact on an organisations success.
Reflective practice is an essential management tool which supports the development of knowledge, skills and behaviours in the workplace. By consciously analysing own performance, decision making, leadership and management skills (in different situational contexts); opportunities for on-going development can be identified.
The aim of the unit is to equip learners with the understanding of the value of reflective practice, and how reflection can be used as the basis of a meaningful personal and professional development.
Career and Progression Prospects
With the CMI Level 6 Award in Professional Management and Leadership Practice, you can progress into high-level leadership roles and this qualification also positions you for further study, such as the CMI Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership Practice, enabling you to strengthen your credentials for executive and board-level positions while increasing your earning potential and influence within your industry.
What You Could Earn
We want to help you achieve the best outcome in your studies so you can flourish in your desired path.
Regional Manager
per year
Specialist Manager
per year
Director
per year
Included with your course.
Stay on track with direct access to expert recommendations, general support, and answers to all your questions. Kick-start your course with a 45-minute guidance session within 1-week of enrolment, followed by regular monthly check-in emails. You can also request a live session with your trainer halfway through the course.
As part of your CMI course with ITonlinelearning, you’ll benefit from our assignment pre-checking service, designed to give you added confidence before submitting to the CMI. Our team will review your assignments in advance to ensure they meet the required standards, are correctly structured, and align with the assessment criteria. This supportive step helps you identify areas for improvement, reduce the chance of resubmissions, and maximise your chances of passing successfully on the first attempt.
All our CMI qualifications come with free CMI membership for the duration of your course. As a member, you’ll have full access to the CMI’s extensive resources and support, including the ManagementDirect portal, career development tools, CPD materials, webinars, and networking opportunities with like-minded professionals. This membership not only supports you throughout your studies but also enhances your professional credibility as you progress in your management career.
Join a vibrant community of current students and certified tutors where you can share experiences, ask questions, and exchange valuable insights. Our student community gives you the chance to gain practical course tips, and explore industry-specific knowledge that supports both your studies and your career growth. By being part of this network, you’ll never feel alone on your learning journey and will benefit from the collective experience of those who have already achieved success.
Stay motivated throughout your learning journey with a personal study coach who provides all the ad-hoc support you need to succeed in your certification.
Get instant help whenever you need it! Our live chat team is always on hand to provide prompt, real-time assistance with your questions and challenges. Whether you need clarification on course material, guidance on assignments, or support navigating your learning platform, our dedicated team ensures you’re never left without help. And if our team is offline, you can still reach out and we’ll respond as soon as possible to keep your learning journey on track.
You’ll have 3 months of full access (unless otherwise stated or arranged with a career consultant on sign up) to your course materials as standard with every CMI qualification. While many learners complete their studies in a shorter time frame, we believe in giving you the flexibility to learn at your own pace. Having a full year of access means you can revisit the content whenever you need, refresh your knowledge, and make the most of the resources throughout your learning journey.
CMI Level 6 Award in Professional Management & Leadership Practice Frequently Asked Questions
You have questions, and we have all the answers
The Level 6 CMI qualification is intended for Professional and Senior Managers looking to grow their existing skills in management and leadership and move toward more senior Management opportunities.
The Level 6 CMI qualification is equivalent to a Bachelor’s Degree, Graduate Certificate, and Diploma in academic terms.
CMI qualifications are available at different levels of depth and duration. Awards are the shortest and most concise qualification type. Certificates provide a broader base of knowledge and skills and take longer to complete. Diplomas provide a comprehensive and extensive program of learning and typically take the longest of to complete.
CMI qualifications do not require individuals to take any official exams. However, a series of assignments must be completed and assessed by CMI-qualified Tutors before a qualification can be awarded. These assignments are research-based and have specific requirements, including font size and structure, as well as word limits that vary depending on the award, certificate, diploma, or extended diploma, and the level of the qualification.
The Chartered Manager status is the epitome of professional recognition in the management and leadership field. It signifies a commitment to exceptional management skills and continuing professional development, as well as a demonstrated ability to deliver measurable impact. As the only professional body with a Royal Charter, the CMI is uniquely qualified to award this prestigious designation. As a Chartered Manager, you would be able to indicate the prestige of your qualification with the post-nominals ‘CMgr’ following your name on professional documents and platforms including LinkedIn, your CV, or your email signature. Those just starting their careers in management may be interested in Foundation Chartered Manager status, which recognises existing skills and knowledge and provides a pathway to full Chartered Manager status.
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CMI Level 7 Award in Strategic Management and Leadership Practice
This Award focuses on providing the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to lead and drive business operations at a senior, regional, specialized or CEO level.
CMI Level 6 Award in Professional Management and Leadership
The CMI Level 6 qualifications are intended for individuals looking to improve their professional management and leadership skills.
CMI Level 7 Certificate in Strategic Management and Leadership Practice
The CMI Level 7 Certificate is for senior leaders who want to further build on their strategic management and leadership skills and focus on the requirements of implementing an organisation’s strategy.
CMI Level 6 Certificate in Professional Management and Leadership
The CMI Level 6 Certificate is ideal for individuals wishing to further develop their professional management and leadership practice and drive business activities in a senior, regional specialist or director level management and leadership role.
