Senior Leader Apprenticeship | Business Administration (+MBA)
This transformative opportunity elevates leadership potential, equipping apprentices with advanced skills to inspire strategic change and build high-performing teams while fostering an innovative and sustainable mindset.
At a glance
- Unlock the full potential of your workforce by embedding best practices across your organisation.
- Apply learning to real-work challenges by tackling work-based assignments that address real-world business operations.
- Equip leaders with comprehensive business insights and develop a holistic understanding of every critical function of the organisation.
- Nurture and retain top talent by investing in your people to build a motivated, future-ready workforce that drives organisational success.
- Enable further professional development with the opportunity to progress to Stage 3 of Henley's Flexible Executive MBA.
- Subject area(s)
- Leadership, Change and Strategy, Management
- Qualification level
-
Level 7
- Attendance
- Part-time
- Fee
- £14,000 (can be funded by your organisation's apprenticeship service account)
- Course length
- Up to 20 months including end-point assessment (EPA)
- Suitable for
- Learners on this programme typically have a degree and several years of management experience
Overview
Henley's Senior Leader Apprenticeship | Business Administration programme is designed to equip professionals with the essential knowledge, skills and behaviours needed for todays manager and leaders to drive organisational success. Combining reflective personal development with collaborative group work and peer-based learning, this dynamic course explores critical business themes, empowering leaders to excel in today’s fast-paced, ever-evolving business landscape.
Changes are coming to the apprenticeship levy
So now is the time to choose our Level 7 programmes as a gateway to success. We’re maximising spaces on this programme before funding opportunities end.
We are providing a unique opportunity to ‘top up’ to Henley's MBA upon completion of the Senior Leader Apprenticeship.
Key benefits
Develop your employees' management and leadership skills, enabling them to better contribute to your organisation
Assignments are linked to real-life challenges within your organisation
Encourage managers to think strategically about business and management in a global context
Help managers understand the value of community, networking and developing their peers
Have your questions answered at the next Insight Session.
Discover how the Henley Senior Leader Apprenticeship can be a transformative step in your leadership journey. During this session, our Apprenticeship Engagement Team will:
- Outline the key features of the programme: Learn about the unique aspects that make our programme stand out.
- Highlight career benefits: See how this apprenticeship can significantly enhance your career
- Share success stories: Hear from past participants who have achieved remarkable growth and success.
We will also host a Q&A Session at the end, so bring your questions along. This is your opportunity to gain valuable insights and clarity about the next steps.
Cohorts running throughout Spring 2025.
Programme start date |
Nominations due |
10 June 2025 |
Now |
2 September 2025 |
10 June 2025 |
22 September 2025 |
30 June 2025 |
21 October 2025 |
29 July 2025 |
Contact the Apprenticeship Engagement Team for the latest programme schedule for your chosen start date.
For employers
- Nomination and agreement
- Employers must formally nominate learners before they can apply for our apprenticeship programmes.
- A three-way agreement is required between the employer, the apprentice, and Henley Business School/University of Reading.
- Funding information
- The government funds the apprenticeship through the employer's apprenticeship levy.
For Individuals
To apply for an apprenticeship programme you must be formally nominated to Henley by your organisation.
Entry requirements
- Eligibility
- Must meet the ESFA Apprenticeship eligibility criteria.
- Check eligibility for apprenticeship funding through your employer.
- Professional experience
- At least three years of managerial experience.
- Must hold a role that allows for the application of Senior Leader Apprenticeship criteria and provides opportunities for substantial new learning.
Qualifications
- Academic background
- A 2:1 degree or higher from a UK institution (or equivalent)
- OR five years of professional experience with managerial responsibilities.
Baseline assessment
- As part of the application, a baseline assessment will determine suitability for the programme.
Need further guidance with your application?
Email the Apprenticeship Engagement Team OR Book a call.
Senior Leader Apprenticeship | Business Administration (+MBA): £14,000
- Funded via your organisation’s apprenticeship service account. (Employers must have an account to access the service.)
- Contact our apprenticeships team for more details
Progression to Stage 3 – Henley Flexible Executive MBA: £12,000
- Early bird discount available!
Integrated learning approach
- Combines on-the-job learning with formal and informal off-the-job training.
- Includes taught sessions, workshops, one-to-one mentoring, and self-study.
Off-the-job training
- Minimum 6 hours per week (equivalent to working hours).
- Delivered through activities both at Henley and work like attending workshops or meetings, taking on new responsibilities, shadowing, or attending conferences.
Workplace application
- Apprentices continue their day job, applying their new knowledge, skills and behaviours in real-time.
Line manager support
- Line managers play a vital role in the apprentice’s success.
- Engage with Henley tutors to facilitate training opportunities and work-based projects.
Read more on how to support an apprentice with the Henley Essential Apprenticeship Guides
Clare Calderan is an experienced lecturer and consultant in financial management and banking, with over 20 years' experience in the industry. She has worked both in insolvency at Deloitte & Touche and Investment Banking at HSBC before continuing her career in further education.
Blended learning approach
Combines face-to-face workshops, online learning, and on-the-job training for a practical, well-rounded experience.
Personal development
Personal development is a cornerstone of this programme, seamlessly integrated into every stage of the course.
- Dedicated workshop days
- Two focused workshop days designed exclusively for personal development.
- Enhance self-awareness
- Reflect on personal strengths and areas for growth.
- Develop a critical, structured approach to self-improvement.
- Apply new behaviours
- Transform insights into actionable behaviours for lasting impact in professional and personal contexts.
Sprints
Location: Sessions are held at Henley’s Greenlands campus or external venues.
Workplace integration: Most learning occurs on the job, aligned with role-specific objectives.
Learning sprints
Learners will work at pace with the support of an apprenticeship learning coach, who will help them apply their learning to the workplace.
Apprentices will share the action learning workshops with other learners to work through issues, share ideas and challenge perceptions.
The eight-week learning sprint
The programme is structured into eight weeks with unique purposes:
- Identify and agree work-based project with employer and learning coach.
- Study relevant content via Canvas, Henley’s digital learning platform.
- Explore scope and aims of work-based project with learning coach.
- Apply learning in the workplace.
- Action learning workshop.
- Development of the work-based project.
- Progress checks with the learning coach.
- Project submission and evaluation of learning.
Work-based projects
Learners will demonstrate key leadership behaviours:
- Collaboration: Work effectively with teams.
- Accountability: Take responsibility with integrity.
- Innovation: Embrace curiosity and new ideas.
- Diversity: Champion inclusivity and respect for differences.
- Growth mindset: Seek development opportunities for themselves and others.
Modules
Developing strategy in a changing world
| Compulsory modules |
|---|
Strategy (MNM1STR)The module examines the concept of leadership, its purpose and effectiveness, before exploring organisational mission, culture, values and diversity. The concept of strategy is examined, and organisational structures are discussed. The concept of strategic thinking is central to the module, along with the importance of the organisation’s value proposition. Students will learn about the organisation’s external and internal context, global and horizon scanning perspectives, technological and policy implications, and multiple stakeholder contexts. The learner will also gain insights into business modelling, as well as an understanding of how to use horizon scanning and conceptualisation to deliver high-performance strategies. Global perspectives are also considered, through an examination of internationalisation and international management strategies. Strategy is also considered from a market and customer perspective, giving the learner an appreciation of new market strategies, changing customer demands and trend analysis. Learners gain insights into customer value propositions, to complement their understanding of organisational value propositions In addition, the module covers the topics of governance and accountability and the link to sustainability. The learner, therefore, gains knowledge and understanding of how to deliver high-performance strategies focusing not just on growth, but also on sustainable outcomes. Academic authors
Professor Marc Day
|
Innovation and change (MNM1INC)The module evaluates how innovation and disruptive technologies can impact organisations and understanding the drivers of change and new ways of working across infrastructure, processes, people and culture, and sustainability. By the end of the module, it is expected that programme members will be able to demonstrate their ability to know and understand:
In addition, programme members will be supported to develop skills to be able to:
Academic authors
Dr Aminu Bature
|
Ensuring responsible leadership and governance
| Compulsory modules |
|---|
Leading Responsibly: Reflections on Enterprise and Risk (MNM2LRE)Enterprises need a deep understanding of how to devise ethical strategies and manage risk if they are to thrive in today’s challenging world. This module examines the concepts of ethics and values-based leadership, before exploring approaches to embedding corporate responsibility in organisations. Academic authors
Dr Bahram Mahmoodi Kahriz
|
Finance (MNM2FIN)Identifying trends that impact financial strategy, applying relevant economic theory to decision-making, and understanding financial governance and legal requirements. The module is designed for the practising manager, recognising that every aspect of the business has an impact on the bottom line. Organisations that do not effectively plan, control and monitor their financial resources are unlikely to achieve their operational targets and strategic business objectives. As such, this module covers core topics in financial accounting, management accounting, finance, microeconomics and procurement to provide a strong foundation for managerial planning, control and decision making. The module is designed to address the critical issues of planning and management control to enable managers to direct the resources available to an organisation in the most efficient and effective manner so that they make decisions, which are essential to achieve their business objectives. Academic authors
Clare Calderan
|
Leading through stakeholder relationships
| Compulsory modules |
|---|
Engaging employees (MNM3ENE)Creating an inclusive culture, encouraging diversity and difference; learning to articulate and translate vision into operational strategies. One of the key factors to running a successful organization is knowing how to engage employees. If the leaders of a business or organisation understand the level of passion their workforce has for the job, they are a step ahead of the competition. This module draws from both the Human Resource Management and Social Psychology perspectives. Academic authors
Dr Washika Haak-Saheem
|
Leading and developing peopleBuilding engagement and developing high performing, agile and collaborative cultures. Employees or human capital are one of the main sources of acquiring competitive advantage in modern organisations. If the leaders of a business or organization understand how to lead and develop people in order to build and develop human capital, they are a step ahead of the competition. This module draws from both the Human Resource Management and Social Psychology perspectives. Academic authors
Dr Washika Haak-Saheem
|
Strategic business proposal
The final stage of the apprenticeship is the end-point assessment (EPA), comprising an Evidence portfolio and final Strategic business proposal.
| Compulsory modules | Credits |
|---|---|
Strategic business proposal (MNM3SBP)This module sets out to provide knowledge, skills and behaviours required by senior leaders in today’s world. The Senior Leader Apprenticeship programmes provides learners with the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to put together an effective strategic business proposal. At the end of this apprenticeship programme, the learner must decide upon a title and scope for the strategic business proposal, which is signed off by the End Point Assessment Organisation (EPAO). Academic authors
Dr Anne Dibley
|
15 [7.5 ECTS credits] |
Modules or course content marked as optional are indicative and may be subject to change. Please note, constraints in timetable scheduling may mean you are unable to take some optional modules at the same time as others.
Assessment
Apprentices submit work-based projects at the end of each module to show the breadth and impact of their learning.
Awards
On successful completion of the programme, apprentices will receive the Level 7 Senior Leader Apprenticeship Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration (subject to passing all work-based projects and Strategic Business Proposal)*
For employers that choose the CMI as the end-point assessment organisation, their apprentices may also achieve:
- a CMI Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership Practice
- Chartered Manager status (on successful EPA)
- CMI student membership (programme duration plus three months, with option for individuals to pay for full membership thereafter).
*An opt out option is available
Henley Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration
Progressing onto the MBA
Where the requirements for the Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration have been met, learners can progress on to Stage 3 of the Henley Flexible Executive MBA.
If learners choose to proceed with the MBA, they will not graduate with the Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration as the credits will instead be awarded towards Stages 1 and 2 of the MBA. If learners choose to graduate with the Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration award but later wish to complete the MBA, they must return to start the MBA within 3 years of being awarded, at which point the Postgraduate Diploma certificate will be rescinded. This requires further study and additional fees.
Please note: a Stage 3 cohort may not be available immediately, and a learner may need to wait 6–12 months following their Senior Leader Apprenticeship | Business Administration. All workshop and assignment submission dates are subject to change by Henley Business School. Henley Business School reserves the right to postpone an intake start date if the minimum number of students is not reached.
MBA Stage 3 fee: £12,000
An early bird discount of 25% is available to all learners who express an interest in progressing onto the MBA before the end of Stage 1 of the Senior Leader Apprenticeship | Business Administration.
Location
For clients wishing to run a closed cohort, we have the flexibility to deliver the programme at locations nationwide. If you do not wish to use your organisation's facilities, we are happy to arrange an alternative teaching venue that may be more convenient for your staff.
Open cohorts are also delivered at venues across the country. The first and last workshops are typically taught at our Greenlands campus near Henley-on-Thames. Set in sweeping parkland on the banks of the River Thames, this beautiful campus provides an inspiring and reflective environment for focused work and study.
Facilities
Through the Henley Business School Library and the virtual learning environment, learners can access a multitude of resources including books, journals, market research reports, dissertations, working papers and company information.
Why choose Henley?
For nearly 80 years, Henley Business School has developed confident and resilient business leaders. Find out more about our approach to working with you
Our Apprenticeship programmes are rated Good by Ofsted across all areas - quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management.
To ensure that apprentices’ work and training are well co-ordinated and effective, Henley’s tutors and line managers collaborate fully with employers and apprentices.
At Henley, we offer a full portfolio of programmes from early career all the way up to board level, and it’s this broad experience that enables us to have a clear and complete vision for our apprenticeship provision.
“"This programme is perfect for those who are passionate about applying learning in the workplace. It enables learners to bring their new insights to life, through the real-world challenges that they will address during the programme. This means that the programme has a lasting impact on the organisation, but also, crucially, a lifelong impact on the individual too."”Dr Clare Calderan, Programme Director
Contact us
If you have any questions or would like to learn more about our apprenticeship programmes, please contact:
Telephone: 0118 378 4030
