Career Pathways
Taking your career to New Heights
Introduction
Columbus Career Pathways is our framework for developing our consultants. The framework represents our aspirational performance standards, set to guide and challenge our people towards being the very best version of themselves.
Conventional wisdom might have us believe that the ideal career is a linear one, where each subsequent role is a step up from the last. In reality, a career can be a mosaic of lateral moves, retrospective steps, or entirely unexpected ventures.
Sometimes, the sideways or backward step can be the most enriching, offering invaluable experiences and perspectives.
Life is rarely predictable.
There will be times when personal passions evolve, family responsibilities take precedence, or unforeseen events compel a change in direction.
At Columbus, we try to embrace these changes together with our employees to see them succeed with us for years to come.
Developing People: A Strategic Pillar
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Investing in the development of our employees is not just a responsibility; it’s a strategic imperative that leads to a brighter future for both individuals and the company as a whole...
Per Fredrikkson
Chief People Officer
So...... How does it work?
Our 3 Pathways
For delivery teams, there are three pathways to specialise in at Columbus:
- Engagement pathway – e.g. Project and engagement management, including SDMs.
- Business pathway – delivery of the functional solutions to meet the customers needs.
- Technical pathway – responsible for technical architecture and delivery of technical solutions.
5 Levels of seniority in each competency pathway. ➡️
Within each level there might be different role titles still aligned to a seniority level.
Less of a pathway, more of a bookcase
Our framework supports progression and promotion within a pathway or across pathways so you can learn new skills and have new experiences. However, there is
no requirement to progress up should you be happy with your current level of responsibility.
No "Deadman's Shoes"
The competency framework expectations are solely based on seniority. This means that as an individual learns new skills and develop through experience, it is possible to qualify for promotion to a higher seniority.
A Principal Consultant does not need to have formal team management to become a Principal. A Director Consultant can also be a deeply knowledgeable, and highly specialised expert in a given subject, that is highly sought for with our customers without formal direct reports.
My Journey at Columbus: Chris Mean, CEO
Chris Mean joined us as a Project Manager before becoming our CEO in 2020. Explore his journey and gain insights from his tips on advancing your career with us.
Want to hear more!
Check out what some of our employees said about their career progression and how the Career Pathway Framework helped them...
