What Qualifications Do You Need to Become an HR Manager?

Whether you work in a small, medium or large-sized business, working as a Human Resources Manager these days proves to be a diverse and compelling role for those who like to keep things both challenging and exciting at work.

Being that HR is a competitive field, however, what qualifications do you need to maintain a competitive advantage and land your choice management role?

We go into more detail below.

What does an HR manager do? 

Before we dive into what specific qualifications you need to become an HR manager, let’s first discuss what exactly it is that an HR manager does.

Put simply, HR managers oversee every aspect of the HR processes, practices, and strategies in the organisation. To give you more insight, an HR manager’s typical duties, include - but are not limited to - the following:
 

• Supervising all onboarding, talent management and recruitment processes. 
• Supporting organisations to deliver people-related processes, vision and strategy company-wide (and in line with employment law). 
• Monitoring HR trends and implementing strategies to ensure they’re relevant and successful. 
• Managing conflict resolution and challenges, including the hiring, firing, and welfare of employees. 
• Working with L&D teams to assess the need for training and development. 
• Helping with the design and implementation of onboarding and training sessions. 
• Managing and overseeing employee appraisals.

As you can plainly see, HR management is a role that is best taken on by an individual who enjoys - and does well with - multitasking.

HR managers are never involved in just one area of the business. Instead, they’re involved in every stage of the employee lifecycle, ultimately working to strengthen the employer brand by attracting and retaining the right talent and supporting business decisions.

What qualifications do I need to become an HR manager? 

As is the case with most HR roles, there are a number of ways to achieve the title of HR manager. You can take on undergraduate programmes, training schemes, and postgraduate programmes, for example, or even enrol on a Higher National Diploma (HND).

If you’re looking to save time and money, however, one of the more popular routes are  professional qualifications from the Chartered Institute of Personnel (CIPD) considered to be the industry’s benchmark for the best HR training on the market, offering two qualifications ideal for HR professionals who wish to achieve and excel in HR management.

These are:

The CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma in People Management

If you already have some work experience in HR and you’re ready to progress to the next stage in your career then this is the ideal qualification for you.

Roughly equivalent to an undergraduate degree, the CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma will allow you to gain the comprehensive set of analytical and problem-solving skills you need to stand out in mid-level roles (i.e. HR manager or HR advisor) as you’ll study a wide range of HR models and practices across key and essential areas, including employment law, recruitment, and talent management.

To add, once you’ve enrolled, you’ll acquire membership with the CIPD, giving you access to an abundance of helpful tools and resources for HR professionals.

As you progress with CIPD qualifications, you’ll qualify for higher levels of CIPD membership as well, opening more doors to discounts, rewards, and assistance.


The CIPD Level 7 Advanced Diploma in Strategic People Management

Generally considered the equivalent to a Master’s degree, the CIPD Level 7 Advanced Diploma is perfect for seasoned HR professionals who have plenty of work experience, an HR degree, and/or studied the CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma.

In other words, if you choose to study this course you’re either a senior HR professional looking to pack a bigger punch in your current role, or you’re currently in a mid-level role with the goal to move into senior management.

You’ll gain valuable insights into the most advanced areas of HR as well as work on your leadership, business research, and analysis skills in an aim to be better equipped to persuade key stakeholders to adopt new and current workplace policies.

Once this course has been successfully completed, you’ll also be eligible to apply to become a Chartered Member of the CIPD, the highest industry accolade, and use the designation ‘Chartered MCIPD’ after your name to display proudly to yourself as well as current and future employers. 



If you’re just starting out your career in HR and you’d like to work toward becoming an HR manager in the future, we’d recommend that you first take a look at the CIPD Level 3 Foundation Certificate in People Practice.

It’s a great programme if you’re currently working in an entry-level HR position and looking to climb the career ladder with a solid fundamental knowledge of people practice under your belt.

Wherever you’re at in your career, each CIPD course and every CIPD module is designed in alignment with the CIPD Profession Map, which sets the international standard for HR and L&D professionals and outlines the skills you need at each stage of your career to get you to where you want to be with the most up-to-date and relevant resources.

In other words, with CIPD qualifications you’ll make a real impact at work and in life.


Want to kickstart a career in HR management? Learn the flexible way and enrol on a 100% online CIPD programme with us today to get started.