What is the Level 5 Improvement Specialist Apprenticeship?

Improvement Manager is FTL's specialist management pathway for professionals responsible for improving processes, productivity, performance or services. It combines management and human capability with practical project management, Lean improvement, evidence-led problem-solving and change delivery, applied through real improvement projects. The programme is delivered through the Level 5 Improvement Specialist Apprenticeship, ST0555.

Who is the programme for?

It is suitable for experienced managers, project leads, operational professionals, improvement specialists and other colleagues responsible for delivering significant improvement activity. Formal line-management responsibility is not necessarily the defining factor. Learners do need sufficient scope to lead improvement projects, work across stakeholders, apply structured methods and support or coach others.

Do learners need previous Lean or Six Sigma experience?

Not necessarily a specific Lean or Six Sigma qualification. Skills England notes that employers typically set entry expectations around a Level 4 improvement qualification or equivalent. Relevant project, operational, analytical or improvement experience may therefore be appropriate, with suitability confirmed through the initial assessment process. Participants do not need to have Improvement in their job title.

Is Improvement Manager a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt programme?

No. It is a Level 5 Improvement Specialist Apprenticeship, not a standalone Black Belt certification. The programme does draw on Lean and Six Sigma methods contained within the apprenticeship standard, including structured improvement methods, process analysis, measurement, root cause analysis, statistical techniques, experimentation and control. Its purpose is broader: to help business professionals combine these methods with project management, stakeholder engagement, change, benefits realisation and coaching so they can lead improvement effectively in practice.

Why is the programme a strong management pathway?

Managing improvement requires colleagues to align stakeholders, assess competing priorities, make evidence-led decisions and help new ways of working land successfully. The programme develops these management capabilities through a real improvement, change or transformation project, making it a practical pathway for people who manage work, projects, stakeholders and improvement activity, whether or not they directly manage a team.

How does AI feature in the programme?

AI supports improvement rather than replacing established improvement disciplines. Learners build practical AI confidence and complete Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals certification. They explore how AI can support activities such as research, analysis, project planning, communication and productivity while maintaining appropriate human judgement, data security and accountability.

What authority sources inform the programme design?

The programme is built directly around the current Skills England Level 5 Improvement Specialist Apprenticeship standard and its full knowledge, skills and behaviours. The standard explicitly covers Lean thinking, structured improvement methods including DMAIC, project and change planning, customer insight, process mapping, measurement, statistical analysis, root cause analysis, experimentation, control and sustainability, alongside communication, stakeholder management, coaching and team leadership. FTL translates those occupational requirements into 12 applied missions that follow the sequence of a real improvement project, from choosing the opportunity through to sustaining gains and coaching others.

How long does the programme take and what is the time commitment?

FTL delivers the Improvement Manager Programme over 12 months, with approximately 4 hours of protected learning time per week. Protected learning includes live workshops, self-paced learning, peer study groups, Mentarri-supported learning and regular coaching. The rest of the development is applied through live improvement projects and workplace activity. Learners are prepared throughout for the assessment requirements of the Level 5 Improvement Specialist Apprenticeship.

How is the programme funded?

The Level 5 Improvement Specialist Apprenticeship has a funding band of £9,000. Eligible levy-paying employers can use apprenticeship funding for the programme. Funding eligibility and co-investment arrangements depend on employer and learner circumstances.

Level 5 Improvement Specialist Apprenticeship

Level 5

Improvement Specialist Apprenticeship

Duration

12 months

Qualification outcomes

Level 5 Improvement Specialist apprenticeship
Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals certification
Institute of Leadership professional membership eligibility

Audience

Managers, project leads, operational professionals and specialists responsible for process, performance, productivity or service improvement

Funding

Fully fundable via the Apprenticeship Levy - funding band £9,000

Time commitment

Approx. 4 hours per week protected learning time

Programme overview

Delivered through the Level 5 Improvement Specialist Apprenticeship, the Improvement Manager Programme develops practical management, project and Lean improvement capability for colleagues responsible for improving processes, performance, productivity or services. It gives business professionals a focused route into structured improvement methods, including Lean and relevant Six Sigma techniques, without requiring a separate Black Belt qualification pathway.

Learners apply this capability through live improvement work, following the sequence an improvement specialist uses in practice: from selecting and scoping the right opportunity through process analysis, measurement and root cause investigation to testing solutions, landing change, sustaining gains and coaching others.

Skills and capabilities developed

Lean improvement

Project management

Process mapping

Root cause analysis

Evidence-led decisions

Stakeholder engagement

Change communication

Benefits realisation

Coaching others

Responsible AI use

Evidence & outcomes

Improvement Manager is designed to strengthen management confidence, project discipline and the ability to deliver measurable, sustainable improvement.

Microsoft AI Certification Included

Future Talent Learning is a Microsoft Training Services Partner

Ofsted rated "Good"

Future Talent Learning is rated Good by Ofsted, reflecting the quality of education, learner development and support.

100%

Pass rate across FTL programmes

85%

Distinction rate across FTL programmes

Programme positioning

Who is this
programme for?

Improvement Manager is designed for experienced professionals who are responsible for improving performance, processes or services and need stronger structure around how they lead improvement work.

It is relevant across sectors and functions.

Skills England identifies Improvement Specialists across areas including financial services, retail, healthcare, local government, utilities, manufacturing, hospitality and professional services.

Managers leading improvement

Operations managers
Service managers
Performance managers
Functional managers
Managers responsible for productivity or quality

Project and change professionals

Project managers
Programme or project leads
Change professionals
Transformation roles
PMO and delivery professionals

Improvement and process roles

Continuous improvement professionals
Business improvement specialists
Process improvement roles
Quality and performance specialists
Operational excellence roles

Experienced specialists

Subject-matter experts leading improvement activity
Technical specialists working across functions
Professionals responsible for complex improvement projects
Colleagues coaching others in improvement methods

Where this
programme fits

A specialist management and improvement pathway

Improvement Manager is FTL's specialist pathway for colleagues who need deeper capability in project management, Lean improvement, productivity and sustained performance improvement.

It complements FTL's broader management pathways by providing greater depth in structured improvement methods, project discipline, evidence and benefits realisation.

Employers can use Improvement Manager to support:

Operational and service improvement

Productivity programmes

Process redesign

Quality and performance improvement

Cross-functional improvement projects

Project and change capability

Continuous improvement communities

Experienced professionals taking on greater improvement responsibility

Skills & capabilities developed

Improvement Manager brings together management, project, Lean, analytical and human capability so colleagues can take improvement from an identified opportunity through to sustained results.

Learners strengthen capability across six connected areas:

Management and human capability - lead improvement teams, create accountability, communicate clearly, influence stakeholders and coach others.

Project management capability - scope projects, build project plans, manage risk, coordinate multi-stakeholder delivery and track benefits.

Lean and process improvement - map value streams, identify waste, improve flow and apply structured improvement methods to real work.

Evidence and analytical capability - plan measurement, assess performance, investigate root causes and use evidence to make defensible decisions.

Change and stakeholder capability - understand readiness, engage people, communicate change and help improved ways of working land successfully.

AI and digital capability - use AI and digital tools responsibly to support analysis, planning, communication and improvement activity while maintaining human judgement.

Organisational outcomes

Organisations use Improvement Manager to strengthen their ability to turn improvement priorities into structured projects with measurable and sustainable results.

It helps build internal capability rather than making improvement dependent on a small number of specialists or external consultants.

Better selection and prioritisation of improvement opportunities

Stronger project planning and delivery discipline

Reduced waste, friction, bottlenecks and rework

Better evidence behind root cause and solution decisions

Stronger stakeholder engagement and change adoption

Clearer benefits realisation and performance tracking

More sustainable improvements rather than short-lived fixes

Greater internal capability to coach and lead improvement

Why this programme?

Improvement work is rarely held back by a lack of ideas. The challenge is choosing the right problem, applying enough structure, using evidence well, bringing people with you and sustaining the gains.

Improvement Manager gives business professionals a focused 12-month route to build management, project and Lean capability through live improvement work.

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Levy-funded improvement upskilling

Lean + project management

Microsoft AI Fundamentals certification

Institute of Leadership accreditation

Time-efficient:
learning fits the working week

The real constraint with professional development is rarely funding - it is time.

Approx. 4 hours of protected learning time per week - one of the most time-efficient delivery models in the sector.

Learning is then applied through live improvement projects, monthly missions and workplace activity, helping participants build capability while improving real processes, services and performance.

12 month programme overview

Structured curriculum missions are combined with live workshops, peer learning and one-to-one coaching, so participants build applied capability progressively through real work.

Download the programme prospectus for more detail.

Curriculum missions

The programme follows the sequence an improvement specialist uses in practice, from choosing the right opportunity through to sustaining the gains and coaching others. Each monthly mission applies management, Lean, project, analytical and human capability to live improvement work.

Choose what to improve

Prioritise opportunities, set scope and select the right method.

Get the right people together

Build the team, align stakeholders and create accountability.

Understand what the customer needs

Use customer insight and benchmarking to set targets.

See how work is done today

Map value streams, expose waste and identify broken flow.

Collect data you can trust

Plan reliable measurement before drawing conclusions.

Understand what the data shows

Assess stability, capability and evidence with appropriate confidence.

Find the real cause

Use analysis to prove what drives performance.

Make the case for the project

Build financial, benefits, risk and delivery plans.

Test the solution

Use experiments to optimise solutions and build robustness.

Help people adopt the change

Assess readiness, communicate clearly and influence adoption.

Make the improvement stick

Use controls to sustain gains and replicate learning.

Coach others to improve

Develop others and build wider improvement capability.

Interactive live learning events

Live workshops build the practical management, project, Lean and human skills learners need to lead improvement confidently.

Selecting the right project

Prioritise improvement opportunities linked to organisational goals.

Planning improvement projects

Create scope, plans, governance, risks and milestones.

Leading cross-functional teams

Build accountability and momentum across organisational boundaries.

Understanding customer value

Use customer insight to define meaningful improvement.

Mapping value and waste

Use Lean thinking to expose friction and broken flow.

Using data for improvement

Build reliable measures and interpret performance confidently.

Finding root causes

Use structured analysis rather than assumptions or symptoms.

AI for improvement work

Use AI responsibly to support analysis and productivity.

Testing better solutions

Design tests, learn quickly and improve robustness.

Building the business case

Connect costs, benefits, risks and project outcomes.

Influencing change and adoption

Build readiness, engagement and support for new ways.

Sustaining and coaching improvement

Hold the gains and develop capability in others.

Live peer study groups

Monthly coach-facilitated study groups give learners space to test ideas, discuss real improvement dilemmas and learn from peers facing similar challenges.

Improvement or distraction?

Which problem genuinely deserves time and sponsorship?

Scope keeps growing

When should you challenge additional project requirements?

Stakeholders disagree

How do you build alignment without avoiding challenge?

Whose customer need?

What happens when different priorities genuinely conflict?

Can you trust it?

When is the available evidence good enough?

Root cause or assumption?

What evidence proves what is really happening?

Lean without theatre

What actually improves flow rather than creating diagrams?

Benefits under pressure

When are projected savings genuinely credible?

Evidence versus preference

What if analysis challenges a senior stakeholder?

Change will not land

Which source of resistance needs addressing first?

Control or bureaucracy?

How much monitoring is enough to sustain improvement?

Coach or solve?

When should you guide rather than provide answers?

Protected structured learning: approx. 4 hours per week

AI-enabled learning + human coaching + interactive workshops

• Self-paced learning modules
• Regular one-to-one coaching
• Interactive live workshops
• Guided exploration using AI learning tools
• Peer study groups
• Project preparation and reflection

These activities introduce the frameworks, tools and approaches learners need to lead improvement effectively.

Applied project-based development

Learning applied through real improvement work

Participants apply learning directly to a real change, improvement or transformation project through monthly missions and work-based activities.

Because this work is integrated into existing responsibilities, development remains relevant and creates visible organisational value.

Real workplace improvement projects drive learning.

Participants apply new methods through 12 structured missions, building capability while tackling genuine organisational priorities.

FTL’s highly customised programme has become the core of our management development strategy. The FTL team are slick, knowledgeable, responsive and a pleasure to work with. — Nick Dormor, Senior Learning Specialist, Babcock

An outstanding programme to accelerate the development of future leaders. — Roger Minton, Head of Leadership, Anglo American

FTL provides top-tier, highly engaging, innovative and effective methods of learning, leading to high success rates and impact that line managers can observe. — Ofsted, Sept 2024

Frequently asked questions — Level 5 Improvement Specialist Apprenticeship

See our full FAQs page for more information or Contact us if you have any questions.

Speak to our team

The Improvement Manager Programme gives employers a practical way to build management, project and Lean improvement capability around real organisational priorities.

Talk to us about where stronger improvement capability could increase productivity, strengthen delivery and help better ways of working stick across your organisation.

We'll get back to you within one working day.

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