When you say "HR Manager", do you mean that you are leading a team of HR staff, or are you in a standalone role?

Is you current role very secure?

If you are in a secure, leadership role and you already have a postgraduate level qualification, go for Level 7. You should be aiming for Chartered membership if you want to grow into a strategic or consulting role. I would also advise you to speak to your local CIPD branch to get insight into the chartership process, as you will want to begin identifying projects within your role that you will want to draw upon to illustrate your experience for your eventual status change. If you time things right, you should be able to complete your Level 7 and obtain Chartered Member status almost simultaneously.

That said, if your role is standalone, with a lot of operational, transactional work and less senior level exposure, you may be better off starting with a Level 5. It will be easier, quicker and cheaper to become professionally qualified in a way relevant to your role. It won't also carry access to Chartered Member status, but is a solid stepping stone in the career track to your next, more senior role.

If your current position is uncertain in any respect (charities have taken a *huge* hit recently that COVID has only compounded), the cheaper, quicker path is also going to be the better choice. If you find yourself suddenly unemployed, it will be easier to find your way back at an advisor level than at a manager level, and - as many, many people on this forum have testified - having a Level 7 qualification can actually be an obstruction to getting a lower-level job when many HR Managers aren't Chartered MCIPD or Level 7 themselves.

In reply to Robey:

Thank you very much for your helpful reply. My job is completely secure at the moment as we have solid grant funding for at least the next 5 years. I don't manage an HR team (as in I'm the only person responsible for HR) but line manage 3 admin staff. As a result my role includes a lot of the operational tasks you mention but I'm also involved in high level strategic work.

In reply to Robey:

I would nearly always encourage people to go higher
I supported someone a few years ago who looked weak on paper but I knew better. She turned out to be the best student in the year and is now a HR Director
My level & students are a mixed bunch but senior people with good academic skills tend to do well

Hi Ines
I would strongly recommend L7 Advanced Diploma for 4 reasons:
1. You have the academic capability to work at Postgrad Level
2. You are working in HR and have 3 years experience
3. The optional units in L7 are the same as in L5 so you would be reading the same books and research papers
4. The L7 Advanced Diploma gives you Associate Membership immediately and then there is a simple upgrade process to Chartered Member status.

So by doing the L7 you save time and money.

Do contact me if you wish to chat this through ms@cullenscholefield.com

Good luck!