ILM Level 5 Award in Leadership and Management

The ILM Level 5 Award in Leadership and Management is designed for experienced professionals stepping into, or currently in, middle management roles. Spanning 29 weeks through phased contact days and self-directed study, this programme develops essential leadership capabilities to meet the needs of modern organisations. With a dual focus on leading people and managing change, the course strengthens self-awareness, decision-making, innovation, and transformation practices. Participants will engage with strategic leadership challenges and apply their learning in real workplace contexts, ensuring transfer of knowledge into tangible improvements. This programme blends rigorous ILM standards with QA’s industry expertise to prepare confident leaders ready to shape organisational success.

By the end of this course, learners will be able to:

• assess and develop their ability to meet leadership responsibilities
• evaluate their effectiveness in leading others and implementing organisational strategies
• understand the drivers, challenges, and importance of change and innovation
• develop and propose creative, practical solutions for business improvement
• lead teams through change using structured models and stakeholder engagement
• document and evidence leadership practices through assignments and workplace artefacts

There are no formal qualifications required, however participants should:

• be currently in a middle management or professional team leadership role
• have responsibility for managing change, projects, or operational improvements
• be able to demonstrate workplace-based leadership practice
• have organisational support to engage in the full programme and complete assignments

Target audience

This course is ideal for:

• individuals recently appointed to middle management roles
• professional team leaders or project managers driving organisational improvements
• experienced managers looking to sharpen leadership practice and revitalise their approach
• organisations aiming to cultivate leadership that enables innovation and manages change

Note: This course is not suitable for senior executives, first-line supervisors, or junior managers.

If you need support, please reach out to us through our Candidate Matcher. This tool is designed to help you determine whether this qualification is the right level for you.

If you work in a high-security environment, we strongly recommend using the Candidate Matcher and requesting a conversation with a member of the course team if you're still unsure.

Induction and orientation

• Introduction to the ILM qualification framework
• Guidance on assessment structure and timelines
• Completion of the role matcher with line manager
• Overview of required evidence, tutorials, and independent study expectations

Module 1: Becoming an effective leader

• Key leadership responsibilities in the modern workplace
• Styles of leadership and decision-making
• Understanding leadership impact and emotional intelligence
• Reflective leadership: evaluating personal effectiveness
• Delegation, empowerment, and developing others
• Practical application in the workplace
• Tutorials and peer-led reflection sessions
• Assignment 1: Self-assessment and leadership development plan

Study period and independent preparation

• Workplace application and evidence collection
• Independent tutorials with course facilitator
• Engagement with line managers and peers for feedback and validation
• Submission of first ILM assignment

Module 2: Leading innovation and change

• Organisational need for innovation and change
• Change models, resistance, and stakeholder engagement
• Innovation techniques for business performance
• Developing and pitching change proposals
• Leading change initiatives with agility and empathy
• Capturing lessons learned and sustaining change
• Real-world application and peer feedback
• Assignment 2: Change project and innovation proposal

Final study period and completion

• Final preparation, tutorials, and internal support
• Submission of second ILM assignment
• Review of leadership journey and next steps in career development

Exams and assessments

There are no formal exams. Learners are assessed through two written assignments aligned to the modules:

• Becoming an effective leader
• Leading innovation and change

Assignments must be submitted with supporting evidence from the workplace and verified by ILM.

Hands-on learning

This course embeds applied learning through:

• workplace scenarios and assignments
• dedicated time for testing leadership techniques in live settings
• tutorials with expert facilitators offering tailored guidance
• peer collaboration and feedback to validate development
• reflective practice to strengthen assessments